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Ed Zitron
@edzitron.com

I think there are many problems in media that can be traced back to a death or drought of sincerity in mass media, a fear of discussing love or solidarity, or unabashedly loving your friends. It’s “vulnerable” if you talk about feeling bad or sad. Doesn’t feel vulnerable to me, I feel stronger now

176 reposts1.3K likes

Daniel of Clan Lamont
@kermitology.bsky.social

It’s usually attributed to The Fairness Doctrine under Reagan. But, I’d say it was Watergate. The press bringing down a President couldn’t be tolerated again. At the same time the press got a taste of must read content from the drama. Since then it’s been sliding accountability and trust.

Ed Zitron
@edzitron.com

The things that people perceive as “magical” on podcasts with “people just talking” are actually people that enjoy hanging out with each other having chemistry. It’s endearing and invigorating, and reminds us of what it’s like to be loved. We fear sincerity because we fear ourselves.

Ed Zitron
@edzitron.com

Sincerity, like introspection, is terrifying, because we are engineered to judge people for being “too much” or “too emotional,” and that’s before gendered and racial bias amplifies the problem further. Media mocks the emotionally honest and elevates manufactured, controlled sincerity, as it’s safe.

Oscar Zeta Gundam
@lmfsilva.bsky.social

There's a lot of power in talking about stuff you love and being earnestly dorky about it. Not to say people need to be always all positivity because that comes out phony as fuck, or there isn't a place for snark, but it should be fine to say "I love this little dumb thing and it makes me happy".

t-bone-baby.bsky.social
@t-bone-baby.bsky.social

*Guy who has only seen season two of The Rehearsal* What you are describing is just like season two of The Rehearsal, regarding how the pilots sit in the lounge together and never talk to one another, or Nathan’s theories about scripts freeing people to act in more sincere ways.

Aaron Bossig
@aaronbossig.bsky.social

For decades, various media outlets assumed that the audience would hate sincerity. That was very little empirical evidence to back this up, but it was assumed to be true, and therefore never questioned. Podcasts challenged that and won.

<já>fifi</já>
@fifisch.cz

I don't think it was bad assumption. It was a business decision. When your content is personality-driven then the personalities have a leverage, they can leave and the audiences will follow. When you have a house style, the creators are expendable.

jemimasvintage.bsky.social
@jemimasvintage.bsky.social

also notion that any1 who ‘has problems’ & dares to mention them is *toxic*. these days I usually only note the person who uses the label on someone else. or ‘narcissist’—-I also usually note the person using the label rather than their target. it stems frm when we stopped being allowed to be human

turing
@the-turing-machine.bsky.social

I started reading David Foster Wallace's work because of his 1993 paper about irony and sincerity. I think the last paragraph echoes what you're saying quite closely. Sad to still be grappling with the same problem 30 years on, but I guess that speaks to the magnitude of the issue.

WizWorldLIVE
@wizworldlive.com

All true—& in addition, many voices in media are centrist or worse, with money they are afraid to lose, & deep investment in the systems choking us all. A fear of radical change, begets a fear of radical love & radical honesty 🧙‍♂️