-Each year, polls reveal Americans are growing unhappier and unhappier. From CNN/Opinion Research polls to Fox News polls, people of the nation claim dissatisfaction and demand change. Upon being showered headlines of this discontentment, I began to think – what are we so upset about?
-Could it be that when we walk into a grocery store, we see more food than some African villages see in a year? Could it be that when we go on road trips with our family, we don’t have to stop at every state line to show identification papers to continue traveling? Or could it be the tons of restaurants on every street offering all types of cuisines from around the world?
-Maybe it’s that when we sit on our leather couches at the end of the day to watch our big-screen TVs that we don’t have to worry about bombs hitting our houses or militias pillaging through our neighborhood. Maybe it’s that most teenagers in that neighborhood have their own computer, cell phone and car. Or maybe it’s that every house in that neighborhood has air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
-It’s probably that president who took us into war and just has no plan to get us out. It’s probably the man who cut our taxes and brought our economy out of recession. It’s probably the same man who guided our nation through the dark times after 9/11. It’s that terrible guy who has been called every name in the book for keeping us safe from terrorist attacks in the U.S.
-The truth is, it’s the biggest group of spoiled, ungrateful brats in the world. We use our coveted political, religious and social freedoms to bash the blessings we have instead of be thankful for what we clearly don’t deserve.
-And for this, I blame the media.
-A common phrase I’ve heard is, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Every form of medium specializes in bad news. They would rather feature a story of a mass-murdering psychopath than a children’s camp or happy family.
-Because of the overwhelmingly exaggerated bad news coverage, the people of our country are left to believe all there is is bad. All that’s been going on is murders, rapes, suicides, and absolutely nothing productive is being done by the courageous soldiers defending our country in Iraq.
-The effect this coverage has had is appalling. Even these news networks conducting polls about how unhappy people are is going to portray skewed results. Of course if you’re unhappy, you’re going to call in and say so. I certainly haven’t seen any “how pleased are you with your blessed, wonderful life?” polls.
-In reality, there is exponentially more good than bad. So stop buying into the negativism and find something to be thankful about for God’s sake.
-Could it be that when we walk into a grocery store, we see more food than some African villages see in a year? Could it be that when we go on road trips with our family, we don’t have to stop at every state line to show identification papers to continue traveling? Or could it be the tons of restaurants on every street offering all types of cuisines from around the world?
-Maybe it’s that when we sit on our leather couches at the end of the day to watch our big-screen TVs that we don’t have to worry about bombs hitting our houses or militias pillaging through our neighborhood. Maybe it’s that most teenagers in that neighborhood have their own computer, cell phone and car. Or maybe it’s that every house in that neighborhood has air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
-It’s probably that president who took us into war and just has no plan to get us out. It’s probably the man who cut our taxes and brought our economy out of recession. It’s probably the same man who guided our nation through the dark times after 9/11. It’s that terrible guy who has been called every name in the book for keeping us safe from terrorist attacks in the U.S.
-The truth is, it’s the biggest group of spoiled, ungrateful brats in the world. We use our coveted political, religious and social freedoms to bash the blessings we have instead of be thankful for what we clearly don’t deserve.
-And for this, I blame the media.
-A common phrase I’ve heard is, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Every form of medium specializes in bad news. They would rather feature a story of a mass-murdering psychopath than a children’s camp or happy family.
-Because of the overwhelmingly exaggerated bad news coverage, the people of our country are left to believe all there is is bad. All that’s been going on is murders, rapes, suicides, and absolutely nothing productive is being done by the courageous soldiers defending our country in Iraq.
-The effect this coverage has had is appalling. Even these news networks conducting polls about how unhappy people are is going to portray skewed results. Of course if you’re unhappy, you’re going to call in and say so. I certainly haven’t seen any “how pleased are you with your blessed, wonderful life?” polls.
-In reality, there is exponentially more good than bad. So stop buying into the negativism and find something to be thankful about for God’s sake.
1 comment:
Strobbe--
I particularly enjoyed your article about negative news impacting people's ability to be grateful. There are many other things, IMHO, that also contribute to the "brat" attitude, but your piece has a good focus and some excellent examples.
Thank you for what you've written; it is especially interesting because of the perspective you must have to see society that way. It's a thought-provoking train of thought you're driving.
Grace Lorraine
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