An internet search for 'Ukraine nuclear war' yields 178,000,000 results..News media continue to publish an ‘infodemic’ of daily stories on the likelihood of Russia launching a tactical nuclear strike against Ukraine (not unlike the recent over-coverage of COVID-19) while scores of frantic talking-heads pump-up the threat of nuclear Armageddon across all media..There is an old saying in journalism, “If it bleeds, it leads.” While this ‘unofficial motto of TV news’ is credited to New York magazine reporter Eric Pooley, the practice dates back to 1898 when William Randolph Hearst sought to increase readership for his New York Post by printing speculative headlines regarding the Cuban Revolution..He was competing for readership against the New York World — owned by Joseph Pulitzer — that also offered sensationalistic news reporting. The use of fear-mongering headlines, unsubstantiated facts, and out of context quotes became known as ‘sensationalism’, or ‘yellow journalism’ (named after a popular comic strip named ‘The Yellow Kid’)..Our contemporary fear-based media industry owes much to Hearst and Pulitzer..Fear-mongering can have negative health impacts. In Psychology Today, Dr. Deborah Serani writes, “In truth, watching the news can be a psychologically risky pursuit, which could undermine your mental and physical health… Fear-based news stories prey on the anxieties we all have and then hold us hostage … (creating) a fragmented sense of knowing what's real, which sets off feelings of hopelessness and helplessness — experiences known to worsen depression.”.No one could argue (convincingly) nuclear Armageddon headlines are not fear-mongering, but is the shear density of fear-based reporting also a danger?.The concept of a self-fulfilling prophesy, after all, is supported by science. The term was defined by sociologist Dr. Robert Merton of Harvard University as, “A false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the originally false conception come true.”.The ‘false definition’ here, of course, is nuclear Armageddon is imminent. According to Merton, sometimes a belief brings about consequences that cause reality to match the belief. Usually, those at the centre of a self-fulfilling prophecy don’t understand their beliefs actually caused the feared consequences..Our thoughts shape our communications and actions. Simply Psychology explains, “a mis-representation of reality or guess at the truth that in turn caused behaviors … end up making this hypothetical into an actual reality. Simply put, a false reality could actually become truth due to human psychological responses to predictions, fears and worries associated with the future.”.In “Pygmalion in the Classroom” (Rosenthal and Jacobson), Harvard psychology professor Dr. Robert Rosenthal described “The Pygmalion Effect,” whereby our expectations influence our actions towards others, which then impact others beliefs and actions towards us: “When we expect certain behaviours of others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behaviour more likely to occur.”.One notable historical example of self-fulfilling prophesy occurred following the crash of the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 29, 1929. Over the next four years, rumours about bank solvency led to the failure of eleven-thousand banks across the US (almost half the banks in the country) as customers withdrew their deposits in panic. Their actions were influenced by their belief the banks were failing, which led to the banks failing — thereby causing the great depression (some say)..Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, there have been various official public statements from NATO, the US, and Russia which have mentioned the possible use of nuclear weapons within broader statements on the war (or ‘special military action’, as the Russians refer to it). However, all statements referred to defensive use. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not threatened (at least, not publicly) to use tactical nuclear weapons. Statements from NATO and the US have simply advised Russia not to initiate a nuclear attack..While it might not be wise to give much credit to Putin’s statements, neither is it responsible to amplify, distort, or misrepresent the level of threat..On November 8, it was announced the US and Russia agreed to resume talks on the existing START agreement, to reduce nuclear arms. Russia subsequently postponed meetings. This week, the US accused Russia of defaulting on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START,) saying Russia was not complying with its obligation to facilitate inspection activities, and had also failed to convene a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission in accordance with the treaty-mandated timeline. Russia called the accusations "sensational," claiming the U.S. violated the accord. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Anatov said in an interview, "We have repeatedly pointed out to Washington the situation around START is a direct result of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against our country…”.It’s time to tone down the nuclear Armageddon rhetoric, abandon ‘yellow journalism’, and bring back responsible reporting of the facts..Until there is an actual new development in the story, the hyping has to stop..The belief/action loop here is bad for everyone..Ken Grafton is a freelance writer.
An internet search for 'Ukraine nuclear war' yields 178,000,000 results..News media continue to publish an ‘infodemic’ of daily stories on the likelihood of Russia launching a tactical nuclear strike against Ukraine (not unlike the recent over-coverage of COVID-19) while scores of frantic talking-heads pump-up the threat of nuclear Armageddon across all media..There is an old saying in journalism, “If it bleeds, it leads.” While this ‘unofficial motto of TV news’ is credited to New York magazine reporter Eric Pooley, the practice dates back to 1898 when William Randolph Hearst sought to increase readership for his New York Post by printing speculative headlines regarding the Cuban Revolution..He was competing for readership against the New York World — owned by Joseph Pulitzer — that also offered sensationalistic news reporting. The use of fear-mongering headlines, unsubstantiated facts, and out of context quotes became known as ‘sensationalism’, or ‘yellow journalism’ (named after a popular comic strip named ‘The Yellow Kid’)..Our contemporary fear-based media industry owes much to Hearst and Pulitzer..Fear-mongering can have negative health impacts. In Psychology Today, Dr. Deborah Serani writes, “In truth, watching the news can be a psychologically risky pursuit, which could undermine your mental and physical health… Fear-based news stories prey on the anxieties we all have and then hold us hostage … (creating) a fragmented sense of knowing what's real, which sets off feelings of hopelessness and helplessness — experiences known to worsen depression.”.No one could argue (convincingly) nuclear Armageddon headlines are not fear-mongering, but is the shear density of fear-based reporting also a danger?.The concept of a self-fulfilling prophesy, after all, is supported by science. The term was defined by sociologist Dr. Robert Merton of Harvard University as, “A false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the originally false conception come true.”.The ‘false definition’ here, of course, is nuclear Armageddon is imminent. According to Merton, sometimes a belief brings about consequences that cause reality to match the belief. Usually, those at the centre of a self-fulfilling prophecy don’t understand their beliefs actually caused the feared consequences..Our thoughts shape our communications and actions. Simply Psychology explains, “a mis-representation of reality or guess at the truth that in turn caused behaviors … end up making this hypothetical into an actual reality. Simply put, a false reality could actually become truth due to human psychological responses to predictions, fears and worries associated with the future.”.In “Pygmalion in the Classroom” (Rosenthal and Jacobson), Harvard psychology professor Dr. Robert Rosenthal described “The Pygmalion Effect,” whereby our expectations influence our actions towards others, which then impact others beliefs and actions towards us: “When we expect certain behaviours of others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behaviour more likely to occur.”.One notable historical example of self-fulfilling prophesy occurred following the crash of the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 29, 1929. Over the next four years, rumours about bank solvency led to the failure of eleven-thousand banks across the US (almost half the banks in the country) as customers withdrew their deposits in panic. Their actions were influenced by their belief the banks were failing, which led to the banks failing — thereby causing the great depression (some say)..Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, there have been various official public statements from NATO, the US, and Russia which have mentioned the possible use of nuclear weapons within broader statements on the war (or ‘special military action’, as the Russians refer to it). However, all statements referred to defensive use. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not threatened (at least, not publicly) to use tactical nuclear weapons. Statements from NATO and the US have simply advised Russia not to initiate a nuclear attack..While it might not be wise to give much credit to Putin’s statements, neither is it responsible to amplify, distort, or misrepresent the level of threat..On November 8, it was announced the US and Russia agreed to resume talks on the existing START agreement, to reduce nuclear arms. Russia subsequently postponed meetings. This week, the US accused Russia of defaulting on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START,) saying Russia was not complying with its obligation to facilitate inspection activities, and had also failed to convene a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission in accordance with the treaty-mandated timeline. Russia called the accusations "sensational," claiming the U.S. violated the accord. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Anatov said in an interview, "We have repeatedly pointed out to Washington the situation around START is a direct result of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against our country…”.It’s time to tone down the nuclear Armageddon rhetoric, abandon ‘yellow journalism’, and bring back responsible reporting of the facts..Until there is an actual new development in the story, the hyping has to stop..The belief/action loop here is bad for everyone..Ken Grafton is a freelance writer.
