Real truth in media, not just saying honest words, but speaking them honestly.

Truth in media seems like a dead creature.

What I mean is, with the consolidation of news outlets, the race for profits, lack of standards for documentaries, and extremely partisan politics  influencing reporting, there seems to be no real truth in news media any longer.

WARNING: SOMETHING SHOCKING IS COMING UP!!!!

one of the most commonly used techniques to lie witout overtly lying used in the newsmedia is to grab attention, either with an exciting, but vague statement about an upcoming piece, or to print a shocking or inflamatory headline in bold type, while the article is neutral, or even contradicts the headline.
While "more at 11" is frustrating or misleading, the headline/content dissonance is worse. This is a technique used to take a particular position without commiting to it. it is a manipulation of the way that the human mind, regardless of intellect, works. The bold type puts a subconscious message in the readers' minds, one that overpowers the content of the article.

A friend of mine recently tried to convince me of the good intent of an organization, one that i am opposed to on the grounds that i believe that they perpetuate bigotry towards my religion. She showed an article written by  them, attempting to use it as evidence of their sincere intent. the problem was, that the article was an example of why I am opposed to them. while the overt message was fine, the subconscious one was not so. The title of the article, and bold face type that lead into each section of  the article created negative connotations, and the pictures accompanying the article had no captions, but were stereotypical images associated with negative images of my religion. my friend, assuming that they were trying to reach an "educated" audience said that it was fine, since the overt message was positive.

The problem is, the writers of the article are educated, the organization is full of "educated" people. They had to have taken some course in writing in order to complete that education, so they know about the effect of placing the right phrases  in bold, in order to convey a different message subconsciously. Ethically, it is no better than yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded room, and then whispering " would be bad right now."

Both sides cannot be "pro-"

Another way  that truth is distorted is the "pro-life", "pro-choice" crap.
It is complete bullshit, not one of  the "pro-lifers" is "pro-life" when it comes to abortion, they are Anti-abortion. The pro-choice people are not for choice, they are pro-abortion. Neither is honest about their position because of the rhetorical effect it would create. Stating that your position is anti- anything gains you the label of "negative," while abortion is an extremely charged issue, and stating that you are for abortion, regardless of reason why, would be interpreted as being in favor of mandatory abortion.

The last one I will talk about today is the re-labeling of phenomena. When i was a kid in the 80's. illegal immigrants were called illegal aliens, sort of referring to their legal status. then they were relabeled illegal immigrants, then undocumented immigrants, then undocumented guest workers. Today, they are referred to a "migrants." While I have no problem with saying "illegal immigrants" the terms that followed, while somewhat synonymous in the very broad sense of being someone who moves to another place, a migrant has a legal right to be in a country, where an illegal immigrant does not.
This phenomena is troubling, because it is outright lying, but it is hard to catch, because the person/people doing it can simply say that the words are synonyms, and that they were being " sensitive." 


I say screw this crap. I despise "politically correct" speech. I despise it not only because of the bullshit condescension and inherent dishonesty behind euphemistic language, but because you are not doing anything real to avoid hurting feelings. People catch on to what you really mean when you use the bullshit, that you not only want to say the other term you are avoiding, but that you have so little respect for them that you think that they are fooled. Let us say what we mean, mean what we say, and damn the consequences.