We’ve created this mess ourselves. We didn’t necessarily intentionally create the mess, but we created, and then fed into, the means that created the mess.
Since World War II everything for the American consumer to consume needed to be bigger, brighter, faster, better, new and improved – sadly, this includes our need for sensationalism and celebrity status. By now you all know my love of cars, so I’ll put it this way: everyone wants to be a Ferrari when a Chevy will do the same job. Or, in Broadway terms: everyone wants to be a Spiderman or King Kong when a Hello, Dolly! is just as entertaining.
What might start out as a good cause and a needed message will get a little attention, start to gain traction, makes some needed changes in a segment of society, but then as soon as the new/now/next cause or message comes along, attention wanes. In order to get the spotlight back on the original good cause, supporters will often be forced to go to extremes. They may knowingly, or subconsciously, make certain compromises along the way to keep the cameras focused on them. And/or they may make unholy partnerships with groups just similar enough, but with a fringe element the original cause may not have wanted to be associated with. All in the name of furthering attention on their original cause, which is now long forgotten.
Unfortunately, I can only recommend one solution. And this may come as a shock from a publicist, but here it is – TURN IT OFF! Turn off the news, turn off the TV, turn off social media. Go for a walk, go for a bike ride, read a book, have a conversation with someone. You have the power to tame the beast. Simply don’t feed it and it will go away.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my Below Deck marathon.
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