Virtual finality

[elfs]

What's wrong with this quote: "We were getting reports out of the Vatican that John Paul II has died, we can now say with finality that ABC has confirmed that he has passed away." I don't remember to what radio station I was listening, but that sentence made me pause and think. Apparently, whoever these people were, reality wass not the final word on the state of the Vatican, but some media-mediated version of reality was the final world on the Vatican.

"These aren't the droids you're looking for. He can go about his business. Move along."

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

"And now the news, all the news that's new and approved
By the US Army, the sweetest smelling army in the world."
 ,   -- "Adrian Cronauer", "Good Morning Vietnam"

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[antonia-tiger.livejournal.com]

There was a bit of a mess-up on Friday, I think, maybe late Thursday, when the Vatican mis-announced that the Pope had died, and issued a correction a half-hour or so later. But there's still a difference between "reports" and a formal announcement.

So I can see people being a little skittish about the attribution of the news.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]