Re: Media myths (Was Townsend)

["Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Faneuf" <tklaundry@juno.com>
To: <billings@suscom-maine.net>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>; <dlh@donnahalper.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Media myths (Was Townsend)


>> You must have interesting standards for what untruths constitute myth,

I looked it up.  And it depends upon what myth actually means!  (Now I sound
like Clinton.)

One definition is "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical
events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a
practice, belief, or natural phenomenon."  If this is the definition that
you want to use then the Gore stories are myth.  They are not strictly true,
but help explain a belief or natural phenomenon, i.e. Al Gore is a liar.
;-)

Another definition is "a person or thing having only an imaginary or
unverifiable existence."  Looking at the sources you offered, I do not think
the shorthand version of Gore's statements rise to that level.  If you look
at the full story, in my opinion, Gore was trying to play up his role in the
events in a manner not supported by the facts.  The shorthand version of
those statements, though not accurate, communicate that idea.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine