You Are Being Played?

The Arab Spring, a series of revolutions in the Arab world, began with this man. 

A hero of the revolution.

But when the same thing occurs in America it gets different coverage. 

A man who died after lighting himself on fire outside the Cheshire County Superior Court House Wednesday had a history with local courts. Thomas J. Ball, 58, of Holden, Mass., was embroiled in legal battles over how much he owed his ex-wife for their three children’s medical bills, according to court documents.

My point is not about either of these cases. It is the difference in the coverage. Anyone who burns himself alive has mental health issues. Both were economically distressed. Both felt persecuted by oppressive governments.

But the emphasis in the American case is the goofiness of the man. One video I saw showed his cluttered back porch. This of course proves that he is crazy. I hope they never look at mine, at least I hope that no one has a video of my back porch before I got married.  

In the Tunisian case the emphasis is the economic hardship and the oppressive government. The stories are framed by the producers to achieve the desired effect.

Have you ever watched a news story where you had personal knowledge of the situation discussed? Was it correct? If it was not correct, then why are you assuming the stories you watch where you have no personal knowledge are correct?

The stories we watch and read are often not correct. This is not a left/right issue. All stories are framed, the question is who is framing them. If you do not understand that you are being played by the news, by both sides, you will not understand the news.

Note that I fell into a framing error in that last sentence. There are NOT two sides, there are many sides. Do not allow yourself to be manipulated by Babylon.