As IF Times

Source: Harvey Weinstein is finding that few in Hollywood want to be on his side – LA Times

Well we’ve finally reached a level of disgust that even Hollywood can’t stomach and that’s pretty low.  As word comes out about Harvey Weinstein’s peccadillos, I am reminded of the response of French Inspector Renault in the classic ’40’s film Casablanca  when informed of illicit activity going on at Rick’s nightclub, “I’m shocked I tell  you, shocked!”

If you wanted to cast someone in a film as the villain that Weinstein is accused of being in real life, you could not find a more perfect person in central casting.  Well, other than Jabba The Hut.  Like many of the characters depicted in his produced films, the man is bigger than life obnoxious, essentially being a caricature of the prototypical Hollywood personality.

In fairness, it probably didn’t start off that way for him. But as time went on, he learned that his boorish behavior was mainly ignored by most and in fact he was universally lauded as a god like creature as the toast of the industry.  Who ya gonna believe? Harvey who makes you millions or some wanna-be actress?  For over 30 years, he had the double hammer of money to buy people and influence to destroy them.  Until the recent revelations, these provided a formidable buttress against any criticism of his personality.

Weinstein sensed that the reluctance for people to rein him in was a tacit approval of his sleaziness and arrogance and so his appetite became emboldened over the years; so much so that his lecherous behavior extended even to women over whom he had no influence such as reporters.  Of course this would explain the plethora of under talented individuals foisted upon the public in his projects, because sadly for many, fame is an allure greater than the repulsiveness of an hour with Harvey.  No wonder they thank him profusely at awards shows.  Now we have to listen to their inanities as if they were intellectual giants.

As odious as the man is, we can’t lay the blame on him entirely for a lifetime of terrorizing women.  It’s improbable to expect that an industry which employs gossip as the business lubricant, wouldn’t have  dozens and dozens of people who were fully aware of his reputation over his 30 year career.  Harvey was cunning enough to grease the campaigns of the political left, so their silence was guaranteed.  In the world of money, politics and media, Harvey was a top producer and apparently, it didn’t make sense to cut him off.  Harvey used women, women used Harvey and so did his beneficiaries.  It was a big circle jerk.

Naturally, as the tide of opinion turns against him, many of these former beneficiaries and allies will profess outrage and shock and will desert him like the public on the recent Al Gore film.   Remember, many of these feigning shock will be actors so I would watch their speeches with a big pinch of salt, some popcorn and a large drink.  But if Jimmy Kimmel cries over it during his monologue, then it must be sincere.

Source: When Silicon Valley Took Over the New Republic – The Atlantic

We seldom get to see the kind of naked honesty about the present state of journalism discussed in such candor as in the linked article.  Of course this will be a shock to those that have their worldview shaped by Facebook news or for that matter, many of the popular news outlets.  In the parlance of phone email services, the trends are all about push news, not pull news.  In other words, you don’t look for news; news is pushed onto you.

I have extensively pointed out the sinister creep of push news for years, starting with of course, my favorite, Climate Change, tactfully re- branded from Global Warming.  Given the recent inconvenient publicity that Al Gore has received once again by the supportive media, we are expected to believe that his discredited bleats are in the forefront of the average person’s consciousness.  The first fantasy movie that he produced was such a success, that apparently, people are waiting in rapt anticipation for his newly released sequel…well, at least those that didn’t sell everything and are hunkered in the mountains waiting for high tide Armageddon.

That Gore continues to attract the media spotlight is amazing until you consider all of the other annoying spam that gets media exposure…like a staph infection that won’t go away. I refer to regular revelations of the Kardashian Clan, the Jenners, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, etc etc.  On a too often basis, we get the most recent Michael Moore utterance.  If you believe the media, at this very moment, the life of Diana has suddenly attained must know status for people.  Diana.  She’s been dead for 20 years!  Yet the entire media are splashing headlines about her as if she just had breakfast.  You know the tabloids are running out of ideas if they revive a long dead story to get clicks.  Next in line; is JFK really dead?

Most people don’t even know that they are the victims of push news.  The effectiveness of modern push media is such that confirmation bias is rampant among much of the populace. If your peer group confirms the same worldview based on their sources of news, then an entire fake reality becomes real…without anyone knowing why.  They’ve become parrots who regurgitate what’s been repeatedly heard.  Let me say this: if climate change is really the number one concern among your peer group, you may have been co-opted by push news.  If you think transgender bathroom issues are at the top of society’s concerns, you may need to expand your news sources.  Do people really think Russia, Russia, Russia is a valid news thread?  The linked article confirms what many have known for years and perhaps many more are awakening to:  News is no longer news. It’s structured to get the most clicks.  It’s a business…with a world of unwitting customers.