<Transcript>
After a bit of juggling, everyone finally makes it onto the first PIVOTING TIMES staff video conference call.
Participants include: Sheralyn, Zeitgeist Karen, Big Brother, The Patriot, Rich Snitch, The Propagandist, Captain Pan, and Capella Nion.
Sheralyn kicks off the meeting.
SHERALYN
First off, I want to thank everyone for being here —
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Yeah, about that. It’s Sunday. Is this going to be a thing? Are we working on Sundays? Because I didn’t sign up for that. This is just a fun thing for me to do in between being a full-time mom, home schooling, and taking my kids to sports and dance classes. Sundays are my days off. I don’t schedule anything but three meals, church, and video chats with family.
SHERALYN
Right. Good question. Let’s say that from here on out: weekends are optional. Today is more about touching base and to get some focus and momentum going.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Mhmm.
SHERALYN
Now I brought you all on because you represent strong voices in different echo chambers and I thought it would be interesting to put you all in the same publication.
BIG BROTHER
Rookie mistake.
SHERALYN
Excuse me?
BIG BROTHER
Look around. Look at every news organization that’s doing well right now, and you know what you won’t find? Diversity.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Not true! I saw a news panel just the other day that only had one white person on it. People of color have never been more represented!
CAPTAIN PAN
This is going to be fun. I’m very glad I signed up for this.
RICH SNITCH
Eh. I’m still on the fence. One question: Does anyone get to talk at these meetings besides Karen?
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Excuse me? That is offensive and sexist! In scientifically observed business meetings, it is a proven fact that women are permitted to speak less, are more frequently interrupted, and are more likely to have their ideas dismissed or co-opted by men.
RICH SNITCH
Do you know where I can find one of those meetings? Cuz that’s sounding good to me right about now.
All the guys have a little chuckle.
SHERALYN
Getting back on topic: This is a meeting about focusing in and figuring out how we can put our voices together to keep busy people informed of current events. And, given that the world is in quarantine, Coronavirus is our top story.
THE PATRIOT
Right. It’s flu season and all of a sudden anyone who’s their own boss is a criminal for going to work, while anyone who works for the government or big business is “essential” and still getting paid. This is all just an opportunistic power play to kill small businesses.
SHERALYN
Do you want to write an opinion piece on that?
THE PATRIOT
I could do that in my sleep.
SHERALYN
Great. I’ll look for that opinion piece from you. And I know we have a lot of opinions in this room, so I’m going to ask: Does anyone here want to take on fact-based news stories?
RICH SNITCH
Not me. I’m here to get paid and no one clicks on facts.
SHERALYN
Okay. So do we have any takers on actual news?
For example, the CDC updated the numbers this morning.
On Friday, for US cases, the showed a total of:
62,406 COVID deaths.
This morning, they updated that to
37,308 COVID deaths.
That’s over a 40% drop in reported fatalities.
Anyone want to dig into what that’s about?
THE PATRIOT
I’ll tell you what that is!
It’s New York getting caught fixing the books on the rest of us!
SHERALYN
Through the lens of confirmation bias, perhaps.
But would you be willing to fact-check that against official sources?
THE PATRIOT
Why? They’re just going to lie anyway.
BIG BROTHER
Or maybe it’s not what you think. Maybe it’s Trump cooking the books to improve his image for re-election. Or maybe hospitals over-claimed the COVID code to qualify for payouts, and claims are starting to be rejected, causing numbers to be adjusted accordingly.
SHERALYN
Good points, Big Brother. It could be a lot of things.
Do you want to dig in and write the article?
BIG BROTHER
No.
SHERALYN
No?
BIG BROTHER
No. Current information is current.
People can tell themselves whatever they want about it.
SHERALYN
Sure. But that’s what news is supposed to guard against:
wild theories that can take root in the absence of facts.
I think people would be interested to learn why the numbers shifted so drastically.
BIG BROTHER
No. Not if they’ve watched Tiger King.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Wait. What do you mean? What does that have to do with anything?
I watched Tiger King and I care about facts!
THE PATRIOT
(under his breath)
See that? She almost made it one whole minute without talking.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Rude.
SHERALYN
Yes. Let’s keep personal comments at a minimum in this setting.
We don’t all have to get along to work together.
CAPTAIN PAN
Hear! Hear!
SHERALYN
So, Karen, do you want to take on the article about the drop in CDC numbers?
ZEITGEIST KAREN
I don’t think so. Those new numbers sound wrong to me.
Certainly, more than 40,000 Americans have died of COVID.
It’s all we’ve been hearing about for months, and I’ve been in quarantine with my kids for over six weeks!
SHERALYN
Right. And now we’re getting to the first phases of the “hindsight is 20/20” window. It’s a great time to assess what was effective, what was not, and how we want to handle things as a society moving forward.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Well, clearly, the world can never be the same again!
Think of the grandparents … think of the children!
BIG BROTHER
What she said.
THE PROPAGANDIST
I’ll work on a poster with that theme.
SHERALYN
(makes a note of that)
Okay. Thanks, Propagandist. You’re just waiting for a style guide for publication from me, yes?
THE PROPAGANDIST
Correct.
SHERALYN
Okay. I’ll get on that and get back to you. For now,
any takers on investigating the CDC numbers?
BIG BROTHER
No.
RICH SNITCH
No.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
No.
CAPTAIN PAN
No. Chaos and rumors are all that interests me.
SHERALYN
Gotcha. Patriot, how about you? Want to take this on?
THE PATRIOT
Why? They’re never going to tell the truth.
SHERALYN
Okay. How about you, Capella? You’ve been pretty quiet throughout all this.
Is this the kind of topic you’d like to cover?
CAPELLA NION
I never look back, only forward, while embracing the newly revealed potential of each moment.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Wait … what? Was I supposed to understand that?
THE PATRIOT
No. We’ve got a nut job in our midst.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Um. Okay, now I’m nervous. My understanding coming into this was that Capella would be doing things like horoscopes or something. Not anything to be taken seriously.
SHERALYN
Well, the rule is that you all get to choose what you want to do, at first.
And we go from there.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Right. But I didn’t sign up to write for The Enquirer. I have a reputation to consider. I am a mother of children! What, exactly, am I getting myself into here?
SHERALYN
Good question. Let’s do a role call and find out.
Big Brother? What will you be contributing?
BIG BROTHER
Systems and policy articles.
SHERALYN
Okay. Zeitgeist Karen?
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Word on the street.
SHERALYN
So … gossip column. Patriot?
THE PATRIOT
I’ll be bringing the truth to the people!
SHERALYN
Great. Opinion blog. Rich?
RICH SNITCH
Here to get paid. Ads only.
SHERALYN
Okay. Although it might be a while before we have paid advertisers.
You might have to be creative to get paid out of the gate.
RICH SNITCH
I’m looking into affiliate links now.
SHERALYN
Great. And Propagandist, you’re basically political cartoons, once I get you a style guide, yes?
THE PROPAGANDIST
Yes.
SHERALYN
Which brings us to Captain Pan. What’s your focus?
CAPTAIN PAN
I’m just here for the unrest. It builds character and culls the herd.
Good, honest fun.
SHERALYN
Gotcha. And Capella?
CAPELLA NION
I guess I’m like the Marianne Williamson of the 2020 elections in all this.
People will resonate with me, or they won’t. And I’m at peace with that.
SHERALYN
And what will you write about?
CAPELLA NION
Probably starseeds, fae, nature, aliens, and related prophecies.
THE PATRIOT
Nut job.
RICH SNITCH
(laughs under his breath)
SHERALYN
Okay. I think those are great starting points.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Yes. And, not to rush everyone, but I have a dinner to make and wasn’t expecting the meeting to go this long. May I be excused?
SHERALYN
Yes. Everyone is. This first meeting was more about introducing everyone to each other and carving out lanes of focus to make sure there aren’t overlaps. I look forward to what you all bring to me in the next couple of days.
BIG BROTHER
I’ll have something for you.
THE PATRIOT
Me, too.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
I’ll keep my ears and eyes open!
CAPTAIN PAN
And I’m thinking of heading to California to check out the impending beach riots.
ZEITGEIST KAREN
Ooh! I’m totally interested in that! Do you think they will actually riot? And will it lead to a mass infection? And how do we treat protesters who ignore social distancing and get infected? Do they get treated the same at hospitals? There’s just so much to talk about!
SHERALYN
That’s a good place to pick up tomorrow. For now, I’m going to let you all get back to your days. Thanks for taking the time to meet up.
Everyone says goodbyes.
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