In Praise of Beck

A born skeptic, with an additional trust issue, I approached the Glenn Beck radio and TV programs early on with the strong inclination to see him as a fake, a snake oil salesman out of the past. I felt compelled to watch and listen only because of his meteoric rise to controversial super-stardom - a true phenomenon in today’s communication jungle. I have watched and listened for two years now, and have drawn a few conclusions.

I’m not keen on the radio program. While there are sometimes very interesting comments or subjects, they tend to get lost in giddy(sophomoric?) humor that leaves me cold. Often they are too religion-bent for me, but of course many of his fans are serious church-going people. I am not one of them.

The TV programs are a different horse entirely.

Beck, a self-educated man, is a born teacher. The occasional guests merely punctuate the bulk of the fascinating full hour programs that feature only Glenn, a blackboard, chalk, occasional reference books and, fairly often, a small participating audience. I have that East Coast preppie Ivy League background he jokes about, a degree in Political Science, and decades of productive expatriate life in Asia. While some, in schools and out, have been his equal, I don’t believe I have ever had a better teacher.

But Glenn does more than teach. He makes prophesies based on his research, and, much to my initial surprise, he has been correct about outcomes in almost every instance. How can one argue with results? When he leaves FOX I will follow him still, skepticism at the ready, but open to the learning opportunities he provides, and plugs, for all.

The opposition brouhaha over Glenn Beck is a hoot! They should be so lucky as to find his equivalent in their fold! I won’t hold my breath.