My mom and dad (in their late 70's) watch way to much TV. they watch the news and old tv shows (perry mason etc.)

My mom has become a conspiracy expert and she seems to be happy enough with that. She also reads emails from 'prophets' who are all doomsday cults if you ask me.

My dad worries me, we are very similar in things. We love movies, read sci-fi, and love hanging out. He is coming unglued as well. He swings from depression to rage etc. He has commented a number of times about my demeanor in all this, "I am surprised you are not more upset." I remind him of my activity in the local GOP and I was far more involved this past year than all previous years combined. (I actually made a post about my decision to get involved last year.)
That is when I realized the big differences between us, 1) I rarely watch the news. and 2) I have sigforum.

When I get upset I come here and read and see reason and logic and people working through stuff just like I am, it is cathartic and beneficial to me. I love the memes, the cat thread, and all of the commentary on stuff.

I love this forum and dearly value my membership here. Thank you.

Dave

Well said, Red.

I feel the same way and need this forum for my sanity. If I get a little tense I just go to SIG PISTOLS hoping to hear someone go on and on about how wonderful my last purchase was.

Thanks to all who make this place so peaceful and informative.

We have plenty of Sigforumites in their late 70s. Perhaps suggesting your Dad join Sigforum would help center him.

^^^^Great idea.

quote:

Originally posted by h2oys:
^^^^Great idea.

Yes, try to get your father to join! But in my opinion, every Amercan should be outraged by the events of the past year.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:
My mom and dad (in their late 70's) watch way to much TV.

Dave

this is the problem

catering to the low IQ citizen -- not the critical thinker

------------------------------------

I’m dealing with a similar situation with my parents though they aren’t quite as old but close. I’m trying to find them a place to live closer to me so I can help them and they can help me. My wife and I thought it would be a great idea to get my mom an iPad 2 years ago for Christmas as she’s disabled and can’t get out much. A true curse and blessing. I prefer sigforum for my “news” as most of the time we have a member with significant knowledge of the subject. Thankful for this cyber town full of great neighbors.

I’ve been weaning my tv usage over the past few years and I’m now down to one show, Gold Rush. I’ve given up sports as well since they’re all awake now, including the PGA.

When it comes to the media and how it affects everyone, I always bring this up, a quote by Michael Chrichton:

“Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them.
In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know.”



Now, every single one of us knows that the media can't get basic facts right about any gun story, ever. So why would we think they get anything right about any other topic?

quote:

Originally posted by K0ZZZ:
When it comes to the media and how it affects everyone, I always bring this up, a quote by Michael Chrichton:

“Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them.
In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know.”



Now, every single one of us knows that the media can't get basic facts right about any gun story, ever. So why would we think they get anything right about any other topic?

A friend is a retired detective. He told me that every single newspaper story about a case in which he was involved with had some material fact wrong in the newspaper article. Every article. Over many years.

^^ THIS ^^

I'm on oil & gas and have been involved with stuff that made the news. I'd be thrilled to death if it were one material fact wrong as it's typically 25% to 50%. Two examples:

My project had progressed to a stage where it'd be visible to the public (i.e. several weeks of trucking out of a port) so media relations found a reporter willing to do a story. The reporter e-mailed our media relations, media relations had me fill out the responses, and media relations sent it back (I was bcc'd). The story came out a week or two later and the reporter couldn't even copy and paste so it was full of erroneous information. Since I was bcc'd, I knew it wasn't media relations that caused the erroneous info in the article.

I was involved in an oil & gas failure that garnered quite a bit of media attention and the White House called the company president. One enterprising reporter wrote an article on us making final repair and being back in service. However, instead of welding in new replacement equipment we were credited with inventing cold fusion and using it to repair the failure.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

quote:

Originally posted by K0ZZZ:
“Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them.
In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know.”

Now, every single one of us knows that the media can't get basic facts right about any gun story, ever. So why would we think they get anything right about any other topic?

This has been my experience too. My great awakening came during the First Gulf War. All these media types and "experts" droning on all day on TV, and I'm like "These a-holes have no idea what they are talking about." I realized then that everything they say and print is likely just as wrong and full of errors, whether intentional or not.

It’s because the media and the vast majority of “journalists” have no interest in reporting facts or events as they happened. Why let a tragedy go to waste when you can spin it and use it for political points? The media cartel are more interested in sticking to their narrative and talking points. Stories that are not helpful to their cause will be spun or outright ignored.

The problem we have currently is that our media is 100% dishonest and untrustworthy. They claim to be “moderate” or center but anyone who wants to know the truth and seeks it on their own will quickly realize their bias. They would be better embracing their bias as Fox News used to do. When the come right out of the gate and lie to me about their political leanings they erode trust and only make more people feel as though they are being misled.

Why don’t they just step out into the light and be honest about their bias? My guess is because it means they lose all the centrist or non political people who trusted them to be an unbiased and fair source. Or at the very least those people might begin to lose trust in that source.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
We have plenty of Sigforumites in their late 70s. Perhaps suggesting your Dad join Sigforum would help center him.

We've got a lot in their early 80s, too (ask me how I know).

flashguy

I gave up on the MSM years ago. It’s not like back 20 years ago or more. Know it just seems mostly like half assed propaganda.

There are still some good old school journalists around, but they seem to be giving way to opinion pieces by talking heads.

My dad is ready to take up arms he’s so pissed. He used to be fairly moderate.

Strange times we live in.

I do appreciate the education I receive sometimes here on Sigforum.

I also feel we have our own group of tinfoil hat wearers and "crazies". Some are loveable and some would be made to eat in their room when company came over.

But all in all I appreciate this place quite a bit. I don't consider it a gun forum or Sig forum anymore, but more just a place I go to relax or talk about random shit.

The over abundance of political-themed content is annoying no matter where we are, including this forum. Coupled with the fact that a large percentage of contributing members seem to be able to take the most innocent occurrence and turn it political would be my only complaint.

No my Hot Sauce isn't becoming "Commie" or "woke", it's just fucking HOT SAUCE. I'm constantly surprised at how easily people can turn something political. Tin Foil Hats i tell you.