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Short intro: I consider myself a ben-yeshiva/ben-torah, who went to mainstream yeshivas and learned in kollel for several years after marriage. I then entered the high-tech industry. Like many frum people, I was overjoyed when YWN first opened. Like most frum people who join the internet-connected workforce, I finally had a kosher source for news, making it a lot easier to stay away from “mainstream” – and usually less than kosher – news sites.
Lately, though, I have been looking on with trepidation at what seems to be a radical change in the hashkafic direction of YWN. Putting aside the quibble that I have that YWN has recently taken to sometimes heavily inject personal opinion/hashkafa into what are supposed to be news articles (which is considered a journalistic faux-pas), what is much much worse is that YWN has started to become a site which I feel I can’t visit for SPIRITUAL reasons.
Two recent examples come to mind:
1. During the coverage of the cruise ship’s accident, a headlines in YWN quotes a witness saying “it was like a scene from Titanic”. I simply couldn;t believe it. It’s one thing when YWN allows people to make references to movies in the CR, but in a headline on the main page? (I have not, myself, seen Titanic, but I have heard from some who unfortunately have that it includes the worst of pritzus).
2. During a news item of the forced closure of megaupload, YWN mentioned several goyishe celebrities by name. I had never heard of them, and right-clicked and searched one of them, and was immediately exposed to some of the worst that the web has to offer. Yes, of course I shouldn’t have done so. Although to my defense, having never heard of that celebrity, I though it was a male! Turns out it’s a female celebrity.
So what I need to know is, has YWN made a conscious hashkafic decision that they are no longer directed at the Yeshiva crowd? If so, I think they have the duty to make that known. They have no right to call themself Yeshiva world news, thus attracting my patronage, while exposing me to material that goes against my education and hashkafa: the yeshiva education and hashkafa…
Titanic was not only a motion picture production. It was a real news event way back when. I’m sure the YWN was referring to the original Titanic and not to a Hollywood production.
i know this is not your point, but the titanic was a historical event, forget about a movie. Like saying something was like a scene from 9/11.
It’s one thing when YWN allows people to make references to movies in the CR, but in a headline on the main page? (I have not, myself, seen Titanic, but I have heard from some who unfortunately have that it includes the worst of pritzus).
You are, aware, of course, that the Titanic disaster happened in real life (in fact, the 100th anniversary of it will be this April). The reference could just as easily have been about the actual disaster and not the movie.
The Wolf
It’s not a recent problem here. Read this article from about a year ago,
Title – Antisemitic Hag, Helen Thomas Wants Apology from Obama, Reasserts Zionists Own White House
(Friday, March 18th, 2011)
“it was like a scene from Titanic”.
The (apparent) failure of the OP to realize that this was a real-life event reminds me of a joke I heard.
A couple is standing in line to see the movie Titanic. While they’re waiting, they’re discussing the film and one of them says, a bit too loudly, “I hear the special effects when the ship goes down are awesome!”
An annoyed voice from behind them says in a voice filled with sarcasm “Hey, thanks for spoiling the movie!”
The Wolf
I have not posted anything in a long time in the coffee room precisely because of the ideas you expressed. I am not chas v’Shalom demeaning anybody or anything else, for that matter, but I feel like the coffee room in general has lost it’s “kedusha”, for lack of a better term.
Your post caught my eye, as I do check the news here often, but I feel that the coffee room has crossed too many lines, too many times. I understand it’s hard to say no to. It’s catchy and a new experience for most, and thus naturally attractive. I would suggest, that we make an active attempt to connect with real-live friends, as opposed to cyber acquaintances, whom we would not even acknowledge in the street (I.e if they were 20 years younger than us, a different gender, etc.)
I myself, as an introvert, find this to be very difficult to turn away from, because I am able to express my inner feelings without being judged and with new perspectives likely to be responded to my words.
Instead of falling prey to “derech ha’olam”, let us unite to buck the current trends. If you need it as an outlet, sign up for forums that deal with deficiencies we all inevitably have. There are so many support groups and blogs that can help us become better people, assuming the authors subscribe to the same hashkafos that we do. All of it takes research, but it’s worth the investment. I speak from experience. And I would not like to do it alone. Let us unite “k’ish echad b’lev echad” in fighting for Hashem’s glory and honor.
While it’s nice to want to be Dan lekaf zechus, in this case it is clear what was meant was the movie, not the historical event.
1. The headline said ‘out of titanic’, not ‘from the titanic’
2. I am unfamiliar with any historical event called
(fill in any of the goyishe celebrities from the above mentioned article)Shraga18: Don’t by so disapointed. It happens to all of us. Maybe the Mashgiach went to drink…COFFEE.
btw, yes Titanic probably was referring to the REAL disaster. I too, heve NEVER in fact heard of such a movie production – UNTIL YOU BROUGHT IT UP HERE – NOW!!!
shraga, in all honesty, you don’t belong on the internet. period.
No, you don’t say something was like a scene out of 9/11. It was an obvious reference to the movie, no doubt.
That being said, YWN is not a filtering service. Was there a serious breach in the fact that they let you know there was a certain movie? I never watched Titanic while I was aware of it’s existance. I even enjoy its music.
The only change in YWN that I noticed is the language that used to be blocked out that became used regularly. I can’t really blame them for this. While I try to keep my own mouth clean the fact remains that certain terminology became mainstream.
Surely you can’t blame YWN for the pics of the celebrity that popped up on your computer when you googled it. I say that YWN is doing a great job and those who don’t think it’s for them can go else where.
Interesting how you all ignore his second example and totally ignored the point he was trying to make. He has an excellent point.
“scene from TITANIC” is a movie. Scene from “the titanic” is the real life event. Meduyak!
Titanic was not only a motion picture production. It was a real news event way back when. I’m sure the YWN was referring to the original Titanic and not to a Hollywood production.
Except for the fact that the last survivior of the Titanic died in 2009 as reported on YWN so nobody alive can make that comparison.
The reference was to the movie, though.
I agree with the OP that these particular references should not have been used, if possible, particularly references to mushchasim and menuvalim.
Shraga18,
You made some valid points. However don’t you think the title of this thread is a bit out of wack??
‘LOST ITS WAY’ would indicate that the TOPICS brought on this website are of inappropriate content. Whereas, your point is that there were COMPARISONS made which might not have been ‘yeshiva oriented’.
There is a big difference!
An annoyed voice from behind them says in a voice filled with sarcasm “Hey, thanks for spoiling the movie!”
Now THAT was funny (not the sinking of the ship, the person who was clueless).
YWN has published well over 100,000 articles in 7(?) years.
And you found 2 items in question.
Wow.
I don’t see anyone going nuts that the Yated Newspaper had a four-letter word in their paper two weeks ago.
Get real people.
And get a life.
John Doe, good points.
If anyone has a message for the editorial board of YWN, feel free to use the contact button on the YWN homage, and let us know your concerns.
Make sure to use a working email address, so if a response will be needed, we will be able to contact you.
–YW Admin.
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