Overstating

In this era of hyperbole and exaggeration in news broadcasts and political coverage, I have long thought about how we overstate some things. Then there is the conscious misstating we must contend with. All of these seem to be for the purpose of vying for our attention or to keep us feeling the way we feel.

Notice I didn’t say, “thinking the way we think.” Most people make choices and find our social, theological, and political standings in the way we feel, as opposed to giving serious thought and weighing facts. This may be because facts are hard to come by with all of the overstating and misstating going on.

I notice this so much but I couldn’t think of an immediate example. So, I went and turned on the 2^nd most popular 24 hour cable news show. In less than one minute, I have an example.

The story: Some prison inmates in some state want to get married. The law apparently doesn’t address this issue directly, so the warden is saying no until a court decision. The news reporter has pundits on to argue about whether is is legal to deny these inmates “a wedding.”

The hyperbolic misstating? The discussion is about marriages, not weddings. The play on words is either intentional, or the news editors are derelict in their responsibility to frame discussions accurately.

To remind us how early we begin using these tactics to stress a point, win favor, or garner attention, I want to throw out just one phrase which we all will recognize. Then next week, we will delve more deeply into the subconscious thought processes behind our overstating.

Infinity times infinity… Infinity basically means endless. Just one infinity is enough.

Be careful of overstating.