Sometimes there are things that are just too much, or really I get upset because I watch too much tv... but anyway, on the BBC today there was an inordinate amount of time spent on a news story that I couldn't really care that much about. I even refuse to acknowledge the name and subject as that would perpetuate an already overblown coverage of this case (lets just say it involves a celebrity acting inappropriately). What galled me to no end is that they even went so far as to interview the jurors in the trial... what the hell is going on? Am I alone in thinking that there is no possible way that could be a good thing, and the media had the idea that maybe they didn't get enough access since the judge read the jurors notes in private. If only as much interest was shown in events that truly mattered *cough* iraq *cough*. Then after thinking a while, I remembered why the media covered this 'circus' in the first place... the masses are friggin idiots. I do include myself in that category, it is increasingly becoming my opinion that no matter how intelligent individuals are as a collective they are dumber than a sack of rotten potatoes. Democracy is great, a wonderful ideal for a utopian world... which is why it doesn't really work in reality. It is based on the idea that there is an informed and engaged electorate, which is hardly ever the case. While dealing with daily life keeping up with politics and screening out bullshit takes a back seat to earning a decent wage, taking care of family and then trying to enjoy what little time there is left for some relaxation. When people show up at a voting booth whatever opinions they have are made from quick impressions and various political ads, which are about the biggest piles of bullshit around - with news being a close second. Seriously, to consider any televised news fact is akin to drilling holes in your head because you have a headache. All news is biased, next time you listen to the news and listen carefully to the wording, the language used couches opinions that try to put forth a particular viewpoint... some stations are a little better than others but none are guilt free. One has to always questions what is being said and especially what is being left out of the conversation. Ahem, getting back to my original point... uhm, lets see... it was about the media being controlled by the influences of ratings and how stupid people are to demand news about the fake lives of celebrities rather than the life and death struggles taking place around the world. So I repeat, the masses have the collective intelligence of a rotten sack of potatoes... on acid... or crack... whichever is worse... ah lets just say both.