A few thoughts about TV.
10/21/04
4:50 pm
TV down here is interesting. There’s probably about 8 channels total, some informational, one for sports, one news, and a few for movies. It is all through the military, or at least they are the same channels that are fed to ships in the Navy or the international military bases. There are no commercials. The breaks are all filled with public service announcements or propaganda. There are those ads telling you to stop smoking or stop drinking and that drugs are really bad for you. Doug made an interesting point about the anti-drug ads – they may be to get servicemen and women who are away from their families to pay more attention to keeping their kids back home off drugs. But then there are ads that are clearly propaganda. 30 second chronicles of the great things that the military is doing. How the missile defense laser system technology was used for laser eye surgery. Personal narratives by people in the military about why they love what they do. Chronicles of famous US military achievements on this day in history. A mini-documentary on the proud men and women who work at the ICBM silos in Wyoming “hopefully they will never actually fire their missile, but if the order comes, they will be ready” (that one particularly bothered me). A news break with a young sailor in uniform highlighting the lastest acheivements by forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I don't want to be inappropriately critical of the military, but it just seems like brainwashing to me. If you are constantly told that what the US military is doing is always good and just and the right thing for the world, and that is your main (only) source of news and information, then it is hard to believe otherwise. I understand that is essential to maintain morale and that it is important for servicemen/women to feel that what they are doing is important and the right thing, but it just seems wrong. I guess that is what propaganda is all about, and it is frighteningly effective.
Sorry, sometimes the idealist in me comes out and I can't help but share my thoughts.
And yes, the Red Sox are going to the World Series. I managed to catch bits and pieces of the games, sometimes even live. Only here it was already lunchtime on the next day. A little strange, but at the same time kind of cool. There are three TV's in the main hallway in the main building with dorms and the cafeteria. There were always groups of like 10-15 men in Carharts with full beards standing around watching the games - most of them pulling for the Red Sox.
Chris, it was epic. One to remember. I wish your boys the best of luck.
4:50 pm
TV down here is interesting. There’s probably about 8 channels total, some informational, one for sports, one news, and a few for movies. It is all through the military, or at least they are the same channels that are fed to ships in the Navy or the international military bases. There are no commercials. The breaks are all filled with public service announcements or propaganda. There are those ads telling you to stop smoking or stop drinking and that drugs are really bad for you. Doug made an interesting point about the anti-drug ads – they may be to get servicemen and women who are away from their families to pay more attention to keeping their kids back home off drugs. But then there are ads that are clearly propaganda. 30 second chronicles of the great things that the military is doing. How the missile defense laser system technology was used for laser eye surgery. Personal narratives by people in the military about why they love what they do. Chronicles of famous US military achievements on this day in history. A mini-documentary on the proud men and women who work at the ICBM silos in Wyoming “hopefully they will never actually fire their missile, but if the order comes, they will be ready” (that one particularly bothered me). A news break with a young sailor in uniform highlighting the lastest acheivements by forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I don't want to be inappropriately critical of the military, but it just seems like brainwashing to me. If you are constantly told that what the US military is doing is always good and just and the right thing for the world, and that is your main (only) source of news and information, then it is hard to believe otherwise. I understand that is essential to maintain morale and that it is important for servicemen/women to feel that what they are doing is important and the right thing, but it just seems wrong. I guess that is what propaganda is all about, and it is frighteningly effective.
Sorry, sometimes the idealist in me comes out and I can't help but share my thoughts.
And yes, the Red Sox are going to the World Series. I managed to catch bits and pieces of the games, sometimes even live. Only here it was already lunchtime on the next day. A little strange, but at the same time kind of cool. There are three TV's in the main hallway in the main building with dorms and the cafeteria. There were always groups of like 10-15 men in Carharts with full beards standing around watching the games - most of them pulling for the Red Sox.
Chris, it was epic. One to remember. I wish your boys the best of luck.
posted by LankyPoobah at 4:50 PM
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