How Does “News” Make You Feel?

Lately, almost every story that is deemed “newsworthy” is about corruption, murder, insanity, or scandal. If anyone were to view the news reels from this era in the future, I strongly feel they would think we’re just a large bunch of angry, murderous thugs who were out to destroy the world and play with dogs from the SPCA once a week. Most news networks claim to carry the “news you want.” Where is our want in this? Do we want to hear of a famous pop star’s death for weeks on end? Do we want live coverage of Paris Hilton ordering a film crew to have live lobsters for her on demand?

Did the news share with you the story of sixteen younger men from the University of Texas at Arlington who gathered together and spent the night under the stars, two hours south of their scholastic home building brotherhood and friendship? Did the news share with you the story of the sixteen young men who spent several intense rounds playing paintball, returning to their scholastic home bruised, filthy and exhausted? Did the news share with you the story of these sixteen young men who after twenty-four hours of building brotherhood, friendship and maturity, descended upon a nursing home to spread the universal language of music?

Would you rather hear about people being murdered in the streets?

Would you rather hear another story about healthcare?

Would you rather feel what those sixteen young men felt singing for the elderly and realizing that they may have been the only visitor for a patient who might not have any living relatives? Would you rather hear of these men walking from room to room, singing to the elderly who could not eat in the dining room? Would you rather hear the joy and sense of fulfillment that burst forth from their hearts like the fiery plume of a launching rocket as they gathered into a large circle, put their arms on eachothers’ sore, bruised shoulders and sang their parting song before departing back to their homes?

Would you rather hear about the death of a porn star?

Where has all the good news gone? Does it still exist even if the news media decline to share it with those who choose to indulge in the information distribution that such corporations facilitate?

You decide.

Comments are welcome, but please for this article, you may say whether or not you would want to hear more stories based upon healthcare, but this is not the place to debate universal healthcare. I have another article dealing with that issue.

More information: The sixteen young men I was referring to are members of the Sigma Omega Colony of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and they partook in their Brotherhood Retreat and the Mills Music Mission. I am one of the sixteen and this weekend has been life-changing. I was almost to the verge of tears before the end of our visit. It was a very humbling experience.