Influence: Who's Advancing? Who's Declining?

ToogoodReports ^ | April 16, 2002 | Patrick Mallon

[Starmaker]

Influence is the ability to have an effect on the condition or development of, to bring about a change, behavior or determine a course of action. The word derives from the Medieval Latin influentia: "ethereal fluid thought to flow from the stars and affect people´s actions." This single word is consequential in almost every discussion of national and international events, state and local politics, down to movies and entertainment. It crosses debates on culture, religion, education, teen pregnancy, social drinking, drug abuse, and the rearing of children.

Though simplistic, a dialogue on influence is also revealing, as it confesses to one´s factual and historical depth of knowledge, separating emotional and superficial from balanced and substantive.

So here´s the question: Since 9/11, who in America is advancing in their ability to exercise persuasive influence in accurately interpreting and diagnosing events? Conversely, who´s influence is declining? And why?

Network News Reporting and Commentary:
Declining. According to media critic Jon Katz, "CBS, NBC, and ABC News, all of which are experiencing dwindling and aging audiences, have wasted countless millions of dollars hiring blow-dried, presidential-looking anchors who are paid a fortune to read an average of seven minutes worth of words each weekday night, almost all of them introductions to stories other people have written or reported."

CNN:
Declining. Conceived as one of the most innovative media ideas of the '80s, just two decades later: a dull, stuffy, corporatized, and declining anachronism of the information revolution. As much as CNN succeeded as a 24-hour alternative to the dumbness of the networks, they eventually adopted a similar format with comatose programming like "Crossfire" where banal Washington insiders shared their "inside" secrets while handicapping elections like horse races. Aaron Brown, Judy Woodruff and Wolf Blitzer?

Fox News:
Skyrocketing. Fox has challenged the stale assumptions, bias and patronizing attitudes of network news, and been handsomely rewarded. Fox News beats CNN despite being available in 9 million fewer homes. That comparative number alone is breathtaking. Fox makes people think, provoking a re-examination of the status quo, daring intellectual stimulation, in many ways disturbing the nation into a recognition of their shallowness and lack of education. As well, Fox touches a nerve not many are willing to admit: that they have been spoon-fed an invalid, anti-American, anti-family, morally-relative interpretation of reality for decades, and are no longer qualified as critical thinkers.

The O´Reilly Factor:
Rated Number "1" – Nielsen Media Research says Bill O´Reilly´s program averaged close to 2 million viewers a show last month, almost 700,000 more than CNN's runner-up Larry King Live. Blowhard or breath of fresh air? You decide. Few in Hollywood will forget (or forgive) how he called out the Red Cross 9/11 telethon, asking "offensive" questions like: how much has been raised? what´s it being spent on? where´s the proof? Families of victims came on the show two months after the telethon stating they´d never heard back from the Red Cross after calling help lines. And how did Hollywood react? "Sexiest man alive" George Colony responded by characterizing O'Reilly as a rabble-rouser who will do anything for ratings, but declined to appear on The Factor despite the host's repeated entreaties.

The urgency to get the money to victims started to increase, as it should have from the start. According to O´Reilly, "All I said to the movie stars was, 'Look, if you're going to go on a telethon and look at the camera and say 100 percent of all this money is going to go to the families, then you'd better damn well make sure that that happens.' They didn't like that."

"I respect George Clooney," he adds. "I think he's a well-intentioned guy. But like so many people, he doesn't think things out. And his ego overrides his mind. These stars all have a sense of entitlement. They think they're entitled not to be criticized."

This quote is a fable for a dynamic transformation that is happening for all of us. We haven´t thought things out. Ego and vanity have a greater prominence in our attitudes than we´d like to admit, but we´re willing to be humbled if we can learn from our mistakes. There is way too much entitlement going around, and not enough earning. If we´re supposed to be treated equally under the law, why are some people more equal than others? There are classes in our society who think they are entitled to immunity from criticism, and when criticized… watch out!

This is not to say Bill O´Reilly is the greatest person in the world, he isn´t, none of us are. But he conducts a level-headed format that removes the social taboos and other media-imposed constraints on open dialogue. He frames issues that reveal the politically correct as agenda driven, not truth driven. Those who dislike him, and they´re out there, still admire him and are drawn to the show. It´s a common sense formula that isn´t real complicated, most kids could figure it out.

What he does too is exercise judgment, a human trait prohibited in network news. Yet, it is from judgment, good and bad, where we learn and mature. Judgments too have consequences, so by all means, strive to make good ones. When was the last time you recall a network TelePrompTer reader make a judgment about anything? The last one I recall is the judgment Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw made not to wear American flag pins on their lapels for fear of appearing judgmental.

Last week on The Factor, O´Reilly challenged Institute of American Values spokesperson Ms. Enola Aird on black males fathering children, then ignoring the duties of fatherhood. Ms. Aird, an African-American woman seemed indifferent to O´Reilly´s reference to the fact that 64% of black children are subject to the devastation of fraternal abandonment. He centered on the scarcity of peer pressure in the African-American community, for a level of irresponsibility that would have been socially stigmatizing years ago.

Without a father´s discipline, how can black children have the opportunities afforded other children? Aird responded in polite agreement, but went on to explain that a more "holistic approach that includes reference to an economic context and cultural pressure" should be applied. The host wasn´t buying, stating that with no compulsory duty, there will be no obligation. "No more excuses Ms. Aird."

It´s the same mentality that drives this whole reparations thing," he continued. Aird then started to defend reparations, but was cut off. O´Reilly said goodbye and the interview ended. One could combine 10 years of CBS, NBC and ABC broadcasts and not find enough crystal clear demand for domestic stability and parental obligation from the black community as was found in that three minute segment. Any wonder why The Factor has influence, while the brain dead national networks have none?

Owen Harries, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Independent Studies in Australia, stated is his lecture titled: "Understanding America" that "Americans are seriously and pragmatically dedicated to self-correction. They may be full of themselves, up to a point, but they are the most self-critical people one earth." And why is that? Because we expect so much from ourselves. And when we fall short, we want to understand why. The networks and CNN don´t satisfy the thirst for intellectual stimulation, and Fox has filled the vacuum. This isn´t rocket science.

Perhaps the changing conditions on our national landscape were all meant to be with Gods grace. Those whose influence is ascendant tend to ascribe to a Judeo-Christian set of values, a sincere ethic on right and wrong and personal responsibility. Those whose influence is declining persist with a defense of moral relativism, lame excuses for bad behavior, and relaxed standards where diversity and tolerance operate in defense of preferential treatment. Optimistically, an emerging restoration of traditional values and immutable truths are invigorating more people to come to their senses in anticipation of life improvement.

The Publics´ Common Sense:
Advancing. Young and old are exchanging opinions about the value of life, acknowledging how short it is, and learning that there are fundamental principles that serve all beneficially, despite rabid efforts by some to deny national history, or the beliefs of our founding fathers. The left disdains statesman-philosophers Washington, Jefferson, and Paine as "stupid white men." Fortunately they are in an increasing minority. Positive influences on the national psyche include a greater respect for moral, noble and courageous conduct. As ACLU lawyers rush to the defense of Al Qaeda prisoners at Guantanamo, answer for yourself: between a fireman to a lawyer, which of the two is revered and why?

Parental Mentoring:
Advancing. Parents as mentors demonstrate enduring influence by words and reinforcing acts, tangible proof repeated consistently. Even the best parents have failed to produce honorable and respectful citizens. The distinction between right and wrong is intrinsically associated with positive influences.

The Liberal Left:
Declining. So, is the left yielding and coming to their senses? If the manner in which they attacked and pilloried conservative judicial nominee Thomas Pickering is any indicator, don´t count on it. Wealth and popularity does not make one an authority on intelligence and leadership, just as cunning and reason are two distinct things. Rosie O´Donell, Alec Baldwin and comedian Bill Maher exercise (much to their obvious frustration) influence only over a limited liberal following, and cannot fathom how larger audiences reject their insipid prattle.

Maybe this is why the Marines never have a shortage of recruits because their standards are uncompromised. It is compromise on a wide range of behavioral and social issues that has placed us in the valueless morass we are in now. But there is hope. Saner voices are starting to prevail. If it is to these people who have the courage to cut though the PC BS and elicit in us a conscience, it is also to the courageous members of our military, past and present, to whom we owe our freedoms, and out next breath. Let´s be grateful we have both, in an increasingly influential abundance.

To comment on this article or express your opinion directly to the author, you are invited to e-mail Patrick at gohabsgo@cox.net .