A Conversation with Stephen King
Recently, I was at the Hair Stylist, and ran across the December 10, 2007 issue of Time Magazine. Inside, Time had asked several prominent individuals whom they would choose for the 2007 Person of the Year.
Stephen King's response captivated me.
"Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan symbolize the media's growing obsession with issues of personality over substance. People care more about the details of Spears' child-custody case than they do about where the billions the U.S. government has poured into Iraq have gone. It's time for a discussion about whether the news media have chucked their responsibilities and run off to Tabloid Disneyland."
Man, I'd love to brew a pot of coffee and just listen to him talk about this. I suppose this speaks, furthest of all, about our macabe and morbid fascination with social and mental illnesses...but, it's hard to not look at a train-wreck occurring in front of your face.
That being said, I must counter to Mister King that I have personally have always distrusted the media, therefore I cannot accuse them of chucking any responsibility. I've never considered them to be a completely responsible resource anyway. I suppose the point here is this:
No one source or conglomeration of informational resources can be considered responsible for society's ills. Our media is simply a mirror of our society, at large. We are not a necessarily independent and socially conscious society. Not currently, anyway...and, for that we can only blame ourselves.
If the media is covering Britney's Breakdown more than the Ron Paul Newsletter Melt-down, it's because their customers (us) are demanding that sort of coverage, and are tuning in for it.
Now, media is responsible for providing metaphorical food for a social dialogue and because so many of us blindly tune in-we also regurgitate whatever it is we've been fed. But, it's up to us to restrict our diet, and vary the food we give our brains. I know this is the last thing you want to hear, Mr. King-but, if you're upset by the media's "shirking" of responsible dialogue, I encourage you to start that dialogue yourself. (Which, I know you have just done, and for that I thank you.)
Mr. King, you do your thing, and you do it well. But, in response to your question about if the medai have chucked their responsibly and run off to "Tabloid Disneyland" I must say this: I will no more consider you responsible for my childhood nightmares of rabies-ridden Cujo dogs, than I consider NBC responsible for informing me, wholistically, about my society.
It is my job as a human being to seek out information for all sources, and to determine which areas I am going to devote my time and energy towards.
And, I think you and I both agree that good things happen when people are proactive, rather than reactive.
We do need variety in our news sources, just as we do in our news coverage. But, I think the greater idea here is to just ask the people of the US to consider diversifying their dialogue, refocusing their consciousness, and subsidizing their efforts in a positive direction.
Let's DO talk politics.
Let's DO talk religion.
Tell me about your aspirations,
ask about my political affiliation.
Let's have a social dialogue,
Let's stand up and fight for something.
Let's go to the shelter to adopt a dog,
Let's tithe that $50 instead of sushi.
I am feeling a real awakening inside of my spirit and my mind. A longing for deeper meaning-and a more engaged experience within my world.
I no longer want to anesthesize myself with tabloid gossip, tv news, and fast food...
I want to slow down, breathe deep, and look within.
I want to frame up, and center down-to reconsider different perspectives.
Join me, if you will.
Or, help me catch up with you if you're willing.
:)
Good Afternoon, Mr. King. Thanks for the meaningful, imaginary conversation.