Newshounds

Folks pay a good bit of attention to television trucks, news reporters, and other media sightings.

I used to think that the feeble attempts to get on camera were motivated by an egoism. But that didn't suit the strange attraction to passing TV vans.

Figured it out. We're so conditioned to believe that what the media shows us is important that we think any presence of a media member must mean that something that needs to be brought to our attention is occuring. We must see what they're seeing, since it must be relevant and important.

Same as getting on camera. It's less about look at me and more about I'm on TV, I must be important!. It's a media driven validation of our own existence. If I'm seen, I must have some value.