In journalism, there are a few different kinds of news items.
There are, of course, viral news items that make a big splash for 24 or 48 hours before disappearing into the annals of the internet. They might resurface briefly when they become relevant again (i.e. Kamala Harris’s coconut tree), but for the most part, if you don’t jump on the train, you miss it. (READ MORE: Kamala Harris, Conservative Statesman)
Then there are non-news items. These are the events, happenings, and discoveries that are worth discussing, but are simply not exciting enough to break national headlines. Take, for instance, the abortion battle being waged in Florida. You may have heard of it, but you hardly know what is going on even though it will likely matter a whole lot to you when Democrats try to do the same thing in your state.
There are the news items that make a week — you know, the kinds of events that will have political commentators salivating from Monday to Friday, but which lose steam over the weekend.
And finally, there are the news items that make a month, a year, and then the history books.
In the last two weeks, we’ve had an abnormally large number of the last kind of news item.
This creates a bit of a problem. Even before the election year began in earnest, it was apparent that Americans were done with the news. They had been so overwhelmed by life-changing global events (COVID), petty partisan bickering, and the ever-increasing flood of social media that they were starting to unsubscribe, turn off the TV, and smother their discontent with the world by indulging in dumb TikTok videos and YouTube shorts. (READ MORE: Media Tries to Move on From Scandal of Century: Biden Is Cognitively Gone)
Now that we’re in an election year, Americans have been flooded with the kinds of news items that make the history books: Former President Donald Trump was nearly assassinated, JD Vance was chosen as his running mate at the Republican National Convention, tens of thousands of Catholics gathered in Indianapolis for the National Eucharist Congress, President Joe Biden first got COVID and then dropped out of the presidential race, Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democrat nominee, and Kimberly Cheatle resigned after a bombed congressional hearing. I know I’m missing something.
Oh, and Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics this week.
You probably forgot.
Unlike all the political events currently flooding our newspapers and inboxes, the Olympics falls in the category of entertainment. If you’re French, there might be a political element to it, but for the rest of us, it’s an opportunity to forget our national woes by marveling at Simone Biles’ success at something.
In general, the sports entertainment industry creates a numbing effect on the minds of its viewers, deadening them to really important events and distracting them from issues they should actually care about. That’s a problem. However, in 2024, it might be a necessary and welcome reprieve from politics. (READ MORE: The Secret Service Isn’t What Hollywood Promised Us It Was)
It’s been crazy, so take a break, pop open a beer or soda, and switch the channel to the Olympics this weekend. Marvel at the amazing feats of athletes who’ve spent their lives preparing for this moment and recharge before we dive into another four months of blindingly fast historic news items.
The post The Olympics Will Be a Welcome Reprieve From Politics appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.
