"When I was young" one of the things that used to bother me was older people starting sentences with "when I was young." It was almost always a prelude to a remembrance which may have been a little shaky at best and downright false at worst. Somehow in the past there were fewer "bad guys" around and those that were were caught and given their just punishments or run out of town on a rail. There was no unemployment, at least for those who really wanted to work. And life was hard but with enough faith in the Lord everything came out all right.
Well, when I was young and before we had television in the house we got our news from newspapers. We knew that everything was really news and really factual except advertising and the editorial and op-editorial pages. I also recall that politicians were criticized for their ideas, their bills, and sometimes for their tactics but almost never for who they were. This was especially true regarding the president who was truly given the respect of the title The Honorable Mister President. When we got television it was also clear that the news shows were news. You could expect to hear the same things on CBS, NBC, or ABC, at least on the news programs. There were shows devoted to opinions and they were clearly advertised as such.
Now today there seems to be no such thing as unbiased news unless it pertains to cats stranded in trees or an increase in rainfall. Oops, take that back - the rainfall will somehow be tied to global climate change and the credibility or lack thereof or the current or past administration. Politicians are the least respected class in our society with the President being the least of the least, at least among newscasters. When I was young we used to marvel that other countries had "state" sponsored media outlets which broadcast 99% propaganda and may or may not have opposition sponsored media depending on the degree of independence and rule of law in the country. We couldn't imagine newsmen who would sell their soul to sell newspapers or air time for their party. That was what communists and fascists did, didn't they? When I was young.... when did it all change?
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