by Alex Hutchins
Every morning when I boot up my laptop, I have configured my Internet browser to launch 4 pages simultaneously: MSN, Gmail, Wondering, and Google; and, after the boot up, I always check MSN first for any headlines that attract my attention, like most people might do in the morning when reading the printed newspaper that is delivered to their mailbox or in some cases their doorstep, if they have a paperboy or girl.
Phelps won’t march with US?
That headline attracted my attention, so I clicked on the link to read the article, only to find out that I had been somewhat mislead by the title of the article and my own suspicions. Phelps is not marching in the opening ceremony because he has a early heat the next morning; however, I was expecting, no . . . hoping, that there was going to be some huge controversy brewing about which I could read the latest gossip.
This is just another SAD truth about the way all media slant their articles, titles, captions, and ticklers to catch the attention of the reader, like myself, into reading more but once more is read, we quickly stop reading and move on but not before we have swallowed: hook, line, and sinker.
Maybe I am wrong in my assumption that most readers of the news do not get “sucked in” like I did that they immediately realize what the media is doing and do not even go there; but, unfortunately, I believe my fears are right, because this type of “journalism” has been practiced for years. But, I do wonder now, if this is what we teach in our Schools of Journalism at our Colleges and Universities; and, if so, why?
There is nothing wrong, in my opinion, with a “catchy title” or clever first sentence to draw in the reader’s attention; but, there is something wrong when we mislead.
HOWEVER, this tendency is endemic of our entire society, not just our Marketing and Journalism majors. It is how we now live our lives and how we now mislead our spouses, family and friends, co-workers, and superiors in the hopes of getting more favoring attention and/or treatment. We just do not stop there. It is how we sell,
- Automobiles,
- Riding lawn mowers
- Houses and apartments
- Time Shares and Resorts
- Movies and movie “Stars”
- Novels and Audiobooks
- Political Campaigns
And, the list does not stop there – it goes on and on and on . . .
Americans have a unique talent for misleading each other and the more we excel at the task, the more rewards that we receive from society who seems to thrive on that type of nonsense.
So, when was the last time you mislead your spouse or significant other and did you receive the desired intent of that deception, no matter how great or small?
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