1 HN user recommended this commentary1 month2014–2020score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
Shared as a compact critique of how news framing breeds passivity and despair.
A short Adam Curtis clip on what he calls oh dearism, the habit of news reporting that presents events as a stream of sad, inexplicable happenings. He argues this leaves viewers passive and unable to imagine action.
“we just watch sad news each day and it makes us think all that can be done is say "oh dear” (HN, 2020)
As well as the long multi-part documentaries, Adam Curtis wrote short five minute clips for the show NewsWipe, which are also worth watching, e.g. his talk about news reporting and "oh dearism" - [this video]
Short Curtis clip on news reporting and oh dearism
1) Drought, expensive food, lack of freshwater (e.g. California, Nevada, Pakistan) NASA video on groundwater reserves [link] 2) Big Data takeover by government (citizen profiling) and private sector (financial and health discrimination) 3) Youth-based uprisings changing the political landscape (driven by unemployment) But I think all these issues will play a wake-up call. Societies will become less self-centered, with less nationalism, less exceptionalism, and with more involvement and cooperation. There is already a rise in positive social activism. Kids are watching less TV and young people don't read newspapers, I love that! Lies are quickly demystified on places like Twitter. The negative impact will matter mostly on how early people decide to get involved. [link] [link] ($0.30/gallon in US, not viable) [this video] Adam Curtis on "Oh Dear"-ism
I have a sense part of that is the "Oh Dearism" - we just watch sad news each day and it makes us think all that can be done is say "oh dear" - reflected in this short video by Adam Curtis - [this video] (also featuring Charlie Brooker, creator of Black Mirror)
Short Curtis video on how sad news breeds passivity
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