My journalism professor had a "bullshit" stamp. It was red. Our papers were stamped with this red thing and we knew we were getting better as their number diminished over time. Most of the stamps were used on sections of an essay or press release which were bloviating or unnecessary verbiage. Basically, when we would overwrite. You got the message as you read what was labeled bullshit. No verbal explanation from the professor would have communicated it as well.
Funny thing is that I taught essay writing at University of Md. graduate school a couple of years ago. Purpose was to get them to write concisely, as well as comprehensibly for the business world. Tough act. I told the students about the bullshit stamp (which was in the 70s). A whole bunch of them wanted me to use a bullshit stamp on their work. They really wanted criticism, which they weren't getting from other professors -- what happens when instructors are afraid of getting a bad student evaluation if they critique.
100% agree with everything here, and that’s no BS.
I contend that everybody reading the news, especially on-camera, and for a high salary, is an actor who is a hostage. They are paid millions to read somebody else’s BS so that some of the masses will believe it. And it works. Walter Lippmann knew this in 1922 with his book “Public Opinion”, and there were others saying the same thing.
And what happens when these hostage actors go haywire? Their perversions can no longer be kept private, or they themselves start talking easily disproved BS and “retire” with a Golden Parachute in their mouth.
That’s why I don’t watch, or listen to, or read “the news”.
Finally, somebody who truly understands me.....
My journalism professor had a "bullshit" stamp. It was red. Our papers were stamped with this red thing and we knew we were getting better as their number diminished over time. Most of the stamps were used on sections of an essay or press release which were bloviating or unnecessary verbiage. Basically, when we would overwrite. You got the message as you read what was labeled bullshit. No verbal explanation from the professor would have communicated it as well.
I got my degree in Journalism, too. That was when journalism was actually an admired and respected profession.
Funny thing is that I taught essay writing at University of Md. graduate school a couple of years ago. Purpose was to get them to write concisely, as well as comprehensibly for the business world. Tough act. I told the students about the bullshit stamp (which was in the 70s). A whole bunch of them wanted me to use a bullshit stamp on their work. They really wanted criticism, which they weren't getting from other professors -- what happens when instructors are afraid of getting a bad student evaluation if they critique.
What a load of BS, JIm!
100% agree with everything here, and that’s no BS.
I contend that everybody reading the news, especially on-camera, and for a high salary, is an actor who is a hostage. They are paid millions to read somebody else’s BS so that some of the masses will believe it. And it works. Walter Lippmann knew this in 1922 with his book “Public Opinion”, and there were others saying the same thing.
And what happens when these hostage actors go haywire? Their perversions can no longer be kept private, or they themselves start talking easily disproved BS and “retire” with a Golden Parachute in their mouth.
That’s why I don’t watch, or listen to, or read “the news”.
Lippmann's book was one of the inspiration to this piece.
"Maybe bullshit was always present in the affairs of humankind and was only lacking in volume and sufficient outlets for its spread."
This pretty much sums it up. Cool piece! Hope you are doing well, Jim!