Hi Tom,

It’s not the first time I’ve been implored to choose a side. Usually it’s by someone religious or nationalist. I need to be with the country or against it. I’m with the cops or I’m with BLM. I’m capitalist or communist. Now I have to be with Tom or against Tom. Or, with “the compassionate people of the world.” This false binary validates the article I shared.

It’s so true, that simply by pointing out the role infotainment plays in our modern world, I’ve commit the “both sides” sin and am now against you — against the people trying to change the world for the better. Or, at least, I’m on the “sidelines” and I’m “amoral and nihilistic.” Tom, is this really how you see positive change happening? By disparaging anyone you disagree with?

Ah, you see it as a battle. But even you’ve mentioned (twice) that it’s not just republicans you disagree with, but also democrats. That’s because the other “side” is protean. To me, such an adversarial stance is counterproductive. And I believe part of that adversarial stance is engendered by infotainment. (A term first coined by a group of librarians in 1980, btw.)

I think part of fixing our problems is coming to understand how and why the other person has such a wildly disparate view from me. Part of that will surely be background, education, etc. But today, more than ever, it’s due to their media consumption.

Since I’m capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, I can accept scientific consensus while recognizing the distorting and culturally deleterious effect of the infotainment complex. We mass produce moral outrage. It has an effect. If anything, one of those effects is how climate change is a “ratings killer” and so gets less air time than it should. Or truly critical issues get the same attention (or less) than minor sociocultural ones. Infotainment is the great diffuser. Neil Postman worried about it happening with TV — news of war interspersed with commercials to buy a car. We’re being desensitized. Inured. These things matter, Tom. Without understanding and contending with these distortion filters, we’re not going to make the headway we should towards even proper mitigation.

Take care.