Concerning the Wednesday column by Joshua Lee: I find myself in agreement with the statement that “the media sensationalizes stories and fabricates a world that is exponentially more perilous than the one we live in.” However, such a statement contains information that is common knowledge.
It is common knowledge that businesses will tend to do what is in their best interest. Consider the interest of the news corporations.
They wish to see revenue generated, and the public tends to purchase more of their paper or watch more of their broadcasts when the events are more horrific.
Therefore, it stands to reason that these corporations will respond by publishing or broadcasting the stories of “manufactured melodrama” more often. In other words, they’re just looking for the best deal, just as anyone would when dealing in money.
Indeed, it would seem that our current economic system demands that the news corporations, or all corporations for that matter, should conduct themselves in such a manner. Even if it means twisting the truth. Whether this is a healthy or moral manner of conducting oneself is a question worthy of its own column, if not its own book.
No matter what the answer to that question is, I believe a society that breeds trust rather than mistrust and lies is supremely better than one that does not.
