Life on the Outside

One of the key points made by independent filmmaker Michael Moore in “Bowling for Columbine” was the idea of a “fear-based” society. In the 2002 film, shock-rocker Marilyn Manson brought up the idea that American media, be it news, movies, television or advertising, create a consumer need by using fear to sell their products.

I don’t want to start a debate about Michael Moore, Marilyn Manson or their politics, but I do agree that our media does use fear to motivate buyers, get viewers to watch movies or T.V. shows. My own travels abroad made me realize how little other countries use fear to attract buyers, readers, listeners, etc.

Television news stations use this all the time. “Is this common household item killing you? Tune in tonight at 11 to see if your life is in danger.” Really?  If it was that deadly shouldn’t you have mentioned it on the 5 o’clock, 5:30, 6 o’clock or 6:30 news already?

Sadly, I just wrote a story like this and I hate that I’m participating in the same behavior that I deride others in the news for.  On Wednesday morning, the same day we go to press (at noon) we got a call from a source that there had been a possible attempted abduction at the local elementary school.

Once we got all the details, we found some very creepy kind had tried to convince a student to let him give him a ride home. The kid did exactly what he should have – told creepy man no and ran away to find someone who could help him (in this case an older sibling and friend).  He then told his parents once he got home and they called the local police.

Although the police are investigating, the child was unable to provide a detailed description of said creepy man or his car.  So what did we do with the story?  We ran it on the front page, sent out a tweet on Twitter and posted it to the front page of the website of course!

While I agree parents, and the public in general, should be made aware of potential kidnappers or pedophiles out there, there is such a thing as overkill. But it’s a small town and good news stories are hard to come by. Just doing my part to be part of the problem instead of the solution.