Fox Geezer Syndrome

[Swede]

This is from the article,not me.

-snip-


Over the past couple of years, I’ve been keeping track of a trend among friends around my age (late thirties to mid-forties). Eight of us (so far) share something in common besides our conservatism: a deep frustration over how our parents have become impossible to take on the subject of politics. Without fail, it turns out that our folks have all been sitting at home watching Fox News Channel all day – especially Glenn Beck’s program.

Used to be I would call my mom and get updated on news from the neighborhood, her garden, the grandchildren, hometown gossip, and so forth. I’ve always been interested in politics, but never had the occasion to talk about them with her. She just doesn’t care.

Or didn’t. I don’t know when it happened, exactly, but she began peppering our conversation with red-hot remarks about President Obama. I would try to engage her, but unless I shared her particular judgment, and her outrage, she apparently thought that I was a dupe or a RINO. Finally I asked my father privately why Mom, who as far as I know never before had a political thought, was so worked up about Obama all the time.

“She’s been like that ever since she started watching Glenn Beck,” Dad said.

http://www.frumforum.com/fox-geezer-syndrome

[MindandSoul]

1. We are not all "addicted" to Fox News!

But I get your point. I live in a retirement community, and I would say that 95% of my neighbors believe ever word spewed by Hannity, O'Reilly, Greta and Beck (their God!).

It is quite disheartening. . .to the point that just a few friends and I had to create a little group so we could actually talk. . once a month. . .about REAL politics!

I am 60 years old. . .and believe me. . .I'm not willing to go into Fox News Lala land without a fight!

[Sal Minella]

3. 95%? That is INCREDIBLY depressing.

I have watched a few clips of Beck, and it is immediately clear to me that the man is mentally ill.

How can anybody stand to listen to that deranged windbag spout his "shoot-em-in-the-head" poison day after day???

[Iris]

7. good for you!

and good thing you can come here as well!

[MindandSoul]

13. Yep. . .it keeps me from thinking I'm the crazy one!

[virgogal]

2. You seem prefer your Mom to talking about "old lady" things like

gardening,grandchildren,hometown gossip etc.

Maybe she's just trying to spread her wings a bit,even if you don't agree with her.

Talking about grandchildren and neighborhood gossip all of the time would be quite dull.

[Sal Minella]

4. Sounds to me like Mom has gone from being an engaged,

functioning grandma and gardener and neighborhood participant to being a Fox Zombie --

I don't see how watching Fox could be conducive to spreading one's intellectual wings at all.

[virgogal]

5. I'm sure she still does all of those nice thing. She's hardly glued to

the TV all day.

Maybe if she gets the political bug she'll find CNN,MSNBC,and the good old networks.

[Iris]

9. well, no. First, the OP posted a quote, so it's not him who wants his mom to talk about gardening

and the person being quoted actually he tried to engage her in political discussions in the past but she had no interest. Now all she does is spew talking points that she gets from Glen Beck. That's not a conversation. That's a memorized monologue.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Ok there is a reason

and I know that it will not be popular among some

I monitor radical TV. They use perception control and propaganda techniques that are very slick, and dangerous. I know what they are doing, and I need to take regular breaks. I am sure Brock, who used to be there, could explain this to that man very well. But it is not unlike a drug.

[Swede]

12. If the conservative writer of this is spooked by it,we should be too.

I wonder what a solution to this would be?

[Mariana]

8. My mom started listening to Faux News/Glenn Beck

and believing and parroting the crap after Obama won the nomination. She never paid attention before. From what I can tell, it's 100% on account of her racism. If they were talking about a white man on these shows, she'd roll her eyes and laugh at the ridiculous stuff they say. Because Obama is black, she's not just willing, she's EAGER to believe it all. It gives her an excuse to hate him so she can pretend it's not about his race.

[KT2000]

10. tell me about it

Try living in a retirement community where people listen to all the RW tv and radio shows all day and night. Some of them are so full of anger, they need to take it out on anyone who is around them. Had a guy try to ram a shopping cart into my car because he thought I left it in the lot - his car was full of RW stickers.
Don't go to their house and ring the bell for any reason - they already hate you before they open the door. Had an old fella bump the back of my car because he got tired of waiting to enter traffic.
Was waiting in a dr's waiting room when an old feller came in and started yelling about affirmative action because that is what he was listening to on the radio.
A guy who was going to give me an estimate for work, jumped out of his car and told me all Democrats are liars.

Fox Overdose Geezer Syndrome

[Sal Minella]

11. FOGS symptom constellation, geriatric onset. Prognosis: poor. n/t

[RedCloud]

14. Today is feel sorry for a hate channel day. Didn't you get the memo?