The Big Picture

I watched Bill Moyers last night, as I do most Sunday nights. He is a sane beacon in an otherwise bleak media universe, at least for me. He interviews folks both left and right, and asks probing, marvelous questions, rather like Edward R. Murrow, whom my mother adored. Like me, he seems to be ‘at sea’ with the lack of real reporting, or sense of history and verifiable truth/fact in the media, and I believe he invites guests so that he can see a bigger picture than we, the public, are given. The Dean of the USC School of Journalism was his guest this week, so of course they discussed the state of the media and this very problem. They even talked about the political ads from the Republican primaries and the ads to come in the Presidential race. What was most disturbing to them both, and to me, was the lies, easily disproven, and the timidity of any media players to point to fact, or distortion, or outright lies. Instead they entered some kind of alternate universe with the candidates, giving these discussions a sense of unreality. Most of that, even on PBS, make me feel as if I’m ‘spinning.’ Oddly enough, this is a recurring theme in my life in general, even in personal relationships. When there is no anchor in a shared past, or I am forced to deny that past because it makes someone uncomfortable, I really struggle. I keep wanting to bring in the ‘big picture’ but am rebuffed. Moyers showed a clip of George Stephanapolous questioning Romney. I can’t even remember what the topic was, but Romney derided him for the question, which was a good, though not deeply probing one, and Stephanapolous grinning with discomfort, brought the discussion back to an arena Romney clearly preferred. As if that is a journalist’s job, not framing the interview in history, Romney’s other comments, printed and video reports and so forth. I cannot understand this shift away from truth, fact, or history, and find it utterly discomfiting. Why would the interviewer accept this redefinition of reality that isn’t even true, and then move on as if it were? I want to throw something at the TV, or yell at it when I see this scenario, to say nothing of the deceitful ads. Thank God for John Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who show the ads or discussions, and then pull back to show the entire ‘real’ quote, or past discussions which disprove the fake one. And they’re comedians, not journalists! The Dean at USC takes trips to the desert without iphone, ipad, or computer so that he can decompress from all this misinformation and feel ‘better’ which he always does. When Moyers asked him how he feels after he returns from these trips, I believe he said ‘distressed’ or something like that. Me too most days. So I watch Moyers. And I struggle with the daily news, even on PBS or MSNBC, my TV news stations of choice. I struggle with the idea of not watching at all, but believe I need to be informed, though whether this stuff informs me is obviously in doubt. I try to work through similar issues with friends and my partner, when their truth and mine really diverge. Sometimes I just have to accept differences, and sometimes when they are just too far apart, move back. Perhaps having a relative in childhood whose ‘truth’ was very different from mine, with hers the only acceptable one, makes this process more difficult for me. I find it impossible to say my red sweater is blue anymore, with anyone. I know this can be irritating – just let it go, Nancy is a familiar refrain. Maybe what I’m trying to say is that I can’t, sometimes, there are significant reasons, and perhaps that’s not so bad. At least in the greater world, where there is a ‘bigger picture’ I hope I never stop questioning. I am grateful for Moyers, and for the folks he interviews. It’s always reassuring to know I’m not the only one when I’m spinning!