purplerabbits

I'm posting this from a tiny Internet cafe in Aberdeen - as much for the novelty as anything. Also Aberdeen isn't all that thrilling when you have nothing to do all day...

I am getting seriously pissed off with the WTC news coverage.

I know that news programmes are in a quandary, because on the one hand it's all anyone wants to hear about, and the seriousness of the whole thing feels like it deserves extended coverage, but on the other hand there is no more fucking news to report... I had to eat my breakfast today to the accompaniment of two TVs milking the most harrowing personal stories for all they were worth. And the waitress looked at me as if I was asking for a deep-fried baby when I asked if there was anywhere TV free I could sit. Am I wrong not to want to see this stuff at 7.30am? Am I evil not to want to 'share the grief' (however you do that).

I just don't think I can do it - I'm not the sort of person who's wired to care on a personal level about international news. On an intellectual and political level, yes, I think it's tremendously important and I would be interested to hear a lot of analysis and debate which clearly isn't happening (yet? I hope some of it happens eventually). And I don't want it to seem like I don't care about all the people who are directly affected, but I don't want my emotions put through a mangle by news-mongers of any flavour - I just don't see how that will help - Or how canceling random events like the football will help, or what the use is of a fucking book of condolence, whether or not it has been signed by Prince Charles. People on the news said that they're "doing what they can", but I can't help thinking that sitting down and absorbing how little they can really do would do more good.

[Oh, and I do feel a little grief/anger/resentment, seeing all those people with photos of missing loved ones, that I have a friend who went missing, and I will probably never know whether he's alive or dead - but individual grief isn't news...]

Sorry. THat was more of a rant than I intended when I started. I actually have a nice descriptive piece about the landscape on the journey up here, but it's in my Palm so I'll have to wait till I get back to post it.

Anyway, Aberdeen is grey, and I'm not having a bad time, but I'm avoiding all social intercourse with anyone except known cynics and peaceniks for now - I would hate to be lynched by a mob who feel they have to "do what they can".