TALK

I have about 100 books on my Kindle and am in the middle of most of them.  I get interested in one, read a bunch of it, and then a different book comes along and captures that attention. That has been the way I operate, and have done so for years.

So, when I encountered the book I will be talking about, I put my other books "on hold" while I "consumed" its contents.  

The book is titled Idiot America by Boston Globe writer Charlie Pierce.  I will try to cover just a small part of Charlie's book.

Early in its existence, AM Radio was devoted to entertainment.  Later, Pop Music took it over.  Later still, guys "selling snake oil" realized that talking about their product on AM Radio earned them lots of money from the gullible. Even later, politicians, so-called pundits and "the like" saw that as a way to lie to those same gullible listeners.

Mr. Pierce mentions Professor Andrew Cline of Washington University in Saint Louis who studied the situation and "came up with a set of rules that may be followed by modern American pundits,

1.  Never be dull.

2.  Embrace willfully ignorant simplicity.

3.  The American public is stupid;  treat them that way.

4.  Always ignore the facts and public record when it is convenient to do so."

(I'm sure we can all come up with the name of someone who once held high office, adhered to such rules, and continues to do so.)

Millions of Americans believe what they hear on AM Radio, and it is also usually the source of "crap" that passes as "real news," while dismissing "true news" as "fake news."  This has to be bad for our democracy.

I have my ideas as to how to change this situation:

01.  Bring back the "decency rules" for all types of radio.

02.  "Kill" all of those poisonous radio and television shows that "plug" baseless theories and glorify "fearless leaders."

03   Bring back "true" radio entertainment like:   

          The Jack Benny Show

          The Fred Allen Show

           You Bet Your Life

           Dragnet

           The Twilight Zone

           The Shadow

04.  Allow only "fact-based" news to be broadcast.

Congress would only laugh at such suggestions, but someday they may be put into effect.

Now I need to continue reading "Idiot America"  ... until some other book captures my interest.

.....................................................................................