Today I Am a Hater
Also...what do you all want?
My apologies to Mary J. Blige who famously asked for no hateration or holleration in this dancery.
So sorry Ms. Mary I am about to be a hater.
The other day I was taken aback when I saw news..er reports.. about a person I know well and you know of.
A pay raise while 200 people face layoffs. For HIM?
I mean really?
Look, would I like to posit my musing on political affairs for a job? Yes. I don’t knock him for that. I knock him for doing it in service of racism, white supremacy, idiocy, and his own gain.
I know plenty of journalists who do their actual job of taking in information and reporting on it. Scott doesn’t do that. Scott creates an alternate universe that fits his narrative or the people getting him money.
I am against artificial intelligence (AI) taking jobs, but in this case… it could be easy. Scott does not offer one independent thought — he parrots talking points for the party keeping him rich. Does it need to make sense or be rooted in reality? Nah. At least AI is open about being artificial…and at least it DOES bring some intelligence.
The problem with US media is the quest for clicks. Scott is good for clicks because he enrages people with his reckless disregard for reality. Those of us who want to be informed are left scratching our heads.
News doesn’t matter anymore. Objectivity doesn’t matter anymore. Reality doesn’t matter anymore. People who peddle nonsense are rewarded while there are so many talented people looking for work (at a much cheaper rate) unable to get jobs because they do credible work.
To personalize it a bit— I love writing and discussing policy and its impacts. I like to contextualize impacts on communities that a lot of you ignore.
Do I get paid or have CNN contracts come my way? Nah. I actually have been told that I can write FOR FREE but the only people who are allowed to be paid are those who offer views like Scott.
You read that right. Outlets will PAY for that but NOT for reality. Clicks get money.
This entertainmentification of news, however, is how we further slide into the normalization of lying and into the hands of oppressive regimes.
Yeah.. I’m a Hater
So yeah, I’m a hater not for me. Well a little for me. But for the scores of people much more talented than I am and miles ahead of people like Scott.
It is not fair that so many Black or brown people are looked over after hard work and perseverance to get to a point to even seek roles. The women who have incredible insight and ability but don’t have the…look.
That in more and more industries the status quo is reverting back to enriching the already rich and privileged straight white guy—it sucks. Sorry that isn’t eloquent, it really just sucks.
But we will keep trying I suppose.
What do YOU want?
Speaking of, I have a question and a little vulnerability. The past month and a half readership of
has gone down precipitously. I want to grow my reach, not shrink, and maybe I am both really bad at this and should stop or really really suck at being engaging.Let me know in the comments or message me things you would like to read about. I want to do this for YOU and I want to make sure I talk about things you want to learn more about or have context provided.
So seriously, let me know whats up, the good the bad, what you want.
I’m like Martin and Obama on this one…all ears.
I enjoy reading your thoughts and opinions about different topics, especially the ones close to your heart. I suspect part of the challenge right now is exactly what this article is about, you aren't necessarily clickbait. Seems like too few people engage with insightful observations or care about different perspectives. Keep writing and sharing!