For those with the good fortune — or good sense — to periodically stray from the confines of Popular Media, it might not come as a complete shock that some positive news has occasionally surfaced amidst the COVID-19 frenzy. Throughout the planet-wide trauma, a relatively few sources sporadically dared break through the alarmist crust, providing encouraging updates when they could. They’ve at least attempted to keep the general public apprised of hopeful developments around coronavirus-related issues. Predictably, those spotlights on sanguinity were steam-rolled by the preferred all-is-lost narrative. Majority Media has flatly and intransigently settled on a mums-the-word policy about anything besides Chinese-Flu gloom.
This hasn’t changed the past several weeks either: Some authentically gladdening tidings have materialized, only to be scanted by most outlets: COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and emergency room visits are cratering, death numbers from the plague collapsing, its apparent surge in the southwestern U.S. flattening, etc. Greeted with enthusiasm, right? You’d think as much — yet, most have merited barely a mention by the Propaganda Press; certainly not emphasized in any way.
As columnist Peter Heck recently griped, there are multiple “Great Pieces of COVID News We Should Be Talking About” — but we’re not. So what gives? Why the incessant Wuhan woes when actual, inspiring information is also available for those willing to acknowledge it?
1) There’s no escaping, a deranging, anti-Trump animus plays an outsized role in driving whole sectors of the Mainstream Media (MSM) to squash any hint things might improve in the run up to Election Day. Indoctrination Journalism’s practically feral loathing for the New York mogul occupying the White House is self-evident; regularly and startlingly so. Regardless of one’s assessment of Donald Trump, a fair observer can’t seriously deny this venomous bias against him. COVID-19 threatens to be nearly as deadly for his political prospects as for the literal health of its more conventional victims. For many a cut-throat “Orange Man”-hater — and there are loads of ’em — that’s reason enough to hope it sticks around a while longer.
Recall HBO’s Bill Maher’s ardent admission he’s rooting for an economic recession, which he correctly identifies as the surest path to a Trump defeat. As others have avouched, should DT get a thumbs down November 3rd, expect the nation’s corona-fixation to take a starkly sunny turn the days immediately following; and then expeditiously fade altogether. It’ll become transparently clear: the last thing the MSM wants to do is tarnish any nascent Biden/Harris administration.
Up to that point? They’re decidedly all about dumping all over Team Trump — and the more coronavirus crud they can leverage to that end, the better for their agenda. Reassuring trends not welcome.
2) Liberals — and, even more fervidly, Leftists — dig government control; enlightened elites directing the benighted “little people” how they’re to conduct their business; elected officials, persnickety bureaucrats, the State in charge. Bossing around their “inferiors” gives this bunch a tingle.
Few American institutions align more devotedly with these “progressive” passions than the Legacy Media. What has lately boomed “Obey Big Brother!” as articulately as 2020’s still-chugging lockdown mania? As has been amply demonstrated, clench-fisted appeals to “the pandemic”, “public health” or “the children” grant big-state types a unique and close-to-irresistible entré for micromanaging the everyday lives of everyday people. And for five months and counting, complicit journos have been all-in stoking the proceedings. Why begin to buck the nanny-government vector now? After close to half-a-year of such splendiferous success?
Once more: Optimistic stats and facts must be kept on the DL.
3) For not a few individuals, self-regard — read: reputation and ego — is at stake in how this whole coronavirus calamity plays out.
One of the most difficult responses in life is to concede: “I was wrong” or “I made a mistake”. Inconveniently, central to successful human relationships is a willingness to humble oneself, to own responsibility for failure. Consonant with this fundamental is the axiom that a proper connection with God is impossible minus “repentance”: a person’s recognition of and turning from his shortcomings.
Since late winter, the media and affiliated “experts” have unflaggingly pushed the coronavirus-catastrophist line — all hand-wringing all the time, coupled with extremist countermeasures (smothering shutdowns, universal masking, comprehensive quarantining, etc.) To rudely discover things arguably might not be as verge-of-Armageddon as initially forecast? That the government-enforced fixes perhaps didn’t need to be as draconian as prescribed?
Well… that’s awkward. And embarrassing. And credibility-crushing.
An arrogant press, overweening pols and, yes, the President — for whom self-effacement and modesty have never been a go-to virtue — have been snookered by this reputation-preserving, self-esteem-salvaging compulsion. Democrats and Big Media haven’t toted water for the medical fascists all by their lonesome. Donald Trump was supinely right there with them. For two months? Three? (He’s still crowing about the alleged success of the economy-ravaging lockdown and has never retracted the shade he heaped on Georgia and Sweden for defying global capitulation.)
They’ve all gotta defend the COVID-19 party line, its official journalistic version. After all, the public image and self-image of big wigs and vast industries are at stake!
4) Over the years a handful of “positive news” projects — print and broadcast — have been attempted … and fizzled repeatedly. It’s an enduring quirk of fallen human nature: Bad news holds a bizarre, counter-intuitive allure for the multitudes. This unflattering human trait is one reason gossip persists as such a hot commodity. Herd together most any group of homo sapiens and, pretty quickly, the conspiratorial whisper and furtive glance ensue. It’s a heartbreaking reality that, over the years, not-a-few well-intentioned souls have tried to sow a snippet of sunshine into a determinedly dark world; only to watch their efforts spurned by audiences which prefer the freshest batch of celebrity scuttlebutt or disaster-mongering.
It’s not blind coincidence the antidote to humankind’s sin problem is routinely denominated “the Gospel” — literally: the “good news”. Acolytes of that message are commanded to spread it purposefully. It remains the remedy for a morose world, even if too many potential hearers head-scratchingly prefer a steady diet of doom.
Grim narratives dependably garner greater attention; attracting more readers and viewers than feel-good stories. Succinctly put: Panic sells.
Why dedicate limited time and space to less juicy, less profitable happy talk?
Turns out the cliché is sound: Don’t trust the media — on matters Covid-19, or much else. Put its claims under the microscope of unsparing objectivity. Probe purposefully beneath news sources’ easily accessible surface for accurate reportage. When you uncover truth — bad news or good — promulgate it, talk it up, blast it everywhere; even if, for a season, it’s lonely duty.
Get in the habit of regarding with a gimlet eye everything blazoned by today’s information curators. That way, after the coronavirus stampede finally runs its course, you’ll be ready for the next round of MSM agitprop; whatever its focus.
