The ripple effect from the hacking and bribing scandals connected to Rupert Murdoch's media empire continues to spread across continents. It has led to public apologies, arrests, resignations, and today even a suicide. More negative and damaging fallout is a mathematical certainty.
But there's a deeper story here. This unfolding, almost epic narrative is about more than the dangers that can occur when one person or corporation becomes too powerful. It is about more than hubris, corruption, and intimidation. It is about the role, and excessive impact and influence, of media--in all of its outlets and forms--in our world.
There is much excitement still about the enormous growth of "social" media, even as the "traditional" forms of media (newspapers, magazines, books) are in a state eclipse. What is so enticing? Information is not knowledge. Yet, like fast food, we can quickly swallow sound-bytes and passively digest data: emotional outpourings from hacked phones, lurid posts on Twitter, and gaffes from politicians are far sexier to most of us than serious debate and discourse on the issues that actually affect our societies.
So turn off your iPad for the day. Ignore Facebook for a few hours. Let the talking heads on CNN and Fox blabber on to themselves about the Casey Anthony trial.
They need you more than you need them.
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