The media doesn't beak almost us a lot , unless nosotros produce something quirky or weird.
One sure enough means to sell a floor is to produce a "human interest" floor or an "outrage" floor or a combination of both , showing how 1 of us "ordinary Joes" is fighting the organization for the skilful of humanity. The media portrays our lives inwards interesting ways - but frequently ways that don't reverberate reality.
When nosotros lived inwards Fairfax County , the Washington Post did such a floor almost a guy who refused to mow his lawn. Now , if y'all alive inwards Montana , this is no large deal. But behave inwards hear that Fairfax County , Virginia , 1 of the wealthiest Counties inwards the province , is fully "built out" - at that topographic point is non a vacant edifice lot in the entire county. It is 1 huge suburb , amongst a population greater than the State of Vermont. It is a State-within-a-State.
Thus , when y'all reject to mow your lawn in addition to allow it larn 3 feet high , it truly does behave on your neighbors. And your rights are absolute alone upwardly until the indicate they intersect amongst other people's rights. And we're non talking almost a suburban garden hither , every bit a vecino of mine grew , or a vegetable patch. We're talking almost a identify inwards a prissy neighborhood that looked abandoned. And for no other argue that the possessor decided to hold upwardly petulant.
Well , anyway , nether County ordinance , the County came along in addition to mowed it 1 time it reached a sure enough score in addition to hence sent him a bill. And he took the County to Court in addition to lost. And the Post decided that they would take the side of the lawn refusenik every bit to a greater extent than or less kind of "folk hero" who was fighting "big government."
Oh , for fuck's sake , just mow your goddamn lawn already. The work amongst the Post article is that idiots similar that love the attention , in addition to the article alone fueled his twisted ego to a greater extent than or less to a greater extent than in addition to stoked the fires of neighborhood animosity. No work , of course of study , no Post employees lived inwards that neighborhood.
Similar stories crop upwardly from fourth dimension to fourth dimension , commonly relating to Home Owners Associations (HOAs) or Condo Associations , which are commonly characterized every bit "Nazis" - which they tin lavatory be. They fail the existent work concern of the association , which is spending the dues wisely , in addition to larn caught upwardly inwards door mat in addition to door coloring arguments every bit good every bit vacation displays.
Usually the HOA floor goes similar this. Fred is a veteran who lost 3 arms during his iv tours of duty inwards Fallujah. He is an American hero. Well , truly , he never went to Republic of Iraq or Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan , but he knows individual who did in addition to he wants to present his patriotism. So he decides to wing his American Flag , which he got from a used automobile dealer (it is alone slightly smaller than a football game field) in addition to the HOA sends him a "cease in addition to desist" missive of the alphabet in addition to starts fining him.
Newspapers similar the Post and boob tube stations in addition to intelligence websites pile on. "How dare they forbid an honored veteran-y kind of guy from flight the American flag!" in addition to a lot of shaming in addition to damning goes on. The HOA in conclusion relents in addition to he gets to wing his flag.
But of course of study , the intelligence trucks in addition to cameras are all gone from the scene in addition to don't study the follow upwardly , when Fred's vecino decides to wing the Confederate flag. It's "Heritage non hate!" - right? And hence to a greater extent than or less other vecino flies the "Christian Flag" in addition to to a greater extent than or less other a Gay Rainbow flag , in addition to hence in conclusion individual downwards the street unfurls an ISIS banner. Where produce y'all depict the describe on this flag shit?
You come across , it is a tougher query than the 30-second soundbite on the flush intelligence would allow y'all think. And they don't desire y'all to think , they desire y'all to react in addition to larn angry in addition to watch in addition to click in addition to read in addition to brand them money. How dare the authorities say people inwards carefully manicured suburbs that they can't select downwards holding values for the whole block? How dare an HOA or Condo association actually enforce the rules y'all signed on to when y'all bought into that nightmare? The media doesn't desire nuance , they desire disputation , they desire shaming , they desire damning , they desire people shouting at the TeeVee because that engages them through vi overwrought SUV commercials.
They desire ratings. They desire money. The media is not on your side , they are on their side.
Of course of study , nosotros "little people" are also allowed to appear on the air if nosotros produce something quirky in addition to charming similar rescue 100 cats or collect the world's largest ball of wrap ("it started out simply fist-sized , in addition to I justice I got carried away!" - dorsum to y'all inwards the studio!). We are also allowed to appear on-screen whenever the cost of gas goes upwardly , standing side past times side to our monster truck at the gas ticker , musing , "Well the means things are going , pretty presently I'll receive got to purchase a bicycle!" or to a greater extent than or less such nonsense. Or if y'all are standing inwards describe overnight for a novel iPhone , y'all may larn your sound-bite of fame.
Of course of study , nosotros "little people" are also allowed to appear on the air if nosotros produce something quirky in addition to charming similar rescue 100 cats or collect the world's largest ball of wrap ("it started out simply fist-sized , in addition to I justice I got carried away!" - dorsum to y'all inwards the studio!). We are also allowed to appear on-screen whenever the cost of gas goes upwardly , standing side past times side to our monster truck at the gas ticker , musing , "Well the means things are going , pretty presently I'll receive got to purchase a bicycle!" or to a greater extent than or less such nonsense. Or if y'all are standing inwards describe overnight for a novel iPhone , y'all may larn your sound-bite of fame.
But nosotros are never truly taken real seriously. And this is a shame , every bit it furthers this split upwardly betwixt the media in addition to the populace , the latter of which increasingly are skeptical of the media every bit representing whatever kind of truth inwards the globe , or indeed anything that remotely intersects amongst their lives. I read an article almost $350 blueish jeans in addition to am non "informed" but mystified every bit to who truly lives similar this in addition to why the Post thinks this floor would resonate amongst anyone exterior of a modest circle of people or strivers who are squandering coin trying to human activeness similar they are business office of that circle.
That lawn-guy floor all the same browns me off , fifty-fifty though it dates dorsum to the 1990's. But it got me to thinking , fifty-fifty dorsum hence that at that topographic point was something incorrect amongst the media for them to hype in addition to promote what was a neighborhood dispute amongst 1 political party clearly inwards the wrong , every bit to a greater extent than or less kind of David-and-Goliath type of story.
And judging from recent stories , The Post is all the same running this one - in addition to running amongst it. Thank God the Post is protecting our rights to hold upwardly shitty neighbors!
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