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[James Dasher <jdasher AT ibiblio.org>]

On Oct 7, 2004, at 11:46 PM, Jim Allman wrote:

> On Oct 7, 2004, at 11:29 PM, James Dasher wrote:
> > "Grinding axes" would be just as appropriate, and would describe 
> > folks in all wavelengths of the political spectrum.  But that's 
> > what's good about diversity: nobody has a monopoly on truth.  Our 
> > political and legal systems are predicated on that notion.  That's 
> > why they're structured as adversarial systems: the recognition that 
> > argument is the only way to discover truth.
>
> But if people are strident enough, and there's no shame in a 
> bald-faced lie, all you get is argument.

That assumes that everyone everywhere will always stridently lie.  But 
a few bald-faced lies?  They generally get uncovered.  Then people make 
up their own minds.

> The "objective" press may be a recent development, but I think it's 
> done far more good than harm. The hazard of the day isn't that 
> mainstream media will smother alternative points of view (good luck!), 
> but that all commercial media will adopt the journalistic standards of 
> a Jack Chick comic.

I'll preemptively concede that capitalism can produce a stultifying 
array of the same alternatives.  Notice, for example, that you can get 
very similar meals at Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's.

And yet there's some variety, even in that incredibly small slice of 
the food segment of the market.  But it excludes diners, restaurants 
like Chili's and Ruby Tuesday, slightly better places like 411 West, 
and upscale restaurants like Magnolia Grill.  Not to mention the wide 
variety of agricultural products available at supermarkets, delis, 
bakeries, farmers' markets, food co-ops, and so forth.

Worrying about "commercial" media - news media, the press, whatever - 
adopting any monolithic standard is like worrying that you'll wake up 
tomorrow and have to eat gruel for the rest of your life.  Someone will 
always perceive a shortcoming in the available alternatives and try 
something different.

What we've had for too long has not done more good than harm.  It's 
stifled debate, enforced consensus, and generally encouraged people to 
think the same.  How boring!

We're in an era similar to the one that followed the invention of the 
printing press: a relatively monolithic cultural entity filtered 
everything through a particular lens.  Afterward, le deluge!

You certainly had debate and discussion before the Reformation.  But 
afterward, you had a lot more of it, from a a wider variety of sources.

Oh: and violence.  Lots and lots of violence.

But free speech!

Cheers --

--
James Dasher
misterdasher dot com
IM misterdasher