"Game Change": New Book with Little to Cheer Us
Posted: Monday, January 11, 2010
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
Gossip sessions are plentiful on TV and radio, I feel certain. These are not the proverbial, old-time coffee sessions of moms with little children, frequent isolation from other adults, and little time out of the house. These gossip sessions often bear news and interview labels, including books of so-called conservative or liberal slant. They are often full of highly suggestive claims supported by suspicious random facts and gleeful stabs at the "enemy" on the other side of the political fence.
You will be amazed at what your ears pick up--comments fit for gossip mavens in the stereotypical sense. There is a trashing/reporting that hits a lot of the popular folks on the American political, social policy, and election scenes.
The gossipers are mainly men in this reporting age, and they can rival any female stereotypes for serious brutality of their "revelations" about public personalities, particularly in politics and government. They twist some facts and and interpret others out of context. They can make you believe that their perspective is the true one, or that most political people are controlling, jealous, racist, immoral, and/or neurotically or crazily ambitious individuals with staffs paid to cover their shady secrets. That would surprise none of us, but do we need details of supporting evidence?
A new book on the scene early in this year 2010 is an "explosive new book" (Fox TV) Game Change, which fuels this kind of activity. The authors included facts, likely, yet presented with strongly biased slants and descriptions. Isn't this the age-old gossip approach, after all, that uses a few facts to cast a bad light on persons of choice? With books, isn't this the technique aimed to sell more books and ramp up the heat without serious consideration of fair or true meaning? It's worth thinking about. Decide for yourself if this is reporting or gossip, meaning facts with biased interpretation. Couldn't this be done toward, or against, anyone if done with just the right touches of innuendo and contagious suspicion?
He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with a gossip (Proverbs 20:19) .
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Definitely gossip, not reporting, in my opinion. A very large pet peeve of mine also. Most reporting today seems incomplete to me and geared toward shocking and/or simply getting your attention, without including any information that might lead you to do some logical thinking about what was reported. Sad.
I guess this is another reason my hubby and I read and do not have TV - we get enough discouraging stuff online - thanks for addressing this Jean! Marijo
Interesting article Jean. Trying to find true facts gets more complicated every day. Opinions are abound. Pray for the wisdom to know the difference. Thanks for sharing. Linda D
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