Rosy Glow – Yelling

 

 

By

Bob LaTorre

N.B. another classic by Cousin Bob from 25 years ago.

 

I don’t know how many people will agree with me, but I am tired of being yelled at all the time. If we listen to the radio watch television, or even go to the movies it seems to me that I am constantly being screamed at by everyone from news people, sports announcers and commercials to the characters in the “entertainment” shows. No one believes that they can get my attention unless the volume is raised to where it shatters our peace of mind right along with our ear drums.

I suspect that one reason for all of this yelling and screaming is that the people who write this stuff, for unbelievable salaries I might add, simply have no talent.

What amazes me is that I suffer from about a thirty percent hearing loss. I often ask myself what it would be like if I had full hearing.

Even if the volume is not raised to ear shattering levels, the tome of this cacophony is often just as nerve wracking. Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady”, sang … why can’t the English teach their children to speak properly? I find myself mumbling…why can’t Americans make the media quiet down?

If the objective of all this is to insure that I am hearing the message, I have news for all of these people. Whenever anything begins with a shout, whistle bell bang or even a loud voice, I simply reach over and turn off the radio or the TV. My humble opinion is that the greatest addition to the television since its invention is the mute button.

Is there a solution to all of this? I think there is. The other day I tuned in to some late afternoon TV. Luck was with me, instead of a soap opera, (with the cast of shouting, screaming, maniacs who are unable to speak even words like “ I love you” except at the top of their lungs, I caught a Mister Rogers show.

What a welcome change and what a profound lesson it was to see this gentle soft spoken man. The change was welcome because I found myself listening carefully to his quiet voice. It required my complete attention to hear and know what he was saying. The important lesson was that this man’s program was aimed at children ages 3 to 6. Psychologists tell us that the attention span for children is approximately five minutes plus their age. That means that the typical audience for Mister Rogers has an attention span from eight to twelve minutes and yet I have seen this man hold young children absolutely captivated for thirty minutes. In that time he not only entertains them he educates them at the same time.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could select from time to time programs like Mister Roger’s Neighborhood for adults?

Just picture coming home from a long day at work, having been caught in traffic jam and car problems. The day’s mail holds nothing but bills and there is some sickness in the family. Now you settle down in front of the TV, push the button and it’s time for the news. Instead of a pair of new hucksters with fancy hair dos, on the screen comes a Mister Rogers type, he begins… “While we have a number of breaking stories which I know you want to hear about, let’s begin our report with some good news. The price of fuel oil has leveled off and is expected to begin to fall soon. The bumper crop in vegetables should mean lower prices.

Now from Cape Canaveral are the latest pictures of the successful shuttle launch and so it would go in quiet gentle speech a nice blend of both good and bad news.

I think it would slow down our metabolism, lower our stress rate and perhaps even put us in the mood for a nice quiet dinner. The Mister Rogers Adult Show could inform us of the latest new inventions and how they work. He could give us tips on better living and even some not-so-dramatic movie and book reviews.

I am a dreamer but I am also a realist. I am afraid that we will continue to see most of our TV programming in the vein of “Sesame Street.” There is nothing wrong with that program but it is not the only way to inform, entertain teach and sell. The market place need not only be a contemporary version of an ancient Middle Eastern town square. There is room for a more civilized way of reaching us. Someday perhaps we will see adult programming in a quieter vein. Perhaps we will call the show a visit to the home of Mr. ……. Rosy Glow.