Necessary Caveat: Although I'm unsure whether I've inadvertently long since published this (two-and-a-half years ago), I certainly meant to (around March 23rd, 2016), and may indeed have done so...say, as entitled, 'The Media: Outraged at the Possibility of a President Donald Trump? Methinks Thou Dost Protest Too Much'...it appears an ever timely and fairly timeless opinion 'piece', and so...
On the principle that something well worth saying is generally well worth saying more than once...
...and with the clear and obvious understanding that this opinion piece was written prior to the elevation of Donald J Trump to the world's most powerful geo-political position...
May I state my conclusion at the very outset: yes, the mainstream Western (broadcast, print and internet) media pretty well have only themselves to ultimately blame for the phenomenon of a Trump presidency (now subjected daily, even hourly, to such widespread and often simply reactive, non-thinking castigation and negative press that it's hard at times to decipher the wheat from the chaff). Yes indeed they do...a matter made all the worse by their never-ending - deliberate? -oh of course not! *("Yeah, right!") - failure to almost ever make the relevant comparisons to their (media-ordained and sanctioned) political darling, i.e. the previous American President, Barack Hussein Obama...
Now to quickly clarify something (that may not be altogether obvious): I'm not - indeed I've never been - someone 'anti-Obama'; moreover, like around 78% of Americans as his inauguration was taking place back in January 2009 I had a (highly) favourable opinion of him...**to the point of agreeing he well deserved a Nobel Peace prize even at the very outset of his first term: simply in prospect of his being able - solely and purely by dint of being the first black American president, a charismatic and inspiring persona, and moreover a helluva contrast to his predecessor, the hapless 'George Dubya' (just for starters!) - to thus rectify and even 'turn-around' the worldwide anti-American sentiment which had pretty well built up to a veritable crescendo in the run-up to his presidency...
But 'nuff said' (for now) vis-a-vis the Obama presidency, I've extensively canvassed my views else-where (and upon a number of occasions)...
...however, let me once again simply restate my basic premise: having carefully paved the way for America's first real celebrity president, it's just a little bit rich for the selfsame 'kamikaze-ers' to henceforth bend each and every effort in their grasp to seek to undermine said situation...
To reiterate (in different words), having thus cleared the path for such a celebrity candidacy through its obsession with ***all things celebrity...isn't it oh so ironic, but oh so very typical and predictable, the selfsame media now, much like ****Frankenstein's creator, suddenly turn aghast when(ever) confronted by the frightening logical extension of their warped machinations...i.e. the monster they have created, aka Donald Trump, Esquire, Presidential Prospect (now Reality) Extraordinaire...
Unable to put their genie back into its bottle - and now suddenly confronted with/by the extraordinary success, beyond their wildest dreams/fantasies/nightmares, of their subconscious schemes, they now recoil in horror, almost disclaiming any responsibility whatsoever for the work of their own hands - just like Pontius Pilate coolly washing his hands for the responsibility of conveying Jesus the Christ to his untimely, brutal, illegal and shameless, shameful end. Apparently not realizing - or, more likely, lacking the moral courage to admit/confess - that DJT simply represents the ultimate realization of their constant, ingenious attempts at elevating 'celebrity' to cult, godlike status; in all its many and variegated, multi-faceted, often ugly and frankly depraved, manifestations...and then some!
They are now inexorably confronted with their own tailor-made version of Frankenstein's Monster, and thus and so have found themselves dealing with something too big, too hot to handle, something that, despite their best (or, in this case, worst) efforts, has simply become wholly unwieldy and entirely uncontrollable; a literal monster and freak of their own making ...yet which nevertheless ultimately refuses to submit itself, to bow to their control. And which moreover may ultimately lead to both their demise and that of everyone and everything else.
May we all be warned of supposed innocent toying with what may initially merely be idols of our own fancy/imagination, but which eventually assume gargantuan proportions and threaten to subsume our very lives in their backwash. To take due heed lest we too, like so many unsuspecting kids inadvertently stumbling upon a wasp's nest, open a Pandora's Box and so unleash upon an unsuspecting world a lethal monster; one unrelenting and implacable in its ultimate fire and fury.
*A New 'Zealanderism' oftentimes seen upon large advertising billboards above roadways: signifying initial, superficial, complete assent...thereby - in classic, understated kiwi irony - underlining the utter preposterousness of the statement postulated; much as our iconic 'yeah - nah!' response likewise does.
**Even intending - if money had been no object - to actually, personally attend said inauguration!
***At the time of writing (i.e. March 23, 2016) Toronto, Canada's rogue mayor Ron Ford was once again in the/on TV3's (6 p.m.) evening news, to wit his one real 'claim to fame' (and infamy) evidently being the dope-smokin', high-profile mayor of a large Canadian city...who had to resign in notoriety. But so what? Who really cares (in the overall scheme of things)?
****Due acknowledgement to Mary Shelley's inimitable masterpiece, Frankenstein; a timeless classic (deserving of especial attention in our equally techno-crazy, technology-infatuated culture).
No comments:
Post a Comment