In spite of my no news Lenten discipline, I watched the Jon Stewart/Jim Cramer interview and was appalled. First, I was appalled that the single best interrogative interview in years, whether t.v., radio or newspaper, was on a Comedy Channel fake news program that is up front about “selling snake oil.” Second, I was appalled at the facile duplicity of Jim Cramer who clearly understood how to screw the investing public for his own benefit and did so, while, at the same time, doled out misleading, useless financial advice to millions of viewers, and continues to do so. Third, I was appalled that this appears to be symptomatic of the ethos of an enormous sector of the media and corporate financial sectors of society, aided and abetted by twenty years of political leadership from the right, both secular and religious.
Today’s Morning Prayer including this reading from the 5th chapter of Jeremiah:
For scoundrels are found among my people; they take over the goods of others. Like fowlers they set a trap; they catch human beings. Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of treachery; therefore they have become great and rich, they have grown fat and sleek. They know no limits in deeds of wickedness; they do not judge with justice the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD, and shall I not bring retribution on a nation such as this? An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule as the prophets direct; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
I haven\’t seen the Stewart/Cramer interview but heard bits and pieces enough on NPR so that I think I get the general picture – Stewart did not take it easy on Cramer and I would agree with that treatment.Jeremiah – oh yeah, I saw J this a.m. also, and for me, it points out that the age we\’re living in is not much past the age of Jeremiah – we\’re still crooks, cheats, and messes when it comes to treating our fellow man equitably – but I bet that was your point wasn\’t it?:)
I quit a job because I refused to lie, I have yet to be hired for an other job, because I am honest about it.the price of honesty?One interviewer told me, they would hire me for ten hours a week tops, unless I made sunday mornings available for work, if I did that I could work full time.Who will I become a mercenary for?It is only the responsible thing to do!
Bruno,Those are tough issues to face, and they are not among those that I had to confront during my working life. I\’m grateful for that. CP