It’s mysterious how swiftly a society can collectively change its mind. As rapidly as the financial markets crashed, so has Fox News’s credibility. What was gospel to an entire segment of voters and viewers just a few months ago has become a desperate flapping in the wind. Some may view this as part of the swing cycle that politics is heir to. But from the Reagan era forward, certain truths were held to be self-evident, and far from inventing anything, Fox News simply put the high gloss of mass media on them.
If you tune in to Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, or the network’s humbler toilers in the vineyard, their tactics haven’t changed. They must be shocked to find themselves stranded, all the more because it seemed to happen overnight.
In the spirit of Emerson’s dictum that evil is the absence of good, it’s worth recalling where good was absent just a year ago. Here are the working beliefs of the Fox News credo.
Article 1: The worst aspects of human nature are actually cherished freedoms.
This is Fox News’s main rallying cry. Hating minorities, despising gays, ridiculing women’s rights, and slandering the ACLU all fall under the rubric of precious liberties.
Article 2: God loves gun owners.
Fox News rabidly seizes the high ground when it comes to law and order, an issue that is seen primarily as a loaded gun under every pillow and a triple-bolted front door.
Article 3: Patriotism is the last refuge of ratings wars.
Here the old axiom that patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels has been updated (but by no means abandoned). Every Fox News commentator earns his battle scars by wrapping himself in the bloody flag, without ever personally endangering his own skin, of course.
Article 4: Ideology is way better than thinking.
Pre-chewed ideas are more easily digested than actual thinking. But ideology goes one better by answering every doubt in advance. Thus Fox News is never in doubt. Truth is as automatic as a gum ball machine.
Article 5: The mind’s primary use is for bellowing.
I advise any prospective guest on Fox News to demand that there be no shouting. This immediately decouples the mind of O’Reilly and Hannity. Their most basic assumption is that any guest, once shouted down, has lost the debate. (I tested this gambit out personally and can vouch for its effectiveness.)
Article 6: Shamelessness is next to godliness.
In other words, you can sin at leisure as long as you keep pointing out other people’s sins. Long a tactic enshrined in the Book of Hypocrisy, Fox News has turned holier-than-thou into a moneymaker.
Article 7: Don’t bother me with the facts. My mind is already closed.
This is really just a corollary to the belief in ideology, but it deserves its own chapter and verse because of the ironical light it casts on the Fox News logo, “Fair and balanced.”
Article 8: The little guy is always mad.
On the whole, Fox News tries to make the little guy feel that he is always right and those pointy-headed educated elitists always wrong. But sometimes the little guy proves tricky, as when he doesn’t like Republican deficits and foreign wars. Luckily, Fox News always has a fallback — the little guy is always blistered about something, and a little kerosene is a marvelous accelerant, as they say in arson investigations.
Article 9: “They” are about to get you — watch out!
The bulk of Fox News’s sanctimony rests on its pledge to look out for everyday working Joes. Since there is no record of the network actually protecting something realistic like clean air, freedom from assault weapons, and safety in the workplace, what is really being safeguarded is the right to be freaking paranoid every minute of the day.
Article 10: If I just said it, it must be right.
Here, as in several other places, Fox News is indistinguishable from a drunken frat party where not only is bellowing a sign of intelligence, but never backing down, however cockeyed your last statement may be, shows that you are a man.
I am not a communicant in this particular creed, so I’m sure I’ve left out some key passages in the gospel. For full knowledge one would have to delve deep into the Old Testament of Fox News (i.e., the minutes of the John Birch Society 1958-date). Daily viewing will keep one abreast of new anathemas (i.e., socialism) and potential saviors (Sarah Palin). Or you could take the easy way out and celebrate the waning of Fox News’s belief system and the cleaner air left behind.
Joe, I’m also verious curious as to why you cannot see the “rabid woofing”
within your post?
Just skimming throught the comments. My, how the right wingers hate hearing the truth.
While I certainly feel they have the right to their own opinions, the fact that they are willing to sell their country down the river and call it patriotism is sickening IMO.
Deepak Chopra did the right thing in posting his view. He did not do so with hatred or lies. He merely stated the facts. But then FOX viewers aren’t exactly happy with anyone disagreeing with their astounding world views.
Every MSNBC offering has both views. Left and Right. And sadly the Right seldom makes a very good point . They usually just babble, blame or lie. I am always very open and hopeful that they’ll explain their weird views to me, but so far, no luck.
If they put as much energy in spreading good and constructive views to their viewership, rather then just fan the flames of hatred and dissent, this country would be in great shape.
But nothing like sore losers. They’re willing to sacrifice everything on the altar of their need to be the top dogs.
Well, welcome to the real world. You lost, now suck it up and play ball. Quit your whining and use your energies to help save our great country!!!
Sorry about the format of my reply. It seems in my enthusiasm I overtyped the margins and some
of my sentences are off the grid. Blame it on old eyes. Hard to see the outlines of the comment
box.
Dale,
Thanks for your response. No, the Roman Road saying is not Catholicism.
It’s in reference to the traditional “salvation” scriptures of Romans10:9-10.
I think now I’ll gracefully bow out of this forum. Not because I shy away from
confrontation–there was a time when I enjoyed a good fight more than my
necessary food–but because there seems to be no room here unless
you have a point to prove or a platform to protect…which I have neither.
Quoting the timeless words of The Youngblood’s prophet Jessie Colin
Young::
“Come on people now–smile on your brother–
everybody get together–try to LOVE one another right now.”
Peace
Evelyn, Your message was clear.
However, it is full of diatribe and rhetorical comments. There is nothing of substance to
respond to, you have simply voiced your opinion. The problem is they don’t do
anything to add to an open honest discourse.
I would throw your comments into the useless rant category. I am a conservative
THINKER and am perfectly willing to debate any specific criticisms you have of the
conservative viewpoint. I won’t hold my breath as like most of you lefties,
you are better at stomping your feet and screaming than defending your
views.
Phil H.
I respect your position.
It is also a Judeo-Christian value to love one another…. Althought for us
we cannot love our neighbor without showing that love by sharing the
Good News…. That Christ has died for sinners. That also suggests that
we must defend the faith as our doctrine is what defines us. Unfortunately
this is often misunderstood as being intolerant… To be intolerant of other
peoples religious beliefs and philosophy would be sinful… For we must
respect the freedom that God has given for us all to choose freely.
Their are issues that cannot be tolerated. For instance It is a christian virtue
to defend the right to life. If we really believe that an unborn child is a God
given life than we cannot shrink from that debate. I would also submit that
it would be consistant with your view and God’s command to -
“Love one another”.
Foxnews sux
You, Deepak fall in the same pitfall that you try to expose about Fox News:
You are pontificating trom a “superior” position as if all the millions that prefer
Fox to any other network news are all in need of some brain surgery.
Fact is that , even if truthfulness and validity of a network news per ansamble
is not established by popular vote, Fox News is beating all the other news.
My friend, you are not able to make an educated judgement about Fox because you are yourself an ideolog of an opposite type than Fox.
marian,
For a post full of self righteous hypocrisy, you sure went
to great lengths to make it sound like you know what you’re
talking about. Good job.
Marian, good post..
You’ll find these Deepak disciples to be very slippery.