Earning Trust

It's odd how often my YouTube feed features material which has zero attraction for me. This is especially true with regard to what might broadly be termed commentary upon current affairs. I suppose it's because I try and go out of my way to listen to those whose views I'm not all that sympathetic towards, in order to ensure a degree of balance in what I listen to, that I find myself looking at links selected by the algorithm that are so obviously doubtful in their content as to be faintly depressing to consider. A case in point: over the last few days I keep seeing stuff related to the dreadful murders of the children in Southport that purport to unearth the 'facts' as to the nature of the 'terrorist' act involved. I suspect those coming up with this nonsense are well aware of the degree to which they're twisting the depressingly sad, awful reality of what took place. If not then the degree of bone-headed ignorance involved would be startling even to someone like myself, not exactly optimistic about the capacity of our species for clear and sound reasoning. 

So it's heartening when a link appears up to something of real depth and value. As in the other day when I came across a particularly insightful episode of the Chris Hedges Report dealing with recent events in Gaza. Hedges doesn't exactly hide his political affiliations and I can't say I agree with him on everything, but he clearly knows his stuff and the factual content is convincing even if one may question some of the broader analysis. And the fact that he's interviewing the great Joe Sacco is a guarantee of essential veracity and integrity. 

I can't but notice the deep sobriety of the dialogue. I'm not saying that unhurried seriousness is necessarily a mark of striving for accuracy of reporting, but it helps.