Fear and the Media

For those of you who don't already know, my parents recently came here to Belize to visit me. It was an odd convergence. I just separated from my husband two months ago, so my life is already a little topsy turvy. I'm relearning to live as a single mom. Three days a week, I'm completely on my own. I'm adjusting to paying all my own bills again. So, my parents thought a little love and nurturing from them was in order. I already posted about my sweet staycation with them, full with wine and martinis.

I also posted about a very unsettling murder that happened here in our tiny little village. It really shook me. Pretty substantially actually. To the point that I couldn't sleep for several days. As that feeling started to pass, I began to realize how profound the effect of the media really is, and I mean all the media.

I love this image. Gotta use it again.

There's little question that tv news is the most insidious. The emotional manipulation and fear mongering are beyond astounding. But they are by no means the only ones. Social media is now a significant peddler of darkness and fear. I'll share with you what I noticed as I crawled out of near paralyzingly fear.

Let's start in the belly of the beast with the tv.

My parents were here during the days of John McCain’s funeral. I haven't had cable in many years, so I am just not used to it. I don't see commercials or tv news. It is now very foreign to me. I was absolutely appalled and flabbergasted. Obviously the man was a public figure. Of course there would be some coverage, but should a funeral be televised?! Should a family’s grieving be plastered across the screens of hundreds of millions of homes? Should a sobbing widow and daughter be filmed? I mean, do we not respect people's privacy? Good God it was so disturbing. It's emotional manipulation. I don't want to get in a political argument, but I was no fan of McCain. Still, there I was crying because people hurt when someone they love dies. Of course everyone just thinks this is totally normal. But it isn't. They are very clearly manipulating people, deadening their feelings through over exposure, and twisting the narrative of who these people really are/were. It's sick.

Lucky for me it was also the tail end of the coverage of the pig fucker that killed his pregnant wife and kids. So they're obsessing about that and his darkness and how you never can tell and that dark people are everywhere hiding behind friendly faces. And good God the immigrant that killed the young woman. Of course the conservatives ran with that one. Because, you know, they really care about women. Also had some good times with the confirmation hearings for the new Supreme Court nominee who may or may not have covered up torture practices during the Shrub’s administration, but hey, he coaches his daughter’s basketball team. Guess how I know that? Let's not forget the release of Bob Woodward’s new book detailing what a shit show the White House is and what a total and complete lunatic madman trump is. I know. Shocking, right?

My parents were here for 8 days. That's it. I was bombarded with all this in the short span of 8 days. And that's how I felt, bombarded. Overwhelmed. Emotionally drained. With a big blob of fear and anger in my belly. I can feel it right now just from writing all this. It's crazy. It is no wonder people living in that world are crazy and killing each other and freaking out at each other every chance they get. It made me sick. Like, physically ill, and it amped up my fear and paranoia.

Let me be clear! I don't think alternative media is much better. Just because it's less biased or in soft tones on the radio, they still make money from, and thrive on, fear.

Now, I don't think social media is nearly as bad, but it's bad enough. It did not help me even a little to obsess on our local Facebook forums and listen to people spew a variety of things I could have lived my whole life without. Grief, racism, threats of violence, and oh sweet Jesus the rumors. Just atrocious! It made things so much worse for me to swim in the swarm of panic.

Even though it doesn't really apply to me or my recent situation, I would be leaving out something important if I didn't talk about YouTube and the conspiracy theorists that live there.

I want you to know that I have issues with labeling things people don't agree with as conspiracy theories. I think it's minimizing, egotistical, and dismissive. I think there are a lot of people uncovering some important information that has been suppressed. That said, I can also see what diving down those rabbit holes can do to people. My wasband went way deep with it, and there's a lot of fear mongering and hatefulness in that world too. They also love to play on people's emotions and most base fears and prejudices. And there's a lot of willingness to believe whatever you hear just because it's being peddled by someone who tells you the msm is lying to you. So, I would say to remember to have an open, rational mind and avoid exploring that world too deeply.

Spend more time with your family. Get to know your neighbors. Have bbqs and dance parties. Start a community garden together. Step away from people telling you how you're supposed to feel about others.

Much love, y’all!

As always, all pics are mine or pixabay unless otherwise noted.

)](https://discord.gg/qfu4yRE)