1. Why might fear be an effective way to persuade people to support a political leader or policy? 2. How does anger differ from fear as a political tool? What kinds of reactions might each emotion produce? 3. Why might people pay more attention to a frightening or upsetting story than to a calm, factual explanation? 4. How can politicians use a real problem to create a sense of urgency? When might that urgency be justified, and when might it be exaggerated? 5. What role do news organizations and social media play in spreading messages designed to make people afraid or angry?
Citizen Kane was a brutal portrait of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. When Hearst learned through Hopper of Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives, led by Louis B. Mayer, rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy Citizen Kane in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort.
Mark Twain was a famous American humor writer who often used exaggeration to teach lessons about
human behavior. In the story 'My First Lie and How I Got Out of It,' Twain describes a situation where a
small lie begins to grow bigger and more complicated. Each attempt to fix the lie creates new problems
and confusion. The story humorously shows how difficult it can be to keep track of lies once they start.
1) Why do you think the narrator told the first lie?
2) What happens when the narrator tries to maintain the lie?
3) What lesson do you think Mark Twain is trying to teach?
Brooke Gladstone compares the press to blackbirds perched on a wire, saying, “one bird will fly to another wire, and when it doesn’t get electrocuted, all the birds will fly to that other wire.”
Senator Eugene McCarthy came up with that; but what does it mean?
Welcome to the home page of Mr. Kelly's Current Events class. This course looks at the role of the media on international, national, state, local, and school wide levels. Although the content is constantly changing there are recurrent themes including domestic and foreign policy, the economy, war, crime, and the environment. Here you will find assignments, online discussions, and your grades. Be prepared to keep up with weekly reading assignments and be respectful of each others opinions on this site.
