We’ve lost our ‘why’ in a perfect storm.

So, what are we to make of this last thirty-day news cycle? The American people (indeed the world, considering the impact of both our economy and politics on everything global) are under media assault from the worst economic crisis in three-quarters of a century; and a presidential election that becomes more tumultuous and surreal almost by the hour. And that, more than anything, is what is driving this relentless barrage of changing news stories…the fact that both these stories have no staticticity. They are constantly evolving and changing shape, almost on an hourly basis. It’s a freefall news cycle. There is no time for deep analysis. No time for ‘why’…just ’what.’ We the consumers, the savers, the investors, the makers and the doers, and the voters, let alone the pundits and serious journalists, are left to watch with concern and even fright from the sidelines without the benefit of understanding. And without understanding, there is no sense of control. And without any sense of control, there is panic. Which then, ironically, becomes the third story of this news cycle…but still with more ‘what’ and very little ‘why.’

Something else is contributing to this news cycle of vertigo, the multiplicity and competitiveness of the modern media world itself. This is probably the greatest irony of all. There is no shelter any more from the news…that is, being told ‘what’ is going on and even opinions about the ‘what.’ While the printed page may be shrinking and even disappearing at times in this technology-based world, media sources have vastly expanded through broadcast outlets, the Internet, and now Web 2.0 social networks by the thousands. The choices have become infinite. The noise has become deafening. The competitive “gotcha” factor all-pervasive. It’s often who is first to tell the ‘what’ and not whether is been verified or not. The average connected citizen is bombarded with hundreds of reporting’s (true and untrue) and millions of opinions from all directions.

Thus, a perfect storm of an unpredicted and unprecedented news cycle of ever-tumultuous economics, politics, and panic…coupled with a multitude of sources of quickly assembled information, is hovering over us. The result is really frightening with a whole lot of ‘what’ and not much ‘why’ to give us comfort as the sky darkens.

However, being the optimist I am as well as old enough to know that news cycles are just that, cyclical, I recognize this time will indeed pass. And while we cannot necessarily alter events out of our immediate control, we can work toward better and more accurate, in-depth communications even as we expand our means of communicating. Sometimes less can be more; and less ‘what’ and more ‘why’ and even ‘why not’ can ease our journey through a crazed news cycle reporting on a crazed time.