A Baby Boomer's Lament: Boob Tube Amerika | Philip A. Farruggio

Philip A. FarruggioPhilip A. Farruggio -- World News Trust

Aug. 9, 2016

Remember the Peter Finch character in the film Network?

You know, the guy who "loses it," and rightfully so, and declares, "I'm mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore!"?

Well, this baby boomer has reached the end of his rope as well. You literally cannot channel surf on that boob tube without realizing that this whole country is mesmerized by bullshit thrown at us via the mainstream media!

Before I get into what they call The News, let's get into something I have loved since being a five-year-old  playing on Roy Edelstein's "perfect baseball diamond stoop": Sports.

In the "good old days" of the 50s, 60s and even 70s, you could turn on the sports talk shows on the boob tube or radio and hear rational and intelligent discussion concerning the strategy of the game, whether it be baseball, football, basketball or hockey. Callers would rant and rave about why the manager didn't call for a bunt, or use a certain relief pitcher, or why the football coach had them go for the first down instead of kicking the field goal.

Guys at the candy store or luncheonette would argue about such things for literally hours!

Nowadays we get yuppie so-called "sports journalists" and ex-jocks spending most of their air time talking about: A) contracts that this or that player is going to get or got, or B) who is the BEST in the game. Their appeal is to the immature and juvenile viewers or listeners, and I say who the hell gives a shit!?

Now, if that is what most of their air time involves, we can always be assured that the rest of the time will be spent on stupid " locker room humor" replete with that inane goofy laughter. They call this all SPORTS TALK.

If you want a more cerebral way to enjoy the airwaves, then you can go to the so called News Talk Shows or actual (what they define as) News Shows. What you get is either some young "Cookie Cutter" attractive male or female model, AKA JOURNALIST, who has been indoctrinated with the mindset that Amerika is either Republican or Democrat, or "Red State or Blue State".

Any other point of view or political understanding is out of bounds! This time around it is either "Trump or Clinton" for all those minions out there. Since Trump makes good news copy, I wager that you cannot stay on any of these so called "News Channels" (CNN, MSNBC, Fox to name a few) without hearing the name "TRUMP" at least every one or two minutes.

The issues these channels cover are always the hot button ones about gay marriage, gun control, immigration etc... and never what working stiffs need to be informed about: insufficient health and dental coverage, our bloated military spending and phony wars, our becoming a Part Time work society with NO benefits etc.

Question: When did any of you out there last see or hear a show about those three aforementioned issues? How many of you have been financially "wounded" by poor health or dental coverage?

How many of you out there even realize that more than HALF your federal taxes go for military spending? OVER HALF!

How many of you have jobs that are technically PART TIME with little or no benefits? The boob tube and radio waves will never inform or allow debate on those things.

By the way, there are two other legitimate parties running candidates for our highest office: The Green Party and Libertarian Party. The sad reality is that one of them has a platform more in line with the old time FDR Democratic Party, and the other more in line with the Republican Party of Eisenhower.

From the ridiculous robo phone calls we all receive on a variety of bullshit services and issues... and candidates, more of us should finally "see the light." We are living here in Amerika under the auspices of a highly tuned Military Industrial Empire that relies on John and Joan Q. Public to remain narcotized by consumerism and tabloid style dribble.

The Pogo comic strip was correct: We have met the enemy and he be US!

PA Farruggio

August 2016

(Philip A Farruggio is a semi-retired baby boomer born and bred in blue collar Brooklyn NYC. He is the son and grandson of Brooklyn longshoremen, and educated at "free tuition" Brooklyn College, class of '74. Philip has written more than 300 columns since 2001 and his work is found on many fine progressive sites like World News Trust, Nation of Change, Information Clearinghouse, Intrepid Report, Sleuth Journal, Dandelion Salad, Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)