Good Night And Good Luck Analysis
One does not realize the effect and control that our leaders have upon our lives. In a sense, they have a profound jurisdiction on the courses of action one takes in their life and the way a person thinks about different issues based on the information those individuals are given. Senators should head his or her state without their personal thoughts and opinions influencing their decisions. In addition, the power they possess over their constituents can never go to their head; they cannot take advantage of this. Newscasters have the responsibility of informing their audience on the current events that could affect every one of their lives. The job of a clergyman is to guide an individual through the words and advice of God, not manipulate those minds. There are certain predetermined expectations newscasters, senators, and clergy have to their citizens and whether or not they fulfill these duties could either make or break the public’s trust. The
…show more content…
truth in today’s society should never be hidden, altered, or ignored, and it is up to the leaders of the world to adhere to this responsibility.
The job of a senator is mainly to lead a state without bias. He should never violate the faith that his followers have in him or the power he holds over them. In the case of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin, he was well aware he held the people's’ trust in his hands, and he took advantage of it when he began accusing people, mainly workers in the government, of working for the communist party. Even if the accused had not been involved for over 30 years or were never directly involved at all, McCarthy would ruin their careers with what little information he could find on them. McCarthy served from 1947-1957 during the Cold War, when Americans were already on edge of disloyalties to the country. As an article about him states, “In the hyper-suspicious atmosphere...insinuations of disloyalty were enough to convince many Americans that their government was packed with traitors and spies. McCarthy’s accusations were so intimidating that few people dared to speak out against him” (“Joseph R. McCarthy,” 2009, pg 3). There is also another senatorial duty that McCarthy comes up short on: taking responsibility for one’s actions. Throughout this entire scandal with the Red Scare, for which McCarthy was the center of, never did he apologized for wrongful accusations or wrongful terminations of the politicians whose lives and careers he ruined. He seemed to get swept up in the power he had obtained, and if he didn’t continue to accuse more people from higher up on the social and political scale, he might lose his power and the fear he instilled in so many.
Newscasters have the responsibility to keep their audience informed on public affairs.
They should never keep viewers in the dark on matters that could directly affect them. Contrastingly, in Good Night, and Good Luck, the newcasters at CBS preferred to shadow their audience from the truth by only airing shows for entertainment purposes or touching on lighter subjects in their broadcasts. This was done during the time of McCarthyism since no one had ever been brave enough to oppose his actions concerning alleged communists. It’s never been common for a news channel to be open with their stance on a situation as big as this was. It’s frowned upon for them to show bias; they are merely supposed to deliver the news. In Good Night, and Good Luck, CBS fails to complete their responsibilities on giving the public the truth, and when they realize they’re being kept from the truth, they won’t feel they can trust the news anymore. Audiences should never be skeptical of the news and whether or not they are hearing the full
story.
Edward R. Murrow, however, had different views on their responsibilities than his fellow CBS coworkers. At this time in history, his actions were more daring than any other newscaster. He had the courage to give his audience the actual truth concerning McCarthyism and the Red Scare, using facts straight from McCarthy himself. An article about him agrees, saying, “He did what many had been afraid to do. McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee had created an environment of fear...Much to the chagrin of his network, Murrow showed McCarthy for the bully that he was using McCarthy's own words” (“Edward R. Murrow Biography,” pg 1). Murrow was the only one at CBS to actual fulfill his responsibility to the public, however dangerous, and they surely benefited dearly from that. The actions he took to tell everyone what McCarthy was really doing spurred the skepticism against McCarthy and his wrongdoings. Although, others at CBS did not approve of what Murrow was doing, so his air time was eventually shortened drastically. It was the audacious words and evidence Edward Murrow revealed that proved McCarthy for the villain he was.
Clergymen have the responsibility of spreading God's word; they show people how to live their lives in accordance with God. Their job is to inform, not persuade. They are not to take advantage of the minds of their congregations, however easily molded they are.
Mr. Parris, a reverend in Salem during the witch trials, was not exactly well-liked throughout the village. He made more enemies than friends, and in turn, lost much of the respect people had for him. The Crucible begins with a narration about Parris so the reader can understand him a little better. It begins by saying, “In history he cut a villainous path, and there is very little good to be said for him…” (Miller, 1952, pg 3). As a reverend, he has the obligation to lead his congregation through the words of God and to see the good in all the church-goers. According to John Proctor, Parris, instead of using his ceremonies to show the light in God’s ways, he abstains from his responsibilities and only preaches of how everyone is going to Hell. This is the reason Proctor has chosen to not go to church every Sunday and not to baptize his son. Proctor talks about how much he dislikes the idea of Parris baptizing his son, stating, “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it” (Miller, 1952, pg 65). Proctor does not feel he is fit to be a preacher when Parris speaks little of God himself.
The instance with Reverend Hale is a little different; he only failed to meet the responsibilities asked of him, as a reverend, in the first half of The Crucible. During the first acts of the play, he was actually hired as a witch hunter. He was the person who spots witches who are then executed if they do not confess. He played a major role in the Salem Witch Trials and the hanging of the 19 men and women. This is not what is expected from a Reverend. God would not have people hanged for a crime so trivial and most often not even true; He would have forgiven them. Towards the ending acts of the play though, Hale reverses his opinions and actions; he then believes that the young girls accusing those of witchcraft or conjuring with the Devil are lying. He expresses his thoughts about this in the last act, talking about the Proctors at first, saying, “It is a lie! They are innocent! Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own…” He was so concentrated on confirming whether citizens were witches or not that he never stepped back to ask why they are believing accusation from very young girls. He continues, “I came into this village...bearing gifts of high religion...and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware, Goody Proctor...life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it. I beg you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess” (Miller, 1952, pg 132).
During the 1700s there was a quite distinguished preacher and minister named Jonathan Edwards. One of his famous sermons, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," talks about how God is furious at his congregation for their sins. Rather than preaching about God's ability to forgive one's sins and to accept those who do not classify themselves as Christians, Edwards tells his congregation that if one does not become Christian and does not cease their sinful ways, God will drop you into the fiery pit of Hell. He's saying that God is some tyrant who keeps people dangled over this pit of fire for his own entertainment, and whether or not one pleases him will decide if he holds onto them or drops them in there forever. Edwards is taking advantage of the power and respect his congregation gives him. His responsibility is to inform the people about the ways of God and how to live life through Him. At the beginning of this sermon, he says, “This is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ...there is Hell’s wide gaping mouth open: and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the air: it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up. You are probably not sensible of this…” (Edwards, 1741, pg 1). Already assuming that those he preaches to are not Christians and that they have nothing else to help get them through life, Edwards takes hold of their flaccid minds and molds their thoughts in a way that pleases him.
The duty of a senator is to be a leader of their state, not letting any biased opinion on a certain form of government stand in their way of making important decisions for the state. No one should ever assert their dominance over one’s constituents in a negative way, taking advantage of them. Newscasters have the obligation to maintain their audience’s trust by always keeping them up to date on important news that could affect each and every home in the area. Likewise, the clergy is not to employ their own opinions into the matter at hand; they are to advise people in the words of God. The public places a great confidence in the leaders of today, and it is up to these leaders to never take any uncertain action as to abrogate this confidence. When a person is lied to, or shadowed from the truth, by a newscaster, senator, or clergyman, they lose faith in the public and media that cannot be gained back. People do not comprehend the amount of power their authorities wield over them until it is exercised with an unfavorable approach. The way, and how thoroughly, individuals are informed by the public impacts the opinions they form and the actions they take in life on the basis of social and political issues.
truth in today’s society should never be hidden, altered, or ignored, and it is up to the leaders of the world to adhere to this responsibility.
The job of a senator is mainly to lead a state without bias. He should never violate the faith that his followers have in him or the power he holds over them. In the case of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin, he was well aware he held the people's’ trust in his hands, and he took advantage of it when he began accusing people, mainly workers in the government, of working for the communist party. Even if the accused had not been involved for over 30 years or were never directly involved at all, McCarthy would ruin their careers with what little information he could find on them. McCarthy served from 1947-1957 during the Cold War, when Americans were already on edge of disloyalties to the country. As an article about him states, “In the hyper-suspicious atmosphere...insinuations of disloyalty were enough to convince many Americans that their government was packed with traitors and spies. McCarthy’s accusations were so intimidating that few people dared to speak out against him” (“Joseph R. McCarthy,” 2009, pg 3). There is also another senatorial duty that McCarthy comes up short on: taking responsibility for one’s actions. Throughout this entire scandal with the Red Scare, for which McCarthy was the center of, never did he apologized for wrongful accusations or wrongful terminations of the politicians whose lives and careers he ruined. He seemed to get swept up in the power he had obtained, and if he didn’t continue to accuse more people from higher up on the social and political scale, he might lose his power and the fear he instilled in so many.
Newscasters have the responsibility to keep their audience informed on public affairs.
They should never keep viewers in the dark on matters that could directly affect them. Contrastingly, in Good Night, and Good Luck, the newcasters at CBS preferred to shadow their audience from the truth by only airing shows for entertainment purposes or touching on lighter subjects in their broadcasts. This was done during the time of McCarthyism since no one had ever been brave enough to oppose his actions concerning alleged communists. It’s never been common for a news channel to be open with their stance on a situation as big as this was. It’s frowned upon for them to show bias; they are merely supposed to deliver the news. In Good Night, and Good Luck, CBS fails to complete their responsibilities on giving the public the truth, and when they realize they’re being kept from the truth, they won’t feel they can trust the news anymore. Audiences should never be skeptical of the news and whether or not they are hearing the full
story.
Edward R. Murrow, however, had different views on their responsibilities than his fellow CBS coworkers. At this time in history, his actions were more daring than any other newscaster. He had the courage to give his audience the actual truth concerning McCarthyism and the Red Scare, using facts straight from McCarthy himself. An article about him agrees, saying, “He did what many had been afraid to do. McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee had created an environment of fear...Much to the chagrin of his network, Murrow showed McCarthy for the bully that he was using McCarthy's own words” (“Edward R. Murrow Biography,” pg 1). Murrow was the only one at CBS to actual fulfill his responsibility to the public, however dangerous, and they surely benefited dearly from that. The actions he took to tell everyone what McCarthy was really doing spurred the skepticism against McCarthy and his wrongdoings. Although, others at CBS did not approve of what Murrow was doing, so his air time was eventually shortened drastically. It was the audacious words and evidence Edward Murrow revealed that proved McCarthy for the villain he was.
Clergymen have the responsibility of spreading God's word; they show people how to live their lives in accordance with God. Their job is to inform, not persuade. They are not to take advantage of the minds of their congregations, however easily molded they are.
Mr. Parris, a reverend in Salem during the witch trials, was not exactly well-liked throughout the village. He made more enemies than friends, and in turn, lost much of the respect people had for him. The Crucible begins with a narration about Parris so the reader can understand him a little better. It begins by saying, “In history he cut a villainous path, and there is very little good to be said for him…” (Miller, 1952, pg 3). As a reverend, he has the obligation to lead his congregation through the words of God and to see the good in all the church-goers. According to John Proctor, Parris, instead of using his ceremonies to show the light in God’s ways, he abstains from his responsibilities and only preaches of how everyone is going to Hell. This is the reason Proctor has chosen to not go to church every Sunday and not to baptize his son. Proctor talks about how much he dislikes the idea of Parris baptizing his son, stating, “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it” (Miller, 1952, pg 65). Proctor does not feel he is fit to be a preacher when Parris speaks little of God himself.
The instance with Reverend Hale is a little different; he only failed to meet the responsibilities asked of him, as a reverend, in the first half of The Crucible. During the first acts of the play, he was actually hired as a witch hunter. He was the person who spots witches who are then executed if they do not confess. He played a major role in the Salem Witch Trials and the hanging of the 19 men and women. This is not what is expected from a Reverend. God would not have people hanged for a crime so trivial and most often not even true; He would have forgiven them. Towards the ending acts of the play though, Hale reverses his opinions and actions; he then believes that the young girls accusing those of witchcraft or conjuring with the Devil are lying. He expresses his thoughts about this in the last act, talking about the Proctors at first, saying, “It is a lie! They are innocent! Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own…” He was so concentrated on confirming whether citizens were witches or not that he never stepped back to ask why they are believing accusation from very young girls. He continues, “I came into this village...bearing gifts of high religion...and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware, Goody Proctor...life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it. I beg you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess” (Miller, 1952, pg 132).
During the 1700s there was a quite distinguished preacher and minister named Jonathan Edwards. One of his famous sermons, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," talks about how God is furious at his congregation for their sins. Rather than preaching about God's ability to forgive one's sins and to accept those who do not classify themselves as Christians, Edwards tells his congregation that if one does not become Christian and does not cease their sinful ways, God will drop you into the fiery pit of Hell. He's saying that God is some tyrant who keeps people dangled over this pit of fire for his own entertainment, and whether or not one pleases him will decide if he holds onto them or drops them in there forever. Edwards is taking advantage of the power and respect his congregation gives him. His responsibility is to inform the people about the ways of God and how to live life through Him. At the beginning of this sermon, he says, “This is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ...there is Hell’s wide gaping mouth open: and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the air: it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up. You are probably not sensible of this…” (Edwards, 1741, pg 1). Already assuming that those he preaches to are not Christians and that they have nothing else to help get them through life, Edwards takes hold of their flaccid minds and molds their thoughts in a way that pleases him.
The duty of a senator is to be a leader of their state, not letting any biased opinion on a certain form of government stand in their way of making important decisions for the state. No one should ever assert their dominance over one’s constituents in a negative way, taking advantage of them. Newscasters have the obligation to maintain their audience’s trust by always keeping them up to date on important news that could affect each and every home in the area. Likewise, the clergy is not to employ their own opinions into the matter at hand; they are to advise people in the words of God. The public places a great confidence in the leaders of today, and it is up to these leaders to never take any uncertain action as to abrogate this confidence. When a person is lied to, or shadowed from the truth, by a newscaster, senator, or clergyman, they lose faith in the public and media that cannot be gained back. People do not comprehend the amount of power their authorities wield over them until it is exercised with an unfavorable approach. The way, and how thoroughly, individuals are informed by the public impacts the opinions they form and the actions they take in life on the basis of social and political issues.