Once Upon a Time...
Gather round, boys and girls, so Uncle Pat can tell you about a time long, long ago when there were things called Election Cycles. No, they weren’t modes of transportation; they were periods of time that came along every four years (the really big ones), with a smaller cycle in between. During these cycles, people talked and argued and debated, finally casting their votes and then moving on to other things until the next cycle arrived.
Politicians did their best to expand these cycles, but people never really paid a whole lot of attention to them until Election Day drew near. Even the media couldn’t whip up much interest too early. Until the 1960’s, national newscasts were only 15 minutes long and were seen once each day. And—get this, kids—there were only a handful of television stations in each city, and most of them stopped showing programs at around midnight until the next morning. Radio talk shows were rare, and most stations just played music. Where there was news on radio, it was, for the most part, limited to a few minutes each hour.
As a result, people had time to read about the news, digest it, think about it, talk it over with friends, or just forget about it until the next day. Even as the election cycles approached, it was the focus of the news, rather than the amount, that changed. Without the Internet and cable news networks, people were forced to devote their time to other matters.
Today, thanks to our ability to stay connected to each other 24 hours a day, we don’t have to wait for election cycles. Even as we’re dissecting last week’s results, we can speculate about what will be happening between now and November, 2012. We can analyze every politician’s move and speculate and poll and interpret and predict every day. We no longer have to wait for those old fashioned cycles. Thanks to modern technology, boys and girls, you can stay informed and enlightened 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I hope you enjoyed my little story, but Uncle Pat has to leave now. He’s depressed.
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Difficult to do that any longer, isn't it?
Sep '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
I could say something about Boethius and The Wheel of Fortune, but I won't.
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Please Uncle Pat, Pleeeease tell us more of the times of which you speak. Did they have those telegram things then too? :-)
The modern world with all these means of communication; but has so little meaning to impart. Once in a while I turn off my PC, Mobile, iPod, TV and even stop reading newspapers. It is amazing how cluttered your mind can become.
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Oooooh! I love Uncle Pat's stories of walking barefoot in the snow (uphill, both ways). For the record, I scorn Kindle and certainly have never worn a bike helmet. Though did say about a decade ago that "one day, we'll be able to dial up any movie we want". People thought I was nuts.
But you're totally wrong about election cycles. This time it's forever. And by that I mean a rather narrow window.
Jun '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
"But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing. It behooves you, therefore, to be watchful in your States as well as in the Federal Government." -- Andrew Jackson, Farewell Address, March 4, 1837
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Have they changes hostesses again? What happend to Vanna?
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
She's busy wearing all those clothes they let her keep. Pat, alas, has to make do with Botany 500.
Jul '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
I think only news and political junkies are as yoked to the media as Pat says. Sadly, I speak as one of the sweated slaves myself. The rest, the ordinary people, lead ordinary lives and are called independent voters. I can recall those distant times when they were called "undecideds."
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
We have come a long way from Howdy Doody and Cowboy Bob and obviously not all the changes are welcome ones. I am pleased however that our current world has a level of alternate information sources in line with the dangers and complexities we have to deal with.
It sounds a little strange, as the cold war was no picnic, but I think the internal and external challenges and threats are much greater then when we were kids. Imagine trying to get your mind around the issues today if our only information sources were Walter, Chet & David, the NYT, WashPo etc. as was the case in yesteryear.
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Most folks I know prefer to watch local news, sitcoms and ever darker crime dramas. I think most people still understand that politics is supposed to be background noise.
Jul '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Well, I'd rather entrust the Republic to political junkies like the Ricochet crowd than to those bozo's who tell reporters they'll make up their minds once they're in the voting booth.
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
The vast majority of the peninsula of Italia (for so twere called at the time, all you children out there) would show up for election day while in town for the ludi romanes (misspelled). Ooohing and awwing at the spectacle. There were only a few stalwarts, known as Forum Frequenters, who paid careful attention. That would, ummmm, be us.
Oct '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
As depressing as it is, I find myself unable to pull away.
I can go a day or two without thinking of politics, but I'm inevitably drawn back into it. Partially because I want to be one of the watchdogs that keeps an eye on things.
But also because if I stay away too long, I might miss some wonderful piece of writing by a Ricochet or National Review writer.
And if I'm doing that, I might as well jump in all the way rather than just dipping my toe in.
May '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
You know, I'm not sure just because there's more news available-- or information readily available-- means we, as a group spend any more time consuming news than in the past. The format changed (from print, word of mouth to TV, internet) but our interest patterns have not.
Sep '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
David Kube
Have they changes hostesses again? What happend to Vanna? · Nov 8 at 6:19am
Well, I was hoping that someone would catch my deep reachback to Carmina Burana when we were discussing war music with Claire "The Charioteer" Berlinski, ruler of Anatolia, but so far the reference appears to have been a little subtle.
Aug '10
Re: Once Upon a Time...
Well I remember a time when remote control was dad yelling at me from the living room to come and change the channel. Now those were the days.