Pondering War of the Worlds 1938

[Mt_Rider]

I think everyone has heard of the big Halloween prank that happened on radio Oct 30, 1938. A dramatized reading from War of the Worlds scared the hooey outta a whole bunch of people.

 

This EE blog article explains the prank and tells of a 1940 study done just two years after that happened. WHY did so many people believe it was real?

 

http://beprepared.com/blog/21143/war-worlds-lesson-preparedness-1938-martian-invasion/?oc=INEM3713&sc=EMAIL&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emer1106%20-%20INEM3713&utm_term=Master%20-%20Daily

 

 

The question I'm pondering .....If this was done today, would people be fooled? We have a far greater capacity for such a dramatization now with our technology. They could put on quite a show. ..... ...they really do.....don't they!

BUT we have been surrounded with "shows" of many kinds for decades now. Are we more "educated" ...... "cynical".......or not?

 

What would we do to check out such a prank?

 

What would we do to check out other alleged events....like EMP? {such as: WE2's just looked out window recently when their power went off...checking traffic for dead cars!}

 

ARE we now a people that automatically VERIFIES THINGS? .....or is it just us MrsS types?

 

 

 

Sometimes TPTB put on a show to say "Nothing to worry about...move along with your normal life." The opposite of the W of the W prank. If you look behind the curtain there IS something to be concerned about!

 

 

 

MtRider .....pondering again. Waddya think?

Edited November 6, 2016 by Mt_Rider

[Suncat]

I think it's less that people are more cynical than that the media has become less trustworthy. Cynicism is about our ability to trust. I think what we're dealing with is that the media has managed to prove themselves untrustworthy.

 

Or perhaps the media has always been that way but with the many means of communication now open to the average person we can now see that they're telling stories rather than reporting news.

 

But think of how the news is reported now... it's had to become exciting to appeal to viewers.. maybe as viewers, we've changed the media from reporting the news, to telling stories to hold our attention. hmmmmmm

[ROBIE]

I dont think it would be possable to scare the populace like that again. There are way too many outlets of infromation for people to go to then there was back then.

 

That being said, some people will belive anything, but for the most part, too many strings have to be pulled to decive the people now a days.

 

I think that I'm more cynical than most, and don't believe what I see and hear on the news or even the inter webs.

 

 

ROBIE

[Mt_Rider]

Hey Robie Haven't seen you post in a long time. How's the family? Kiddos must be getting big by now.

 

MtRider

[ROBIE]

We are doing good here. Kids are getting big... FAST!

 

Michael Jr is in kindergarden 6 years old, and Victoria is 3.

[Daylily]

I think most people would think it was a joke. You hear about people getting raped or killed and bystanders taking pictures with their cell phones. They say they thought it was prank. Nobody wants to be seen as naive these days. They wouldn't want to interfere or yell for help and get embarrassed like on Candid Camera.