P52 Week 45 -- Perspective (a.k.a. Point of View)

This might be the hardest prompt I’ve dealt with, mainly because I don’t want to get into the media swirl of point of view, opinions, or beliefs.

There’s so much being front-lined in the news about political candidates, terrorism, racism, violence, gun control, undocumented immigrants, global warming – you name it. Everyone has a point of view. It’s hard not to get into the media foray and not have a concrete opinion. I can’t seem to get past the “breaking” and “latest” reports and articles. It’s all so over-examined. The viewpoints have been out there for so long and they are hardly “new.” They have become like fruit left out: they are rotten and they reek. Even my perspectives of world events seem a rehash of someone else’s. Really, do I even have a new idea “bone” in my body? Or am I just a reflection of my past, my environment, my biases and beliefs?

Our media is caught up in perspectives: I have a point of view; you have a point of view; never the twain shall meet. Maybe the problem is with the “point” in point of view. It is sharp and piercing. It wounds. It is narrow. It seems adversarial and restrictive. And yes, the opposite perspective, of course, is that it “points to.” The media would say that it zeros in on issues that need attention. But are they focusing on what will really transform society?

Of course it’s important to report on major events: the Paris attacks, disturbing environmental trends, racism, graft. A free press is critical.

Yet, I think that we as humans are missing something in our media communications. We are missing something huge.

What might it look like for the media to think outside its current, mostly turbulent box?