If you look back at the most infamous, illustrious stars in the entertainment industry, a definite trend seems to have emerged over time. It's no secret that celebrities of the past twenty years in particular have struggled with substance abuse; what with the pressure and stress that comes along with their chosen career path, it's almost expected among young actors to fall into the cycle of addiction at some point during their rise to the top. Today, popular tabloids and online news sites are over-eager to "expose" the next big story chronicling some budding actor's pill habit, nervous breakdown, or stint in rehab. You'd think that this base level of gossip would have lost its allure by now, yet millions of Americans nonetheless continue feeding off of it, almost as if they get a kick out of watching their idols fall from grace. Whether it be covert jealousy or sheer curiosity propelling this desire for superficial, celebrity-driven content in lieu of far more pressing global news, it's important to be aware of how this toxic cycle operates.
Behind its glittering facade, Hollywood's a marketing machine that runs on greed. As you probably know, most media corporations have their own hidden agenda. Whether the incentive be political, financial, or fame-derived, it usually becomes pretty clear if you can spot the hand orchestrating the puppet show. During childhood, we become conditioned to trust and believe what we're told by authority figures, and this habit doesn't just disappear by the time we reach adulthood. So the notion that even the most well-respected professionals often privilege selfish motives over the public's best interest can come as a shock. It's like we subconsciously posit revered conglomerates like NBC as an authority figure or "insider" on a given topic. Just like we wholeheartedly believed in our caregivers while growing up, we so badly want today's experts to be completely reliable and genuine. The idea that the most powerful, popular figures in society are liars is too upsetting to accept because they're technically supposed to be legitimate--to know what the hell they're talking about. Otherwise, there would be no logic to the entire system and no way to differentiate information that's accurate from utter crap or know for sure if someone in power is being genuine.
A story gives information a sense of meaning and direction, with a clear climactic arc and hopefully comforting ending. It has the power to personalize what would otherwise be a dull set of facts and ultimately lure readers to invest more of their time in the protagonist. Looking at today's top news articles, you can quickly notice how the press is able to turn even the most boring update into a captivating adventure. For example, NBC News loves to elevate their pieces by constructing captivating headlines that catch your eye, often spotlighting a snippet of a quote that sounds dramatic only because it's taken out of a much larger context. They're also clever with their phrasing to make it seem like everything's literally happening RIGHT NOW and you don't want to miss it. "Senator finds 'appalling' proof as Democrats admit 'we're flummoxed!'" The key word here is as; it adds a sense of urgency to this clearly manipulated back-and-forth dialogue excerpt. And wording isn't the only element that's been meticulously crafted. One section of the site features NBC's top 5 daily videos. Today's is comprised of two harrowing murder stories, two entertainment stories and for the number one slot, an uplifting rescue story. It literally looks like this: Lives Saved! Actress Returns for Sequel! Survivors of School Shooting! After the Murder! Sesame Street Settles its Differences! I kid you not, right under a graphic of Uber's new murder alert system (nifty for times when your driver just so happens to also be a serial killer) there's a photo of Elmo. Personally, I think the leap from "Luckily my Prius driver won't shoot me as long as my iPhone's charged" to "I hope people accept Julia's autistic muppet family" is a bit much, don't you think?
This brings me to perspective; honestly, if I didn't break down NBC's story order, what are the odds you'd catch those glaring contradictions? The layout was arranged in this fashion purposely to pull at your heartstrings. Or to put it bluntly, to manipulate you. Those superficial updates that aren't even newsworthy are easily digestible. Therefore, they're nestled between far more upsetting, heavier stories to give viewers a respite so they'll willingly keep reading. Otherwise, you'd see bad news after bad news, which can become a challenge to get through. Sesame Street's plight--which is by far the most lightweight piece of the day--is placed last, so that you finish reading in a pleasant mood and endearing memories of a beloved childhood puppet show. NBC's hopes you'll click for more on their site, yet even if you do merely quit your browser, you'll already have formed a new, positive association between NBC and a classic show that hearkens back to you to your childhood. Not only does this posit the network a little bit closer to your heart, but the next time you need to catch up on current events, you'll perhaps be more inclined to opt for NBC. Perspective. If you can separate what's truly important and relevant for your life from all the pointless garbage, you're golden. However, if you're gullible or subconsciously yearning for your own happily-ever-after, it's admittedly far easier to get sucked in. Before you know it, you may start equivocating something as insular as Khloe Kardashian's cheating baby daddy with actual tragedies on a global scale. One is far more harrowing as the other, and if you need a moment to grasp what I just said, please cancel your subscriptions to Us Weekly, People, Glamour, and program your laptop to automatically block gossip mills like TMZ and E Online. I believe in you.
In conclusion, it seems that entertainment news has expanded and distorted the original concept of "the news" in America. The fact that millions of people every day are denied quality content and expected to accept surface level stories that lack actual substance. Today, practically any bit of information can qualify as legitimate news, because we've been conditioned to believe that we're supposed to care about celebrity drama just as much as if not more than serious global events. Why there hasn't been mass protests or major movements in rejection of the surface level, dumbed down, pseudo-news that endless publications, websites, and networks constantly shove down our throats is beyond me. It's kind of insulting, this tacit assumption that Americans must simply be too ignorant to realize that they're being groomed to uphold a whole new value system. In this value system, the quality of your character isn't nearly as important as the quality of your selfies. And silly attributes such as personal integrity and work ethic pale in comparison to number of followers. Because in this day and age, the most sought after spot at the top of the societal pyramid belongs to the lucky few who devote their lives and their souls to the highly esteemed field of self-aggrandizement. And so we watch, eyes full of bewilderment, wishing that we too were blessed and talented enough to get paid for doing absolutely nothing but what ever we felt like. Long live the American Dream...
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