Hari's Corner - Not everything that sounds smart is right

9 Dec 2009

Not everything that sounds smart is right

Filed under: Bits and Bytes by Hari
Posted at 09:12 IST (last updated: 9 Dec 2009 @ 09:12 IST)

I've learned pretty well that not everything that sounds smart, logical, catchy or entertaining is necessarily right. However, the biggest problem is that most people have learned to respond positively to slogans and even consider them truisms. This is why public debaters learn to deliver catch-phrases in an attractive manner, use subtly inappropriate but entertaining examples and unlikely metaphors that "sound right" to force their arguments through. The one who gets the maximum applause wins in that business. The truth sometimes is never easy to explain, forceful, necessarily appealing to pure logic or fits into an attractive package.

Well, anyway, it's been a long time since I wrote anything around here and I figured I'd share this thought with you all. Hopefully a few more meaty articles (and of course, comics) are on its way after I wind up this semester examinations.

10 comment(s)

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I await with bated breath.

Comment by MrCorey (visitor) on 9 Dec 2009 @ 11:36 IST #
The last exam is on dec 15. After that I'll be relatively free.
These days, I find less and less time on the internet and therefore fewer blog entries.

Comment by Hari (blog owner) on 9 Dec 2009 @ 19:07 IST #
generic statement or you're referring to something specific? Couldn't get a clue

Comment by Shrinidhi Hande (visitor) on 9 Dec 2009 @ 19:39 IST #
No. I just observed a few "debate" shows on TV and felt that people who stated the silliest things with a profound tone of voice and using catchy examples tended to get a lot of applause from the audience and I just thought about the phenomenon.

Comment by Hari (blog owner) on 9 Dec 2009 @ 20:04 IST #
This is te age of the soundbite unfortunately and you're right, say it in a portentous voice and look serious and concerned and the media will let you say anything you like. Without question.

Comment by ray (visitor) on 10 Dec 2009 @ 01:34 IST #
Ray, so true. Soundbites matter today. Unfortunately the mainstream media is so obsessed with ratings that they care less about the quality of the actual news and more about the glamour quotient. I hardly watch any 24x7 news channels for this reason.
The ratings war have destroyed any semblance of balance in coverage.

Comment by Hari (blog owner) on 10 Dec 2009 @ 08:51 IST #
Examples?

Comment by Sudipta Chatterjee (visitor) on 10 Dec 2009 @ 13:34 IST #
Almost any channel's talk shows (NDTV, CNN-IBN etc.)

Comment by Hari (blog owner) on 10 Dec 2009 @ 19:09 IST #
Ugh, 24/7 news. No extra content, just loads of padding.

Comment by ray (visitor) on 11 Dec 2009 @ 00:40 IST #
The best news we get is still the State controlled DD News. No hype, no noise, just reporting facts. Private news channels are market-driven and serve the lowest common denominator.

Comment by Hari (blog owner) on 11 Dec 2009 @ 15:33 IST #

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