News, news, news
This morning I listened to a Ted Talk by Kirk Citron who asked the question “How many of today’s headlines will matter in 100 years?” I also watched and listened to network news on the television while I was on the treadmill and read both the Wall Street Journal and the Tampa Tribune. Additionally, I googled several news items including the Verizon strike by the wireline division which has 45,000 employees of the total 197,000 employees.
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal by Jeffrey Herbst entitled “The Algorithm Is an Editor” discussing the question of whether Google, Facebook and other tech companies are news organizations.
Two of the ancillary questions which must be raised if one is going to sort through all the information presented daily and, in some cases, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year are:
· To what stories does one attend?
· How does one determine whether there is a consistent “truth” or “truths” in any of the presented stories?
·
Even though I have a background of living in areas such as Washington, D. C. and New York-New Jersey area where the so-called educated and informed person was expected to find the time to comb through, at the minimum, two to four newspapers a day plus listen to television news broadcasts and to read such magazines as The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and at least some professional journals, I somehow, in the age of the internet, 24-hour cable news coverage, email, text, and tech company stream of personal, business, political, and human interests items feel uneducated. I feel as if I am missing more than I am taking in and, thus, am poorly prepared to have even a minimal cogent opinion on any topic! Yikes!
I recall moving from the New Jersey – New York area to a small, then remote village, in Southeast Alaska which did not have consistent electricity much less satellite, internet or even radio and television coverage. I thought I would wither and die from the lack of information input. Yet, six months later when I was in New York City for a professional conference I had little interest in the newspapers, television or other information streaming sources. What had happened? Certainly, the world had managed, however fumblingly, to go on without me and my vociferous and erudite daily commentary. Years later, after living in the “lower 48” for many subsequent years, I was back to the pattern of information intake I described in the beginning of this writing.
Then, someone such as Kirk Citron challenges me to rethink not only what information (news) is going to matter in 100 years, but how does one discern what information is news and what is the half-truths of those with a proprietary interest in how they present so-called facts.
I am aware of attending to a particular story which was reported in the political, business, human interest and financial sections this morning. This is the story of a strike by the 45,000 union wireline division employees of the total 197,000 Verizon employees. There are many, often conflicting “facts” presented including:
· The wireline division is losing money.
· The wireline division is responsible for fiber optics which provides connections for cable TV, phone and data.
· Cell towers are supported by fiber optics.
· The company needs some of the following concessions to stay profitable:
o *eliminating pensions for all new hires and freezing pensions for current employees;
o *scrapping all of the contract’s job security provisions;
o *sharply increasing workers’ payments for health insurance premiums;
o *cutting back sick days and eliminating four vacation days, including Martin Luther King Day;
o *allowing unlimited freedom to outsource union workers’ jobs.
· The average line worker compensation is $130,000.
· CEO Lowell McAdam’s total compensation in over $18,000,000.00 per annum.
· Verizon stock has risen approximately 14 dollars per share since August of 2011.
One could, of course, continue to present highlights of the Verizon story from various perspectives for a long time. In the end, it would still be difficult for this writer to correctly identify “the truths” and to form an educated opinion. I could, of course, approach this issues from the standpoint of:
· The “truths” of particular United States presidential candidates.
· The seeming fact that despite the historic, positive role of unions providing some safely and financial protection for many workers it is still an adversary system which, at this point in history, has two groups whose self-interest had led to attachments to power and perhaps human corruption.
· The overall effect of this story on the financial status of the United States and the world although this would require some decision about which economic theorist to trust.
Mercy me! By this time I can feel a news headache coming on. What is a responsible citizen to do? Fortunately, I am blessed to not be addicted to alcohol or other drugs. I may be addicted to mystery novels and could bury my head in the sand of one mystery book after another. I could also become a silent contemplative religious person and go off into the wilderness.
I could, of course, also continue to refuse to settle on “one truth” leaving me free both to act “as if” and to remind myself that this life journey is but a moment, hold on to my sense of humor, and love the best I know how. Last, but not least, I can surround myself with loving people who remind me not to take this opera of life too seriously. Oh dear! Did I just issue another news flash?
Written April 14, 2016
This morning I listened to a Ted Talk by Kirk Citron who asked the question “How many of today’s headlines will matter in 100 years?” I also watched and listened to network news on the television while I was on the treadmill and read both the Wall Street Journal and the Tampa Tribune. Additionally, I googled several news items including the Verizon strike by the wireline division which has 45,000 employees of the total 197,000 employees.
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal by Jeffrey Herbst entitled “The Algorithm Is an Editor” discussing the question of whether Google, Facebook and other tech companies are news organizations.
Two of the ancillary questions which must be raised if one is going to sort through all the information presented daily and, in some cases, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year are:
· To what stories does one attend?
· How does one determine whether there is a consistent “truth” or “truths” in any of the presented stories?
·
Even though I have a background of living in areas such as Washington, D. C. and New York-New Jersey area where the so-called educated and informed person was expected to find the time to comb through, at the minimum, two to four newspapers a day plus listen to television news broadcasts and to read such magazines as The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and at least some professional journals, I somehow, in the age of the internet, 24-hour cable news coverage, email, text, and tech company stream of personal, business, political, and human interests items feel uneducated. I feel as if I am missing more than I am taking in and, thus, am poorly prepared to have even a minimal cogent opinion on any topic! Yikes!
I recall moving from the New Jersey – New York area to a small, then remote village, in Southeast Alaska which did not have consistent electricity much less satellite, internet or even radio and television coverage. I thought I would wither and die from the lack of information input. Yet, six months later when I was in New York City for a professional conference I had little interest in the newspapers, television or other information streaming sources. What had happened? Certainly, the world had managed, however fumblingly, to go on without me and my vociferous and erudite daily commentary. Years later, after living in the “lower 48” for many subsequent years, I was back to the pattern of information intake I described in the beginning of this writing.
Then, someone such as Kirk Citron challenges me to rethink not only what information (news) is going to matter in 100 years, but how does one discern what information is news and what is the half-truths of those with a proprietary interest in how they present so-called facts.
I am aware of attending to a particular story which was reported in the political, business, human interest and financial sections this morning. This is the story of a strike by the 45,000 union wireline division employees of the total 197,000 Verizon employees. There are many, often conflicting “facts” presented including:
· The wireline division is losing money.
· The wireline division is responsible for fiber optics which provides connections for cable TV, phone and data.
· Cell towers are supported by fiber optics.
· The company needs some of the following concessions to stay profitable:
o *eliminating pensions for all new hires and freezing pensions for current employees;
o *scrapping all of the contract’s job security provisions;
o *sharply increasing workers’ payments for health insurance premiums;
o *cutting back sick days and eliminating four vacation days, including Martin Luther King Day;
o *allowing unlimited freedom to outsource union workers’ jobs.
· The average line worker compensation is $130,000.
· CEO Lowell McAdam’s total compensation in over $18,000,000.00 per annum.
· Verizon stock has risen approximately 14 dollars per share since August of 2011.
One could, of course, continue to present highlights of the Verizon story from various perspectives for a long time. In the end, it would still be difficult for this writer to correctly identify “the truths” and to form an educated opinion. I could, of course, approach this issues from the standpoint of:
· The “truths” of particular United States presidential candidates.
· The seeming fact that despite the historic, positive role of unions providing some safely and financial protection for many workers it is still an adversary system which, at this point in history, has two groups whose self-interest had led to attachments to power and perhaps human corruption.
· The overall effect of this story on the financial status of the United States and the world although this would require some decision about which economic theorist to trust.
Mercy me! By this time I can feel a news headache coming on. What is a responsible citizen to do? Fortunately, I am blessed to not be addicted to alcohol or other drugs. I may be addicted to mystery novels and could bury my head in the sand of one mystery book after another. I could also become a silent contemplative religious person and go off into the wilderness.
I could, of course, also continue to refuse to settle on “one truth” leaving me free both to act “as if” and to remind myself that this life journey is but a moment, hold on to my sense of humor, and love the best I know how. Last, but not least, I can surround myself with loving people who remind me not to take this opera of life too seriously. Oh dear! Did I just issue another news flash?
Written April 14, 2016
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