Valencia: Good Night and Good Luck

The film begins in a smoke-filled room in 1958 where we see many upper class people enjoying a dinner party dedicated to Edward R. Murrow. We then see Edward R. Murrow appear in a haze of smoke to deliver a speech. The speech he gives is not some sappy speech one would give when trying to win the Ms. America award. It is shaking, uncomfortable, honest, and true to this day. He speaks about television, and if a historian were to find the recordings that were broadcasted on television at the time they would find evidence of decadence, escapism, and insulation. He criticizes the population, saying it has grown fat, comfortable, and complacent. I believe this is still very true to this day.  The purpose of mainstream television, dubbed the “idiot box” by some, is to entertain and distract. There is hardly any stimulation or any thought-provoking actions. This is what Edward R. Murrow was criticizing in his speech, along with the complacent and comfortable population. Television can reflect a society and it seems to all be decadence, escapism, and insulation, followed by a commercial break.

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This is just one parallel from the 50s that is evident today. In the 50s there was McCarthyism; today there is the Patriot Act. Is the Patriot act our modern-day version of McCarthyism? I believe it is.  What is the number one similarity? The number one similarity today is the use of fear. In the 1950s people were afraid of communism, especially here on our home soil. Today, the fear of communism has been replaced by the fear of terrorism. Instead of the Cold War, we have a war on terror. The same constitutional rights that were taken for security from communism are being taken today to be safe from terrorism, and if you criticize it, the terrorists win.

Who is to blame for this? The government? Should we simply blame everything on the government and call it a day? No. The fault lies with us as well. As Edward R. Murrow stated in the beginning and the end of the film, we have grown fat, comfortable, and complacent. We have a built in allergy to anything that would make us uncomfortable. Can a population like that change or fix anything? Of course not, because no one would ever want to step out of their comfort zone. Can you think of any hero that has ever done something of importance while in his comfort zone though? It’s called courage, and there’s not much of it going around.  Edward R. Murrow was against this. Like Ben Franklin once said, “Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.” I believe the Patriot Act and McCarthyism are this quote in motion. When a society reaches this level, it can never be a good thing.