The sense I derive from his sulky disdain for government "hand-outs" like those accepted by his family, as well as non-government-related means of promoting upward mobility like labor unions and private-sector wage growth for hourly workers, might be simplistic. And this sense is that for O'Reilly, a background of comparatively pampered privilege in the cradle of a largely whites-only social milieu has been a large "factor" in nurturing the image of an overbearingly contemptuous, inexplicably smug, transparently insecure douche-bag he so proudly carries.
Yet faced with that possibility of overly simplistic analysis, I nevertheless say that no one should be surprised about the potential for such an upbringing to lure a "not-so-well-adjusted" young man into a delusional wormhole of white "exceptionalism" before spitting him back out instilled with precisely the kind of tired, nostalgic, self-serving simple-mindedness as that held by people just like Bill O'Reilly.
What say you?
It's Ya' Birthday!
In an imaginary world where classic Edward R. Murrow-style journalism is the rule, the Fox News Channel probably conjures an image of what the spawn of an illicit hook-up between the Peter Principle and Murphy's Law would look like. In fact, considering how far it has skirted the boundaries of traditional journalism since its 1996 inception, in such a world, the Fox News Channel would probably be in its 18th year of court-ordered receivership.
Indeed, beginning in 1996, the "Fourth Estate" has never been the same. That's because since then, the political and social propaganda fount known as the Fox News Channel has delivered more than its fair share of "fair and balanced" agit-prop tailored to suit the exalted ignorance and confused passion of a vast legion of gullible ideologues who have long been there for the taking. And for 18 years, Roger Ailes -- whose media exploits have always seemed emblematic of P.T. Barnum and George Orwell -- has been successful in making sure that the Fox News Channel would be the one doing the taking.
In that regard, indulge for a moment in a very simple test involving Fox's financial programming starting with the premise that numbers seldom lie. Just closely scrutinize the stridently pro-Republican financial advice ponied up by Charles "Pump and Dump" Payne or any Fox News-anointed "financial guru" on any Fox Business Channel program. Then simply compare your 401k growth under Bush's terms in office with that experienced during Obama's and ask yourself: How could "fair and balanced" financial analysis result in promoting an economic theory -- "trickle-down" -- that even its chief proponent, Alan Greenspan, has disavowed?
Even further; how about a stupid pet trick involving both Dubya and President Obama to try out on your Fox News-addled Uncle Elmo? Simply ask Uncle El to assess the status of a glass -- held by either one of the two presidents -- that's filled to 50 percent of its capacity with water. Guarantee you; the status report Uncle El gives you depends on which president he sees holding the glass. If he sees Dubya, the glass is half full. But if it's that damn Obama -- I'm sure you get the picture.
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