Tuesday, February 28, 2017

NEWS HEADACHE? TAKE A PILL.

I'm a little addicted to watching a few of the "talking heads" explain the latest political intrigues to me.  Around dinner time I switch on the TV and catch the nightly Rachel Maddow Show, sometimes with a bit of the shows on either side of hers.  I realize these are considered "left-leaning" and that's OK with me because they also include guests who are Conservatives, or experts in their fields, or other journalists.  I think Rachel's logic and mine are akin and I admire her curiosity and determination to "get to the bottom of this" -- whatever the topic.  She's been doing some very insightful commentary and airing some very intriguing investigative journalism lately.

Still, politics these days gives me a headache.  And a heartache.  I can easily tip into a state of overwhelm, dismay, disgust, and dis-ease about what is happening to our great Republic.  Nothing looks promising right now and I still don't understand those who support this Administration nor why.  It makes no sense to me at all.  And I've been trying; I really have.  Just don't get it.  Wired differently, I guess.

So, when I'm watching sometimes I start to feel a little woozy; a little itchy; a little nauseated.  Then  I realized it might not be the content of the program, but the ads.

In just a little over an hour, I saw a plethora of commercials for treatment of these ailments:  nerve
pain, diarrhea, psoriasis, Alzheimers, Hep C, constipation, dark spots, cold sores, dry skin, nasal congestion, arthritis, heartburn, chemotherapy side-effects, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, over-active bladder, insomnia.  I listened to the symptoms which defined each of these, how they impacted the lives of those suffering these ailments, and then listened to how a pill or medication or treatment would relieve this suffering, then to the side-effects of the medication which were far worse than the original ailment.  A steady diet of these ads and soon my health anxiety is through the roof (but not to worry, there is a pill for that.)

I've taken to recording the shows, so I can zip through the commercials because I will not be convinced to turn off the TV.  I am "old-school" that way (and judging by the ads, anyone watching is considered in the "older" demographic anyway, so I'm right where I should be) and I like switching on the "nightly news".

Plus, anyone who says (among other despicable things) that the media/press is the 'enemy of the people' is permanently on my shit list.  I have a lifelong, unyielding trust in the "mainstream media" -- those news outlets that I believe are dedicated to finding the truth, to reporting with integrity, to informing the public in a nonpartisan, non-biased manner.  I trust long-standing publications like the New York Times, the Washington Post, the network newscasters, the unbiased cable outlets, NPR, PBS, BBC, political magazines of long-standing, and even some newer online journals and outlets. It's easy to tell which are biased and which way.  I read the Leftist ones with as much skepticism as those on the Right.  What's suddenly wrong with being "mainstream"?  What's wrong with looking at an issue and seeing both sides and coming to an informed conclusion based on facts?  When did that become something to deride?

Maybe it's a medication side-effect.

At least, that's the view from here...©
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

5 comments:

  1. Misadventures of WidowhoodFebruary 28, 2017 at 2:41 PM

    Rachel is the best at connecting the dots and explaining stuff. I like Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon, too. I've just started reading the New York Times, thanks to #45. Any outlet he condemns is worth checking out. Surprisingly, I see some clips of FOX on the late night comedy shows and no so surprisingly at the website message board where I go to debate politics.

    I didn't realize we get so many commercials with our talking heads! Wow, that's a lot of time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. donnajureneFebruary 28, 2017 at 2:51 PM

      I love Rachel and several others who are stepping up to really investigate instead of just respond to the latest outrageous statement.

      Those commercials are constant! I didn't really realize it either until one night I was sort of paying closer attention and the next night or so I wrote them all down....it was quite an onslaught of misery. LOL

      Delete
  2. Gramma SueMarch 1, 2017 at 9:58 PM

    My husband watches Rachel and the two men who bracket her program. He is also a fan of Bill Maher. I skim them...the yelling doesn't work for me and neither do the questions/answers. I watch The Daily Show, & Full Frontal and a couple others. I record them so I can watch in the afternoon...I can't sleep at night if I watch just before going to bed. My favorite way to get news in via the newspapers (2) with some news media via the internet and the programs on NPR. I love NPR.

    ReplyDelete
  3. donnajureneMarch 13, 2017 at 9:35 AM

    I watch all of them too, but Rachel mostly. I like Chris Hayes and Lawrence O'Donnell pulls no punches, which I like, but he's sometimes all about the "outrage". I tried Bill Maher and while he's sometimes very funny, his cutting humor often goes over the top for me. I don't like "mean". I don't find there is much yelling on the MSNBC shows -- sometimes they talk over each other a bit, but mostly it's one on one interviews with the hosts. Other networks seem to thrive on the yelling. I turn them off. Full Frontal and John Oliver are my comedy faves, with Daily Show right in there too. I've been listening to NPR more lately -- so soothing. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  4. K TottenApril 4, 2017 at 8:32 PM

    I think it was a mistake to have prescription drug commercials where the last 5 seconds is all the horrible stuff that can happen to you... my mom has a cartoon about "ask you doctor". I will have to find it for you.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)