I rejoice because I have a follower! She was Shanghaied, however, she is now headed for Madeira, so all seems well.
Elsie wrote a blog called “Creating Ignorance” based on Orwell’s revolutionary works. I blathered a comment about whether propaganda had any worth and asking if today’s media were not propagandists in their own cause. This subject gets me to a near rant state.
I abhor the apparent manipulation of the masses by the media. For example, the fact that television producers, editors and owners see fit to create a programme like “Married at First Sight” is disgusting. It is destructive of a fundamental pillar of society as we know it. What is the value of such a series to society? The fact that it garners millions of viewers which generate huge revenue is surely only evidence of the depravity of those viewers, so easily manipulated by the media.
Now that I have insulted the intelligence of millions, I better change direction…
The local government elections in South Africa, my sub-continent of origin is of interest. Those of us who chose to leave, retain high interest and many links and concerns with the apparent failures of the fledgling democracy. But the current focus on Brazilian ineptitudes and insecurities as it stages the Olympics, give some comparative perspective. One hopes that the emergence of strong opposition to the governing party will not bring about violence as it did in the past.
I see the problem in my writings: it is a lack of focus on a pre-selected direction. I am too easily distracted by butterfly thoughts and wander away from the original path.
Well, I suppose that is what quirks and whimsy are all about.
Enjoy the Olympics: it is hopefully a reasonably honest trial of athletic strengths of the finest athletes in the world … (you see! There I go again).