Sound Bites

Too many ideas in the public discourse have become reduced to slogans and sound bites. That leaves no room for any kind of thoughtful discussion. When thought ceases we are left with heat rather than light. Whose fault that is becomes a matter of discussion, one, no doubt, that would produce, ironically, more heat than light and yet another series of sound bites.

Instant communications coupled with ratings is one of the big problems. Too often the media, particularly the twenty-four hour news stations, in an effort to bring in ratings - which translate at advertising dollars - spot a breaking story and then recycle ad nauseam the most sensational conflicts and events rather than truly investigate in depth.

I can cite multiple examples of this although my list is somewhat out of date because I refuse to watch any more. Nine-eleven is the most obvious, although Hurricane Katrina and the death of Jon Kennedy Junior also stand out.

The most obvious problem is that we, Bill and Ann Q. Public, accept sound bites and sensationalism. No, we prefer them over in-depth, thoughtful explorations of the events and issues of our day.

Perhaps the most evident recent example is the idea that “Death Panels” will be included in any kind of health insurance reform. What was proposed (and included in Medicare), is counseling for people who are close to dying so they can figure out what to do with their worldly possessions and deal with their survivors and mortality. I don’t see how this is a problem.

I have a will, a durable power of attorney for property, a durable power of attorney for health care, and a living will. The living will is a statement that says I do not wish to be kept alive by artificial means, and shows intent but has very little legal force. The durable power of attorney for health care has more force and will allow Ann to pull the plug if necessary. She should not feel guilty because I am compelling her to do that.

Oregon and the Netherlands have assisted suicide laws and I think this is what more what the former vice presidential candidate had in mind in her anti-health insurance rants lately. I personally do not have a problem with assisted suicide in terminal cases.

My father and I had such a pact. When he was on his death bed, and my brother-in-law called to tell me to get my ass from the Chicago area to Manchester, TN, I deliberately packed my stash of sleeping pills. I would give them to him. He would take them. He would die in peace and not extend his suffering. That is probably a simple-minded explanation of our plan, but that was the plan. I could live with that.

My father died in hospital shortly before we landed at the Nashville airport and I did not have to put my plan into action. I am relieved, obviously that I did not have to help him die. It would have caused me great pain to implement it, but I would have done it out of love for him.

I have mentioned to un-named people that I want the same kind of treatment if I am terminal. There is no reason to put my loved ones’ lives on hold while they watch me die. There is no reason to spend everything my wife and I have accumulated on ineffective treatment for me. There should be something left for Ann to live on afterwards.

That’s seems to me to be common sense and abiding love. Others probably see it as selfishness and believe I should experience as much suffering as life, or God, or the Supreme Consciousness chooses to grant me.

I disagree.

Another hot button issue is abortion. I do not believe I have the right to tell anyone else what to do with their body - unless it affects me. I.E. Stop peeing on my foot. Do not punch me in the nose.

I cannot tell any woman that she should keep a baby she does not want. Many people feel otherwise, and I suggest they adopt whatever unwanted/ unplanned/ whatever babies are born and pay the mother’s costs, and finance reconstructive surgery to reduce stretch marks etc.

Daniel was our only child for a variety of reasons, and we never had to make the decision to abort. I am thankful we never had to make that choice. But if we had, it would have been our choice, particularly Ann’s choice. And not open to judgment from anyone else.

Another example of hot button issues that the media whore themselves out about is health care.

Yet they never talk about health care: rather, they flog the idea of health insurance, which turns out to be gate-keeping. Whom do we let in to our private club? Once in, whom do we allow full privileges?

The people who purportedly provide insurance do not provide health care, and too often they do not provide clear health insurance. I read the other day (and I should cite a source, so it was probably a recent Chicago Tribune or Newsweek, but who knows, I read cereal boxes too) about a man who had a mini stroke. He went immediately to the emergency room. They diagnosed it as a TIA (a transient ischemic attack, an episode with stroke-like symptoms which lasts for less than 24 hours). His insurance refused to pay the several thousand dollars of costs.

The symptoms of a full-blown stroke are identical. If he had not gone to the emergency room and it had turned out to be a full stroke, he would probably have been permanently damaged or dead. At the time of the attack it is impossible to tell the difference. The insurance company (which takes approximately 30 % of your payment for overhead and profits to shareholders) doesn’t care. They look for any and every way not to shell out a cent. The CEO of my insurance company received remuneration in 2007 of $12 million. No doubt a lot of that came from denying people coverage for problems that seem to be - or were -life-threatening. His insurance refused to pay. And they will probably refuse to pay if he has a stroke because he now has a pre-existing condition.

The media reduces this to slogans like “Keep your government hands off my Medicare” and “Bill proposes Death Panels.”

The United States has become so polarized that we can no longer have civil discussion. Perhaps the problem is that we are a nation raised on sound bites, beginning with the way we teach kids by setting them in front of the flickering blue baby sitter and turning on Sesame Street.

We have become too lazy to think for ourselves, in part. We have allowed labels to define us - and others! - instead of sifting through information and coming to a clear, reasoned decision.

Is there an answer? Probably. Do I know what it is? Probably not.

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