So long and thanks for reading
A mug’s view
Time flies when you’re having fun, so the saying goes. Clearly we’re all having way too much fun because, I kid you not, someone told me it was December the other day. I told them they were dreaming. But sure enough it’s December already and smoking hot outside just to prove its point. To top it all off I hear it’ll be 2018 in three weeks time. That we are within touching distance of it being 20 years into the new millennium is head-shaking stuff.
Where the heck did that go? I must be getting old.
My ‘old-ness’ has been further confirmed by the enjoyment I’ve received watching The Nineties on Prime TV over the past few weeks. The seven-part series has been a fantastic look back into recent history. In a world where the pace of change is simply breath-taking, the series has been a great chance to take that breath.
Each episode focused on a particular theme from the decade – television, social issues, Bill Clinton, international politics, terrorism, technology and music.
Making sense of a crazy world is increasingly difficult when things change so quickly, so The Nineties (produced by Tom Hanks, amongst others) has been vital television to remind us what used to be normal, even if it didn’t feel normal at the time.
That the series focused predominantly on America didn’t bug me like it usually would. It shows how dominant American popular culture was and is. Its political scandals become ours; likewise its popular music and celebrities and stars. My mind was just grateful for the recap.
I’d forgotten how much George Bush (the first) sounded like a cartoon character to me. History tells me I underrated him at the time.
I’d forgotten how much Bill Clinton got away with sexual misconduct (whatever you want that to mean). Sometimes you need to go back in history to make sense of the present. How did we arrive at where we are today?
Unresolved issues have a habit of rearing their heads someplace else, sometime else.
One of the things I most enjoyed about The Nineties was the break from ‘‘instant reckons’’. I reckon the world is drowning in them at the moment. We are all so engaged with the latest outrage that nothing seems to get addressed properly. We set things on fire and then throw water on them. All that’s left is ashes.
As a column writer I understand the irony of what I’ve just written. Columnists are all about instant reckons. To be current, columnists need to respond to the news of the day. With deadlines we try and be ahead of the news. Instant reckons are the only way to do it.
All of which makes me sound a little worn out. Which I am. This is my final column in The Nelson Mail. It’s been seven years of writing columns, and it’s time for someone else to scratch the itch.
The file in my computer tells me over 150 columns have been sent in that time. So many middleaged white man reckons. So much barking at passing cars. So much howling at the moon.
One of the big moons I howled at was the increasing polarisation between ‘‘left’’ and ‘‘right’’ in our political thinking. America was the leader. Whatever was happening there was sure to happen here, I pontificated. In pointing out the problem I only added to it.
I tried satire to make my point. But I couldn’t write satire bizarre enough to keep up with the news. My ‘‘fake news’’ views got eaten up by true fake news, if you get my drift.
As soon as The Reality TV King was made Leader of the Free World, satire lost its bite. We need less people fiddling with the truth, not more.
I spent too much time throwing stones at the ‘‘Mainstream Media’’. Today I think there is no such thing; such has been the disintegration of mastheads with disruptive media technology.
It’s not how you go about making a career in the media – criticising it. Still I took far too much delight in throwing column eggs at Mike Hosking and other privileged white middle-aged men. Pity I’m one of them.
The search for media engagement under falling revenues has been relentless. I’m not convinced its fruits are what the media or society needs. President Donald Trump is the juiciest fruit from this search and a logical outcome. The Impeachment ratings will be huge.
So, I believe criticism of the media is fair – click bait is destroying the media and its ability to hold the powerful to account. But on the other hand, never has such rich content been produced by so few.
Like so much of society today it is both the best of times and the worst of times. For most of my time writing columns I’ve been able to read the best newspapers throughout the world and it hasn’t cost a cent thanks to free online content.
There is amazing journalism being produced, and that includes work being produced locally at The Nelson Mail.
Whether it’s local newspapers or national television stations – those in public relations, whose job it is to polish the message before it sees the light of day, have the upper hand. Wading through the bad to get to the good takes navigation these days.
I always appreciated the chance to write columns. I was in a privileged position in that I could offer my opinion without fear of losing my job. Mostly. This is increasingly rare and particularly so for those who might actually have an informed opinion on a subject.
Thanks for reading. Please keep doing it. Have a great summer.