While trapped in a medical waiting room, and without my trusty TV-B-Gone, I was forced to watch a "news" report on an obscenely large screen TV. From "The Situation Room" (it must be important) came evaluations of President Bush's tenure as leader of the free world. A female, multiracial, preaternaturally attractive talking hairdo was consulting the sagacious, telegenic, ever-smiling wonder of political (and all other) commentary, the Reverend Pat Robertson. Of course, he was off-site, beamed in on his own screen. There were screens within screens within screens, that would make even Ezekiel's vision seem pedestrian.
Welcome to the culture of media interpretation: scene changes on multiple screens, sound bites, factoids, one-liners. Robertson gave Bush a C-. Well, that says it all. Eight years of presidential leadership on multiple fronts: the economy, the war on terrorism, tax reform, and much more. He gets a C-.
My wife and mused that many people approach reality through this medium. Several of those sitting near us stared, unblinking, unthinking, transfixed by vacuity. They vote. They have children and grandchildren. And preachers make this mode of sensation-manipulation (which has nothing to do with gaining knowledge) the model for preaching: fast-pasted, image-driven/riven (clips), skits, jokes, theologotoids, Bible-lite, jumbotroned, every hair in place.
Another day in the life of postmodern America. Time to listen to some John Coltrane.
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