Most of the world wants to be informed. We are all curious. Just look at the plethora of news shows from TV, radio and the internet. Above all, look at social media sites and blogs etc. We all have a need to know (and then tell them what we think). With that said, most of the world, and yes I believe it is a majority of us, wants to hear those things that fit with what we already believe. That includes me. Things that show whom and what we think to be bad, as bad. In other words, we want to see anything that validities those beliefs. Conversely, what we see as good, we want portrayed as good. Period!!!

The recent attacks on the Ukraine by Putin’s Russia, are actually an anomaly when it comes to the news. While I am glued to watch the events that are occurring there, I make few comments anywhere on the what‘s happening. I finally figured out why. Most of the world, and most of this country, basically agree with each other. Left and right. It is no fun for me to comment on the state of the world, if my political enemies agree with me. I am not proud of that fact, but I am honest enough to admit it.  The truth is, that just maybe that terrible invasion from Putin, might actually at least show the world, that we can agree on something.

When I taught photo workshops, I normally encouraged students to ask questions. That was what I was there for. I did not specify what kind of questions they could ask, and I certainly did not vilify them for asking them no matter what they were. They wanted to know, and they did not (that I can remember), ever take issue with me because I did not tell them what they hoped to hear. They wanted the unbiased truth. If I answered them truthfully, then I was indeed an honest teacher doing my job.

When we only search out information to make us feel like our opinions are valid, we will miss much of what goes on in the world. The “mainstream” mews media, has become the news reporters, for only less than half of the world. Nobody else trusts them as they have proven themselves to be bias, inaccurate, and they manage to omit much of what happens in the world, when it does not suit their social and political beliefs.

Yes, I am saying that above all, our primary local and national news papers, as well as TV and radio news, only wants to hear, and only wants to share, those things that fit their own preexisting beliefs and opinions. Their agenda if you will.

I would certainly not argue against the fact, that there are many web based news sites, that feature  those stories designed for those who have grown weary of that biased TV news, and report the news from the other point of view. The news that those people want to hear.

I often wonder what portion of the world we live in even wants to hear the truth. Unbiased and without omissions. Omissions are by the way, the number one way that the mainstream media falsifies what is happening around us. 

Social media, simply bans what they do not want us to hear, or what angers them personally to see and read.

In a world that only wants to hear their own point of view, I often wonder if we are reaching the point where soon, will we even know what is really going on around us. Not if we only search for those who tell us what we want to hear. 

The answer is paying attention to those we trust, by judiciously finding the ones that will be straight and honest in what they share, and will show us those things we really do not want to hear as well as what conforms to our belief system. In others words, by following a very sparse, few reporters.

May God Bless, and that is my true wish,
Wayne