Juxtaposition

I read an interesting book on Zen the other day. Masters of this religion would probably ridicule my ignorant interpretations, but it seems to me that most of the techniques used to achieve enlightenment are mental challenges which provoke sudden realisation in the student. These may be, for example, riddles, short poems, and stories.

In the West we have a similar approach, but without realising it.

It's called TV news.

Because of time constraints, items of daily news often find themselves rubbing shoulders in interesting ways. For instance, items about widespread poverty in the UK are often followed by scenes of people queuing at airports for their holidays. Food bank coverage may be immediately followed by doctors warning us of an obesity crisis. Dogs being petted in care homes, are followed by reports of children being attacked in their own homes by the family pet. NHS waiting lists are followed by news of people being sent to the UK from foreign war zones, at a time when some doctors are striking.

While all this turmoil of imagery is being processed by the viewer, the presenters battle on, quickly changing their faces to fit every report. A freak show of gurners, minus the toilet seat.

Except on one occasion.

The newsreader, who had just reported a fun run, kept on grinning manically, when he read the next story.

About an earthquake.