I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this too. Just yesterday, I was thinking “what would Mr. Rogers say/think at a time like this?”
Then it dawned on me that maybe the worst parts of society had a radically different upbringing and media exposure than myself. 1 The so-called “violent” cartoons (many of which were just toy commercials) I get and recall people keeping that stuff from their kids. But to think of banning something like (1980’s) PBS in your home, of all things. Now I understand why that messaging existed in the first place - we might be worse off right now without it.
My only hope about public radio/TV, going forward, is that they’re already so used to operating on a shoestring budget from the government. It will unfortunately mean more funding drives, but I will definitely be far more likely to contribute if that becomes literally their only source of income.
And maybe without money from the government, they will be more independent, as lately NPR has been sliding right as an overcorrection over idiots that think reporting objective reality is biased because it makes their side look bad.
I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this too. Just yesterday, I was thinking “what would Mr. Rogers say/think at a time like this?”
Then it dawned on me that maybe the worst parts of society had a radically different upbringing and media exposure than myself. 1 The so-called “violent” cartoons (many of which were just toy commercials) I get and recall people keeping that stuff from their kids. But to think of banning something like (1980’s) PBS in your home, of all things. Now I understand why that messaging existed in the first place - we might be worse off right now without it.
1. Insert “we-are-not-the-same-gen-x.jpg” meme here.
My only hope about public radio/TV, going forward, is that they’re already so used to operating on a shoestring budget from the government. It will unfortunately mean more funding drives, but I will definitely be far more likely to contribute if that becomes literally their only source of income.
And maybe without money from the government, they will be more independent, as lately NPR has been sliding right as an overcorrection over idiots that think reporting objective reality is biased because it makes their side look bad.
Every time I remember Mr. Rogers is dead, I get a little misty-eyed. The comfort his show brought me as a child was huge.