As someone who has the radio on when I wake in the morning, and, in one way or another, has news media as a background buzz throughout the day, this may seem like a drastic move, but bear with me.
Let us review a few of the catastrophic errors we, as a country, have made recently.
The EU Referendum. Instigated by the Tories, and a panicking Cameron, because his party was being split apart by UKIP. And what turned UKIP from the lunatic fringe to centre stage? The news media.
And once the decision had been made – one that was and is non-binding by the way, just saying – who do we have leading the charge?
Boris Johnson, a calculating, power-hungry misogynist, made stronger because of his ability to present the harmless clown persona thanks to blanket coverage.
Jacob Rees Mogg, an even more calculating, anti-just-about-any-personal-freedom-unless-you-are-very-rich throwback to pre-Victorian divisions; powered by an easy identification requirement in the media.
And the rest of the motley crew, all sketched quickly because the news cannot stand still for too long to examine anything in detail. And even when it does get the occasional morsel to chew over, the temptation to move to the new is too strong.
And so all the misleading, misguiding, misinformation; oh bollocks, all the lying disappears from the current discourse, to be replaced by the next photo-op, or obviously planned manoeuver to achieve the publicity high ground.
No content, no depth, just attention, and the power that goes with it.
Meanwhile, the reality get subsumed by the plots and power grabs, and the rest of us will suffer.
And the UK is not alone. Across the ocean, the US electorate, a minority of them but why should maths get in the way of a despot, fell for the biggest media con of all.
And each day, screen time is the most valuable commodity. Not truth. Just time. And the fact that Trump is still there, and Johnson, and Rees Mogg, still get their time on the stage proves that truth is no longer the priority.
So, turn it all off. Take away their air. They are only doing it to be at the front.
So, cut the lights, stop the recording, and their power disappears.
And in the silence perhaps some compassion, some reality can emerge.
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