Penn & Teller Bullshit! Is Bullshit

The focus of this opinion piece may seem to be about Showtime's original series, Penn & Teller Bullshit! however, what is outlined in the opinion piece is more about how the ordinary viewer is constantly being manipulated one way or another by almost every form of media. There is a difference between news which just reports the facts and opinion pieces which have littered the television, radio, newspapers and everywhere on the Internet, especially blogs. The reason I present the show Bullshit! as an issue is because this one, like other entertainment programmes, are being quoted and presented as if they were genuine sources of fact, almost as if they were granted some special credibility that is automatically given to the news.

The sad fact is people are swamped. Physically, emotionally, mentally, people have their attentions going in so many different directions from the pressures of life that they tend to rely on an honest sounding voice that resonates with what they experience in life to tell them what is real, what is true, and what they should do about it or what ideals they should attain. It's human nature. From the earliest time in human history, we have all set up leaders to guide the common folks so they can get to the business of living and trust these leaders will instruct us in a way that benefits us all. Sometimes the leaders do great things. Others they lead their people into the throes of tragedy.

In modern times we set ourselves up to be at the mercy of leaders, just as much as people in ancient times, but the difference is we do have the ability to think for ourselves and question authority without it being a life or death crisis. Part of the problem is many people do not fully realise they do have the right to question what is being told to them and get into an emotional fit when someone presents facts to them whether they agree with them or not. We are all guilty of this at one time or another, usually it is because we are so emotionally attached to the issue at hand.

Bullshit! and Daily Show are two prime examples of media manipulation with a difference. Every intelligent person in the world can look at these and call it for what it is - entertainment pieces based on current events. One swings left and the other swings right. Bullshit! is cheered on and applauded by those who feel they speak their truths and derided by those who think they twist the facts. The Daily Show does the exact same thing. The sad thing is when people base their lives and goals upon the opinions presented on these shows without looking at the big picture. Is there another point of view? What are the facts which would be presented from an actual neutral party?

The news is supposed to be the bastion of trustworthiness, but it has never really been that way. Sure, there are some journalists who have made a great reputation for the business being what it is by presenting reports the rest of the news outlets would not touch and letting the people become exposed to them. Any fresh journalism major will tell you reporting the news is supposed to be about presenting only the facts while remain detached from the story. In other words, keep your opinions to yourself while reporting just the who, what, when, where, and why of a story. It makes for boring and bland news that most people do not buy into it and it is not a profitable business. When the reporter crosses those lines and expresses a voice in which people can relate, the sales increase and a loyal audience follows those reporters.

When you see the reporters on television who have a tendency to talk over their guests presenting an opposite view, sneering or making other faces, name calling, or cutting off the guest, you know they are intending you to discount anything they had to say. When you see a reporter praise, pat on the back, shake hands when they do not do this to others, and give facial expressions that are those of admiration, you know they are intending you take to heart whatever is presented. It is so obvious when done on Bullshit! and the Daily Show, but it is not quite as obvious when done on CNN or Fox. Bias equals loyal viewers who feel the same way and more money to the corporation.

The news is a business. A newspaper or television news cannot support itself on high ideals, good deeds, and social responsibility. It's main job is to present the people who support their sponsors news in a manner they can digest and relate. The more of an audience they can attract, the higher their circulation or ratings and the more money they can charge their sponsors. If the news used only the rules of basic journalism, no one would really embrace it and could get it from any other source doing the exact thing. When you find an angle to present your facts and a voice to touch the people, you start to wander away into the territory of opinion piece instead of news.

Opinion pieces often do state facts. Facts can be slanted one way or another by presenting only the facts which support your point of view and deriding or otherwise leaving out facts which could support an opposite view. Bullshit! has many examples of doing this from picking out only the facts which back up their point of view, using the most well-spoken experts to present them, and then to find so-called experts or not the best spoken representatives for the other point of view while they do a modest amount of name calling before they even say one word which taints whatever they have to say next and then distract any point that may have been made with gratuitous nudity.

This is entertainment based on current events which favour the opinion of the hosts using the slight of hand they are famous for throughout their career. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what they do. Their aim is to make a living by entertaining people and what better way to make a name for themselves by touching issues that are so hot button that people already come into it with a definite opinion about it one way or another! If you agree with the opinion presented by the show, you will probably want to take the lazy way out and use the facts they presented to support your already confirmed opinion. If you disagree with the opinion, you may get in a huff and complain loudly while seeking out facts that confirm your opinion. If you were open-minded, you will look at the facts they presented, find out opposing facts for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Or you may just watch it for the pure entertainment value and see naked people. They are entertainers, not reporters. If you are looking for that, you are in the wrong place.

The sad state of news can be seen on CNN, Fox and just about any television news channel. While many do make an effort to report the news as it happens, they are also guilty of jumping the gun at news stories trying to be the first or going into opinion pieces and presenting them as the fact. They dwell too long on stories that are fluff pieces or present guests to the show in which they praise those who give their point of view or give a hard time and huff and puff on those they do not support without giving them a fair time to present the opposing view under the guise of keeping focused on the topic (the topic being to support whatever the opinion is of the reporter by bullying and berating them to get them to answer differently or stumble them to make them look foolish). Whenever news strays away from the objective facts or slants them while giving their own twist to it for the benefit of their specific audience, it becomes an opinion piece and not the news.

We should hold those who report the news to a higher standard, but it is a business and a business has the job to make money. If we keep supporting the news as it is, we will continue to get more of the same because they see the ratings and see the money rolling in, so they continue with a formula that works. To do otherwise would be financial suicide. It's just a shame that people believe the news as presented because they grew up expecting that forum to be honest. It's also a shame there are those who have totally given up reason and follow entertainment set up in the guise of fact and act as if it were unbiased journalism.

At some point we all have a responsibility to ourselves. We have a mind and can form our own opinions without having to be moved so much by an opinion of another person. I am anti-religion, PETA, patriotism and there is not much anyone can tell me on the subject that would change my mind so anything I would write on the subject would naturally lean that way. I am pro-organ donation, blood donation, and immunisation and while I could conceded there are people who will think these are the worst sins in the world, anything I would write on those subjects would not be in the favour of my opponents. And then there are the grey areas such as guns, abortion, and the death penalty where I would have to present both sides because, to be quite honest, I don't have a clue as to where I stand on those issues as they are more complex than those with a definite opinion present. All of these are issues that are complex, but for some I either wholeheartedly stand one way or another and in others cannot.

So if Penn and Teller present stories that get your goat, whether about the good merits of a Wal-mart, the evils of PETA, immigration, Boy Scouts, the Bible, 12-step programmes, recycling, war on drugs, near death experiences, creationism, the environment, second-hand smoke... just see it for what it is and don't get in a huff for them doing their job, quite well I might add. I don't always agree with their opinion, but see it for what it is and enjoy the way they present it. I don't mind supporting their industry. When it comes to what is supposed to be real news, most ventures have lost my business and I scan online headline blurbs and if it merits investigation, I search online for as many different sources as possible to get the gist of the story and come to my own conclusions.

The point, don't get so bent out of shape over the opinion of another unless you plan to do something about it other than whine. If you are pro-animal rights and are offended by anti-PETA groups, do more to protect your cause by seeing why people might be against PETA and working from within to make the organisation a better one. If you are anti-abortion, see why people are pro-choice and instead of going on a killing spree, commit more to workable alternatives. Opinions in and of themselves don't hurt. All they can do is prick our consciences and unless we allow ourselves to become manipulated, opinions are just bull shit and not fact.