Baffling
I’m still finding it had to comprehend the terrorist attacks in the USA. I still feel totally immersed by it and, in practical terms, it has nothing to do with the likes of me. The media has spun its attention away from the news stories and now focusses on comment and analysis—something for which I have little time. Newspapers only really interest me when they’re reporting news, and it’s unfortunate that they spend so much time simply churning out opinion. People confuse the two. If I want opinion, I’ll go and have a conversation with someone whose opinions I respect—I don’t want some staff writer imposing his thoughts on me. Democracy is supposed to be about dialogue, is it not?
At the same time, I’m consciously aware of the sums of money being paid for filmed footage and photography relevant to the tragedy. Is it right to capitalise on disaster? Additionally, is the sustained reporting and re-reporting of the issues surrounding the attacks appropriate to the situation? Is that not exactly what the attacks were designed to provoke?