COVID-19 Part 1, Organizing our News Sources

Many have been pining. Waiting to see if any imaginable thing could possibly be “American” in this day and age, or even “global.” Human in a way that transcends the poisonous, repulsive glut of calculated, divisive vitriol that infests and infects our lives from the gutters of corporate media all day and every day.

Perhaps an ubiquitous, genuine threat to each and every man, woman, and child on earth might help. Perhaps a global cry that evokes natural compassion, might give us an ever so fleeting respite from the exhausting wash of base, corrupt, political and ideological opportunism, from shallow, narrow minded, pride-filled, self- important acrimony that infests and infects our lives every moment of every day.

No such luck.

The corporate media is failing. This precious opportunity also lost.

The truth is, that apart from ugly-natured, clawing-styled politicians and the parasitic corporate media that debases their profession and our daily lives relentlessly and without conscience, we as a human family are in massive and far reaching ways naturally prone toward living well together. We easily are oriented in kindness toward each other.

In our day to day lives, among each other, even with people who are wildly different from us, we naturally live peacefully and in a gentle weave of common life together. We are not as base, uncaring, callous, or possessed of avarice for power and influence as what is foisted on us, and as what we read and see on our TVs, computers, and phones all day, every day. For the most part, when not dragooned and hustled by deceit and agitprop, we lean by nature in a preference to be pleasant and polite with the people whom we meet, and with whom we share our day to day lives in the course of our commutes, our commerce, our professions, and among our loved ones.

It is imperative, during the Corona Virus pandemic that we not allow ourselves to be influenced by the vampires of corporate media, who evidently lack the inner resources to rise above opportunism and petty partisanship, even when our lives hang in the balance. I strongly urge all people of conscience to cut the cord. Go cold turkey. Turn away from each and every individual, program or news source systematically upon identifying all occasions of descent into shameless exploitation of our collective situation. During this imposed time of rest and reset, we can rebuild and realign our information sources on entirely new principles.

The chief disqualifying factor that should end our relationship as a consumer, should be any and every occasion of partisan opportunism and exploitation that is imposed on us at the expense of our common human family and condition, while we presently share a true need of solidarity and mutual embrace. The chief qualifying factor should be any and every news source, person, and occasion that faithfully and consistently gives constructive information and guidance designed to help us in practical ways through our challenges, struggles, and real anxiety. Find the news and information sources that show us beauty and nobility of our fellow citizens who are rising up in moving realities of care, sacrifice, and beautiful civic duty.

There are definitely ways through this crisis, ways defined not merely by survival, but characterized by dignity, honor, character, and personal, social and national progress. Through this we are meant to improve. I will cover these horizons and opportunities in next installments of my commentary on the current COVID-19 pandemic.