Fish Story: or how modern Media over exagerates for viewcount

I am not the one to tempt fate, nor am I one to constantly dote over something bad.  After all, shuo Cao Cao, Cao cao jiu dao (speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives).  I'm also a realist, I know when things can get bad, and how to prepare for it to be safe.  I am neither a survivalist or a "what could go wrong" kind of guy.  That is why I view Hurricane Sandy as what it is, a hurricane, a simple force of nature.  A powerful one, but nature none the less.  It is not the end of the world, it is not the wrath of God, it is not a freak accident.  Or, as I remember the joke going, call Pluto a meteor and it will start acting like one.  Make Sandy into the apocalypse, and it will be the apocalypse!

But Kyle, you may be saying, how does this work back to the modern Media.  We must remember that the Media is a very powerful force, it makes or breaks the opinions of millions.

I feel an image-based running gag beginning, but then again, this was an awesome movie

I would leave it with that, but I don't want to me misconstrued as some sort of conspiracy theorist watching Alex Jones like he's going out of style and jacking it like a fiend to Soldier of Fortune.  First of all, I find Alex Jones to be a prick and a bastard milking the paranoid for all they are worth, and is in my mind, the real life Elliot Carver in some ways.  What does that have to do with the Media, well, not much, but he is a good example of what I mean.  Plus, any excuse to slam on Alex Jones makes it a good day ;).

Second of all, criticizing the Media for what amounts to "I have all the answers, watch me," does not a conspiracy theorist make.  Guys, I'm not some sort of savant or guru, in fact, it could also be said that I to engage in such a ploy at times.  Its only human nature.  However, with logic and common sense, you can easily see beyond it.

So, when I see the over hyping and the "imagined version" of the hurricane being passed off as some sort of unquestioned holy writ, of course I will get a little skeptical.  Now, if I lived closer to the shore, I would probably be worried, but I'm up in the mountains.  I don't think the Biblical Flood is happening again any time soon to sweep us all away.  As a Pagan, I would look at that and just be like "well fuck..." and just accept my fate like a boss.  But as long as you don't do anything fool-hardy and be prepared for it, then you should be okay, whatever the Media tells you.

How the Media has made this hurricane look at times.

So what lesson can we take from this blog post today?  Well, I think the main lesson is that we should take the stories we hear with a grain of salt.  Especially true in America, a lot of our media is based on how to get  higher view-counts/ratings.  If we can get beyond that, then we can get to the actual news.  We also should remember that the forces of nature are just that, forces of nature.  If we accept that, then everything should be fine if we are prepared.

I will admit though, I had plans on going to a Samhain ritual/party in Philly.  ANd now all I can think about is the storm saying in Danny DeVito's voice, "I don't think so."