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swan
I think it's all because of cable news. They need something to show, and showing crazy things improves ratings. It's like how they love to show car chases on the 6pm news. Totally worthless, but absolutely engrossing. Crazy sells.
11/5/2009 9:55:01 AM
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architect
Let's face it, unless there's something exciting happening, like a moon shot or something, it's probably more fun to watch Glen Beck than it was to watch Walter Cronkite. Walter hardly ever cried his eyes out on TV. And you certainly NEVER saw Walter act like the Court Jester...the Royal Fool.
11/5/2009 7:54:22 AM
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architect
Okay, maybe the actual explanation isn't that there are more irrational or stupid people in power...it's just that they are more fun to watch...hence the high ratings...which of course encourages more stupid irrational behavior. Kind of a modern version of "The Circle of Life".
11/5/2009 7:51:18 AM
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roncpp
Perhaps it is only the perception due to access by just about anyone to u-tube, phone camera uploads to local "news" shows. But the idea of stupid people having power seems new. Once upon a time stupid people were oppressed by nearly every aspect of society. They were victims without much sympathy from the functional folks.
But now, it seems, there is a megaphone and a spotlight for anyone with a wild look in their eye and some vision of reality that seems contrary to common perceptions. They get a hearing and now gain a following. The incredible programing of Fox News serves as an example. The consistent skewing of information into the ideological misperceptions of individuals who now have the power to cause thousands of people to show up in public waiving signs advocating the most extreme fanaticism seems far more common than when I first heard conspiracy theories in the 60's and 70's.
11/5/2009 6:18:19 AM
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cp_maynard
I Just watched "Adam Resurrected" on Netflix watch instantly. From Wiki: It follows the story of Adam Stein, a charismatic patient of a psychiatric asylum for Holocaust survivors in Israel, in 1961. Jeff Goldblum stars as Adam. Trust me, the world has not just recently gone crazy.
11/4/2009 9:23:17 PM
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architect
"The whole world has gone crazy except me an you, and I'm not too sure about you."
11/4/2009 6:04:22 PM
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architect
Nope.
11/4/2009 6:03:32 PM
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janeD
Of course, those behaving irrationally never THINK they are behaving irrationally.
11/4/2009 6:03:01 PM
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architect
Only now we have proof. TIVO 24 hours of news shows.
11/4/2009 5:58:10 PM
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architect
Yup.
11/4/2009 5:57:39 PM
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janeD
So you are basically saying that the world is nuts?
11/4/2009 5:57:05 PM
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architect
Personally, I think it's probably not any worse than in decades past. I think people have always been prone to irrational behavior. The difference is that these days MSNBC and FOX News and all the others have to fill 24 hours a day every day with SOMETHING. Add in the prevelance of hand held video cameras, cell cameras, the internet, and all the other "enabling" technologies that allow Whatever Happens to instantly be plugged into all that airtime...and suddenly we all get to watch all the irrational behavior in real time. This gives us the impression that the world is an irrational place...more than ever. But that's probably not the case. People haven't gotten more irrational, or more stupid, they've always been prone to irrationality and stupidity. It's just that now we can all share our irrationality to a wider audience. No longer do we have to put up with "Crazy Uncle Larry", now we have to listen to a million Crazy Uncle Larry's.
11/4/2009 5:53:02 PM
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janeD
I'm too young to know if this is any worse than in past decades. Is it?
11/4/2009 5:46:31 PM
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janeD
People are afraid of change. And they're dealing with a whole lot of change right now. Or fear of what MIGHT change in the near future. Socialized medicine? Socialism in their government? Throw a bad economic situation in with the social change evidenced by the election of a black president, who himself seems hell bent on causing further dramatic change, and it's no wonder people are scared to death, and acting out in sometimes irrational ways. People hate change. Politicians get elected on "change", but when it comes down to it, people hate change. Interesting times we live in.
11/4/2009 5:43:27 PM
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rebel
In the 60's we had an excuse...we were all stoned. But even then we didn't act like some act today.
11/4/2009 5:29:55 PM
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rebel
There are a lot of crazy people doing a lot of crazy things out there. Hardly a day goes by when you don't see a "WTF" moment. Irrational stuff? How about plain old stupid stuff.
11/4/2009 5:29:09 PM
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architect
and...is "irrationality" more accurately defined as "desperation"? It all seems like desperation.
11/4/2009 5:23:33 PM
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architect
And is it any worse than it's been before?
Those old enough to remember the Vietnam protests and the various social anxieties that have occured since might be able to shed light on that question.
I'm old enough, and what I don't remember is the "irrationality" suggested by the first post. Maybe it's just that with constant bombardment by instantaneous 24 hour television and internet "news" like offered on MSNBC and FOX and all the others, we SEE more of it...but in reality such irrationality has always been around. Maybe not. Maybe the world is a crazier place these days. Irrational. Sure seems like it.
11/4/2009 5:16:33 PM
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architect
Is it possible that the election of an african American...serving as an indication of just how much things are changing...has acted as some kind of trigger for those prone to such activities?
11/4/2009 5:12:31 PM
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roncpp
I recall reading a science fiction novel years ago exploring a future world where every day was filled with chaos. Not natureal catastrophes but man made, deliberate sabotage of commerce, traffic, conversations, everything that fills our days. The world was chaotic and political systems had broken down and all that was left were power centers controlled by special interests who used skilled operatives to go into the world to destroy, disable, delay or to confuse the operations of those competing interests.
For me it starting with the Tea Bag rallies this summer and the Astroturf protests against tax increases that do not exist to fake outrage over provisions of the health bills that also do not exist by the deathers. I am starting to see it manifest in local meetings of organizations and it seems to go beyond politics.
Can the general distress over the economy be causing the surge of irrationality we see around us?
11/4/2009 4:41:54 PM
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