I was flying last night and did something I haven't done in a long time, read the printed edition of Time, in this case the March 8 issue.
To me, it was illuminating, as it demonstrated that the Internet has, in some ways, altered my perspective and pop culture (defined broadly as popular politics, sports, entertainment, not just Madonna and Brittany Spears type pop culture.)
What do people think and know as demosntrated by Time, long the centerpiece "news" (mass pop culture news) magazine in the U.S.
I'd like to share my quick takes, and the n a bit more in extended copy. My takoff point - Joe Klein's question 'Are we going to be serious about this [election] or not?
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The we being the American people, no navel gazing for Joe here. He's always serious! Ha! Actually, Klein is not a boob, except on CNN, but he's not especially insightful either. But I liked this article. He started with what I found was a good insight into "The Passion" - here's a snippet "The first scene of scourging . . . evoked a powerful reacton . . . But as the torture went on . . . the theater fell silent . . . By the time of the Crucifixion the audience seemd emotionally exhausted and numbed . . . There was no catharsis." I haven't seen The Passion, but I was raised Catholic and the 'numbing' was something I can identify with. It seemed a good insight to me.
Klein's takeoff point then leads to his identification of what he describes as "a growing American affliction: we are addicted to the explicit and then quickly inured to it. . . . Democracy isn't easy in such an environment . . . quoting John DiIulio with this "serious consideration of issues of monumental importance has become impossible." Kelien thinks that "in this campaign we have already been buffeted by exceedingly powerful images [carrier prance, breast, kissing men, the Scream, etc] whih suggest a protentous, emotional year in the offing . . . or [we will] be unable to engage in a substantive argument [because we are numbed]. He asks this question -
"Are we going to be serious or not?" After this, Klein lapses into pyschobabble that mars the rest of the piece. But I focused on the question and at first, came to an obvious answer, who the hell is he to accuse anyone of not being serious. He is part of the unserious Media. And I stand by that. But then I thought about it from the perspective of the American public.
By and large, we are unserious on the Big Issues. This is nothng new. But we may be becoming more serious. The unserious Media really thought that the capture of Saddam sealed the deal for Bush. They thought it was over. And it turns out they were wrong. The American public was a bit more serious than they have ever been. In that respect, I think the American people have forced the Media to start doing their job a bit. And I think they have done a bit better. Let me show you some examples from the Time issue.
The cover - Afghanistan and bin Laden. Where have they been on this? A bit of seriousness I think.
p. 18 - a story on Eisner and Ovitz and the airlines - and they are enough to make you a Naderite. Ovitz had Disney pay for his daughter's bat mitzvah! X-ray machine for his house!?! Eisner bitched because the bat mitzvah was held at a Disney restaurant?
The crushing tax burden on corporations?! Puhleeeaze.! Serious stuff. And United wants a bailout again so it can squash competitors. and Congess will approve it. Serious stuff.
p. 19 - Guns guns guns. the S&W Chairman, contras, Taliban. Serious stuff.
p. 33 - a photo with Mary Cheney and her parents. Don't know much about her, but she looks powerful - her mom, no shrinking violet, seems a but frightened. Cheney himself seems befuddled. I like that picture. Interesting story on Culture Wars. Serious, but not so serious.
p. 34 - Typical hack work from Tumulty on Mary Beth Cahill. Tumulty is awful. Completely unserious.
Afghanistan piece, weak and run of the mill. Same with BC04 piece. Not serious.
So, better but not there yet. My final thoughts, I'm stil struck by Klein's numbing thesis and wonder if he is just describing his peers and himself. They are numbed and numbing. They don't know what is serious and what isn't.
I contrast Klein with Krugman. since Krugman just started the gig 3 years ago, he hasn't been numbed. When the Administration lied, he said it was a lie. The rest of them don't know lies because they live and report lies everyday. What's one more.
Krugman understood differently. This was serious stuff. War. Class warfare. Jobs. Lies. He was serious before anyone else. Then the American people. The Media a little bit now.
I think the answer will be that We the People will be serious in Novemebr. Hopefully enough of us anyway.