It’s been confirmed this time, Pope John Paul II has died.
Heidi and I had a discussion about Bram’s earlier post. While neither of us are especially religious, Heidi’s family is both Catholic and Polish. The passing of this Pope, in particular, is important to the religious people in her family. The deathwatch was over the top, but our perceptions of it, especially for the non-Catholics in the crowd, have been pushed out of kilter because it came so close after the whole Schiavo mess. The Schiavo deathwatch represented hype and politics at their worst. The Pope, on the other hand, is of genuine and heartfelt importance to a lot of people. I ended up thinking about it this way: when my grandmother was dying in India, we didn’t get 10 minute updates about it. I wanted to know right away, though, so I could be there for my father and family. A lot of people have that kind of relationship with the church and the Pope. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to me, in that light, to get 10 minute updates on the Pope’s condition.
On the other hand, the commercial media seems to be confused by their new role with multiple 24 hour news networks. If their model is to catch you as you’re flipping by, well, that really shows us the value of 24 hour news networks, doesn’t it? It’s no wonder that these networks can’t support and sustain the type of global news gathering that would really add value.
It also makes you wonder why they can’t come up with an adjunct to the now ubiquitous news ticker at the bottom that would show you the status of big news? Come on, folks, it’s the twenty-first century…
April 3rd, 2005 at 4:59 pm
I am not Catholic, but one major reason a lot of people are sad at the passing of this particular Pope (although the coverage, over the top) is his role in the fight for social causes around the world.
He was a religious leader to so many and yet, he was a social activist for so many others.
God Bless him and may he rest in peace.
April 3rd, 2005 at 6:39 pm
When I read Bram’s post entitled “The Pope is Dead”, I was annoyed for a few reasons. Perhaps I misinterpreted in part, but as Sujal has already stated, the Pope sincerely means something to a lot of people in this world. I usually jokingly admit to being a recovering Catholic. I don’t think I’ve ever been a particular admirer of the Pope. In fact, I recall making fun of the Pope Christmas ornament my grandmother used to hang on her tree. That he was a social activist is news to me on some levels. I recall Sinead O’Conner ripping his photo during her performance on Saturday Night Live, though I do not recall the specific reason. He and I didn’t agree on abortion. A lot of people and I do not agree on abortion. All that aside, perhaps a part of me understands the “deathwatch” — not the constant bombardment moment by moment, but I don’t have media in my face all day. I check it when I want to know. But that I just lost a grandmother, a great admirer of the Pope (as all of my polish catholic grandparents were), I understand this deathwatch. With my grandmother — was it important that I know her exact time of death? Perhaps not, but it felt like it was in part because I missed seeing my other grandmother alive by several hours. When my first grandmother passed away a year and a half ago, I was getting constant updates to know when I needed to make the drive home to Buffalo. I think it touches me on the level of feeling powerless. Somehow seeing someone before they die makes me feel like I am doing something for me and for the dying loved one. I would imagine that people who revere the Pope hope that their prayers will do something for both themselves and the Pope. Perhaps I am wrong. Obviously, my emotions are tied up here.
I also get annoyed at the dig at NPR. Part of me wants to say — then don’t listen. I don’t really get good reception for NPR since we have moved, and I can only listen to it on the internet, and those opportunities seem to become less and less. While they do annoy me from time to time, and while they can be snobby, etc, I really like NPR. There really isn’t another news outlet like it. And in terms of constant media bombardment, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s pretty greedy to shoot all of this advertising and scintillating cheap shot material that passes as news at us, but we do indeed (as a culture) consume it. And not only that, but (and here’s where Josh will call me a Luddite) technology that we so love to embrace enables and encourages it. I recently went on vacation with a man who needed the TV on every morning because he could not stand the quiet. I believe this is conditioned behavior. I’m not saying this man is to blame, per se, but he has a hand in it.
I guess enough said, and I need to do my grades. Please do not tell Sujal I went on vacation with some man.
-Heidi
April 3rd, 2005 at 10:16 pm
I like NPR. They piss me off because they have started to engage in the exact same behavior as many of the commercial news outlets. They should be better than that.
My annoyance at the who deathwatch was the constant and frankly unnecessary bomabardment with news that was no news. The “breaking news” that was a rehash of the same Vatican press release from hours before. The problems with the updates is that they weren’t updates. There was no new information.
What I am most disgusted by is that the news the Pope had died actually leaked out a few minutes before the news was officially released. Already the media vultures were on it and interviewing people outside the Vatican, even before the traditional notification could occur. As always, this was about getting a scoop and damning what it means to get that scoop.
So, yes, I am disgusted by the media and their reporting. This wasn’t about regular updates and getting timely information out to those who want to know. It was about being the first to report, live on the scene. They should all be ashamed.
April 3rd, 2005 at 10:30 pm
Bram, I believe I do understand where you are coming from. And I agree with you. How did I ever get in the position of defending news organizations? Yipes. Truly I do agree with you. The commie pinko in me wants to partly blame the greed of capitalism… The cynic in me knows it’s an ugly side to human nature. I think part of my intial reaction to your post also was a “pre-reaction” (if you will) to catholic bashing. While I do reject the religion i was raised in for the most part, it is still a piece of me, a part of my identity. I don’t value lots in my family history (like oh so many of us), but it is still part of what formed me, and sometimes i feel like I need to defend it.
April 4th, 2005 at 8:37 pm
Realy quick (and no this is not the only thing I got from the posts), but I just wanted to say:
It was Hansen’s Black cherry soda, so it would have hurt a lot, so I am glad it was an almost…
“Please do not tell Sujal I went on vacation with some man”
Heidi, this almost made me snarf my drink while reading your post…
April 5th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
Karen, I’m glad I can make you almost snarf. Everyone needs a good snarfin’ from time to time. I also do not think I have had the chance to tell you just how jealous I am yoou went to Oaxaca. I’ve always loved saying the name. How was it?