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abortretryfail · #1

I've noticed that as the newsmedia's accounts of the war in Iraq and the war on terror get more and more similar to one another there has been an outpouring of stories from the fictional media (pop culture, entertainment industry, whatever you want to call it) about current events. It's as if there is no outlet for varying points of view in the news, so books, movies and video games are providing that expression. I wonder what has more of an effect on people's views, the fiction or the real stuff. What do you think?

Helm · #2

This is a good point. We all are deluded to degrees here, no matter how strong some oppinions are expressed. I guess unless you follow geopolitics by reading multiple news sources, cross-examining and validating as you go, you can't claim to have a very realistic worldview, and the painting from one's bias is inescapable. The scary thing is, the public perception of current events is getting more and more twisted although this is the 'information age' and everything. You'd think that since info is readily available, people would want to know the straight deal. It seems however, that they are more content with casual infomation collection, that serves idle needs as 'having something to say' on a subject, rather than having something well-informed and vital to say on a subject. Obviously, the amount of effort involved in having a rounded opinion is key.

Cosmo Electrolux · #3

oh shit...It's Sean Hannity.....

ziggytrix · #4

Yeah, that TV series about the smallpox epidemic is done up so much like a documentary of real events that I wouldn't be suprised if some people thought terrorists have already launched a biological attack.

abortretryfail · #5

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggytrix

Yeah, that TV series about the smallpox epidemic is done up so much like a documentary of real events that I wouldn't be suprised if some people thought terrorists have already launched a biological attack.

Heh, kinda like War of the Worlds. Those shows really support the culture of fear that makes the real stuff possible. What's odd is that there are so many of them that do that while incriminating the U.S. government. Yet still they support the very culture that keeps the U.S. government from being incriminated. I think it was the Matrix 2, where they pointed out a smokescreen as "just another system of control". As is anything that keeps us sitting in front of it rather than inspiring us to action or lighting a creative fire. So I guess it doesn't matter so much what they are saying as it does the emotion that's transmitted....

Royal Tenenbaum · #6

This shit happens all the time. Fiction in times of 'crisis' always produces allegories to to the realities of our times when non-fiction refuses to confront them. This has been happening for hundreds of years.

abortretryfail · #7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal Tenenbaum

This shit happens all the time. Fiction in times of 'crisis' always produces allegories to to the realities of our times when non-fiction refuses to confront them. This has been happening for hundreds of years.

Yes, but as fictional media evolves it's interesting to see the forms that these things take these days. Or at least I think so.

For example, I was looking for a friend for my buddy and found this video game:
http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/pc/act_.../preview/59356

Training for homeland security? Art imitates life imitates art....