John Ramsey Miller
I was thinking about how much of the morning, noon, and nightly news is geared toward frightening people by cherry picking the worst examples of inhumanity from the stacks. I watch very little news these days because I feel better when I don’t. I’m not sure a boat filled with people turning over on the Volga does more than make me not want to go on loaded boats on the Volga or even the Yazoo River.
The numbers of people killed here and there don’t mean much because we are inundated with 100 killed by bombs here and thirty there. It makes most people not want to travel at all. And it makes you wonder why anyone in the rest of the world would want to come here. Certainly the other news gatherers around the world portray America as the wild west, which it isn’t. I mean every place has dangers. I guess it’s all about perspective. I kill a Copperhead on the porch, I don’t stay indoors or move to the city. I am just more careful about watching where I walk and put my hands.
Since Caylee Anthony was killed by her mother, are we to be suspicious of mothers in general? I see they will be a spate of laws to prevent another mother from killing her daughter so she can party. I suppose having a law that makes it a crime to not report you missing daughter will go a long way toward preventing insane women from killing their children and not calling the police immediately. Everybody knows that murderers plan their activities according to what legislators will or won’t allow.
I read that in remote African villages people often burn witches, or people who are shape-shifters. We have the same thing here, but not so much witches or shape shifters, as, say, Muslems or Moonies. Are there still Moonies running around?
Large numbers of people can be manipulated by a very few people fanning the flames of fear. Fear overrules intelligent discourse. You can’t use rationale against fear because most fear isn’t rational. Leaders often gain power and rule using fear and suspicion to galvanize and keep people from feeling safe. The truth is I feel manipulated by politicians on both sides of the aisle and I think more and more people feel that way. How are people to know the truths of any matter unless they are involved in them. If you manage a checkbook, you know the country is on shaky financial ground. And you wonder how the government can agree on anything that can fix things. You know what they say about having to hit rock bottom before you can face reality and make changes.
I think people who live normal lives like being afraid, but they like maintaining a safe distance from the actual threats. People like thrillers because they are at a safe distance from the bad thing in the book. I suspect that people living with constant real fear don’t read thrillers. What would be the point? I don’t know if the world is actually more dangerous than it always has been, or if its just that it is so in our faces.
We may become obsolete. I mean, in the face of our reality, what can we possibly make up or add to the mix that is more bizarre or frightening than real?
I find the same thing. Even though I often host talk radio shows I try to lighten things up, rather than stir up emotions with dreadful news. That being said, it is the dreadful that gets the most callers to air their opinions. Just this morning I spent an hour talking weird and silly headlines, and got not a single call. Second hour I switched to the economic collapse, the drought in parts the US and the coming fall of the American Empire and the calls came flooding in.
Maybe it’s time to go back to poetry.
I also don’t like the news. Not because of fear but for how mostly useless the reports are.
It seems to me news is now driven by the ‘soap opera phenomenon of reality shows’. People seem more interested in a mom who may or may not have killed her own daughter than they are in what affects us all. Of course the news show networks are as much to blame. They simply provide coverage of things that draw viewers. Much like passersby gawk at a train or car wreck. Maybe that’s the next reality show. No wait, that’s what I thought books and movies were for.
Obviously, those of us old enough to remember when news shows brought the world into our living rooms aren’t happy. But then again maybe news just isn’t what it used to be. Not with so many sources of (useless) information competing for our attention. After all, the times they are a changing.
Of course without someone to tell us, how will we ever know.
Hey John. Unfortunately, I see your point, but I respectfully disagree that crime fiction authors would join the unemployment ranks. Where else would people find any semblance of justice? Reality sure isn’t satisfying. I’d like to rewrite the Casey Anthony story. Actually I’d love to see YOU write it.
Jordan, I was thinking along your lines too. In fiction, we can make things right. That’s not often possible in the real world.
And to me, fiction serves as the polar opposite of 24/7 news. I love the old westerns because they are about men of integrity who strive (even if unintentionally) to leave their sphere of influence in better condition when they left it. Fiction is like shining a lot on the possible.
BK Jackson
Egads! So sorry for that sloppy post. I meant fiction is like shining a LIGHT on the possible.
BK Jackson
HA! BK–I totally wanted to agree with your anonymous post, but didnt know it was YOU. You are spot on about the media and it burns me.
Thank God that Basil can host a talk show and lighten things up. That’s all I’m sayin’. Talk shows used to rile my dad until we couldnt live with him. Jeez! I wanted to tear every radio from the house. Thankfully he quit listening to them, but he’s replaced it with slanted TV news shows now.
Nice post, Miller.
Yup, disagree. Thrillers give us safe fear and a hero who prevails in the end. They are a break from uncertainty and help me pass the time while waiting for a hero to show up!
The news just ups the bar for thriller writers. People are more sophisticated about things and want the details right.
Terri
I love what Jordan, Anonymous (BK) and Terry said.
And that’s what draws me to great fiction as I so humbly attempt to write it, and offer it up for publication.
My good guys win.
No so much of that on the news and reality shows – and that’s probably why I don’t watch them.
I’m naive enough to think that heroes and great stories still matter.
Someone should rewrite that horrible story mentioned in the original post, so the ending comes out right, and justice is served.
Paula
You know, the human ego always needs an enemy. Hence, Fear. (Not talking about instinct for safety here–just the “there’s a bad guy out there” mentality.)
This is a great post, John. I could go on and on on fear and society. I’m basing my urban fantasy trilogy on this topic. Can you imagine our planet without Fear? Don’t think the Ego would permit it! Hmmmm.