Mean and Lazy

What's worse, mean or lazy? I'm using "mean" in both the common usage of cruel as well as the older sense of "lacking charity in action or spirit."

Our local paper is mean and lazy. I don't know what to do about it. I depend on the paper for estate sale ads, the local editorials, hometown news. And, the paper shredded is great kitten litter. I consider canceling our subscription but my LH enjoys looking through the paper (sports section, comics) each morning while drinking his coffee. I've moved to the 'net for my news because I can read all the State papers, NYTimes, etc. with ease.

A local controversy took over the news staff 36 months ago. However I feel about the controversy, I'm pained by how the paper treats individuals involved. They print mean things about local people without regard to whether the information is news, editorial content or just something to put in the paper. Writers don't check background information so much information which explains behaviors is ignored. I've known the local paper staff for years now and realize that the majority of their work is organizing national news feeds from the wire services and making a few phone calls. They are lazy.

Today's paper brought such meanness to the front page that I dropped the paper and wouldn't touch it until hours later. I felt as if something dark, dank and repulsive plopped on my kitchen desk. LH took the paper to read in our bedroom. Only after hours of walking around the paper pile did I decide to check the content again and see if I was having a 'moment' or was I really seeing heartless carelessness with a human being.

I stand by my first impression.

When I am in charge of the universe, people who hurt others will feel double the pain that they inflict on someone else. They'll never get numbed to the pain. It will hurt big-time.

It will work like this: if I slap you with my language, I'll feel a double slap of pain until I realize that mean and lazy is no way to treat people.