Primetime paranoia

It’s a scary world out there – one chockful of kidnappers, robbers, rapists, swindlers and arsonists. Just a week’s worth of primetime TV news should give you that idea. You become privy to the most insidious, evil, and detestable qualities of man as he succumbs to base instincts – all in surround stereo, of course.

So by and large, you shun the outdoors and begin to live in your own little paranoid shell – unless you know any of the martial arts, have a license to carry a gun, bring a can of mace or pepper spray, or have memorized all the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

I remember a nifty little communication theory we learned in college, which basically said that we begin to foster a more negative view of the world if we are particularly voracious media consumers. In simple terms, an increasingly dim view of the world is directly proportional to the number of hours in front of the telly (or radio, or paper).

Bah, humbug?

Well, consider the pretty obvious piece of truism that says bad news is good news, and good news is bad news. The average tabloid is splattered with just two things – naked bodies and bloodied bodies. Television networks practice their own brand of tabloid journalism by zeroing in on arresting stories of whodunit rapes and massacres. A rape victim is a dime a dozen on TV, and soon you begin to feel you might be next.

Of course, making people aware of the evils of the world is part of public service, and keeps the populace on guard. But more than just serving as warning, news also paints a generally disturbing picture that is ironically tempered (or aggravated) by the crass commercialism and brainless programs that litter the timeslots.

So now, you have two conflicting messages: one tells you to venture out of your home at your own risk, and the other tells you to buy Brand So-and-So rather than Brand X – and buy lots.

Dizzy already?

Even worse than this two-pronged pitchfork, some misguided reporters make a living by treating the most serious of stories with frivolity, blurring the line between entertainment and unbiased information. This does a double disservice by both disrespecting the subject and desensitizing the average viewer to the gravity or seriousness of the topic.

For instance, I was appalled by the utter lack of journalistic scruples by this one so-called reporter with the irritating voice and even more irritating delivery. "Obnoxious" best describes his recent report on our brave troops who are doing battle with the Abu Sayyaf bandits. He was making fun of them in the worst possible way. I say give this wannabe a gun and bring him to the frontlines. Let’s see if he can rhyme his way out of a skirmish.

Sometimes, the Filipino penchant for laughing in the face of adversity goes overboard and isn’t very amusing at all.

Now, we have news that the Abu Sayyaf a-holes have dispatched several of their number to sow terror in Manila. We have yet to rid ourselves of the perfunctory searches at the malls, and now you can expect a more sordid show from your friendly neighborhood security guard. When will we wake up from this recurring nightmare?

Another front of the media-caused Mean World Syndrome is now that gadget you hold in your hand, churning out one text after another. Read Robina Gokongwei’s piece on page L-9.

Still more jerks – this time with cell phones! While we ought to appreciate forwarded jokes, we should resist the nasty urge to re-send stupid and potentially damaging messages. Is this supposed to be cool?

Can you blame me when I begin to think that two things are essentially wrong in this country – people have way too much time in their hands and way too little money.

But ironically, that spells good news for media, which will never be wanting of fodder for the masses – serving as both opiate and caffeine.

I dream of a time of sobriety – not just among the citizens but, more importantly, the media outfits that add to the hysteria.

For now, the question of the day is: Would you let a bomb scare keep you from your favorite mall?

Not me. I prefer to wield a defiant credit card, but I sure am going to watch what I touch.