We’ve all seen the outrageous headlines highlighting two masked daredevils climbing the Empire State Building for what looks like a proposal. The sensationalist spin is thick; TMZ’s live stream is being hailed as “jaw-dropping,” while major networks like CNN and NBC rush to frame this as a romantic gesture rather than a blatant stunt for clicks. Why the sudden obsession with glorifying reckless behavior? Could it be that the mainstream media loves a tale of “daredevils” over the troubling reality we face each day?

Fox News, meanwhile, is likely to take this as an opportunity to dramatize the consequences of such delinquent behavior, forgetting the construction of norms around acceptable public actions. Are they even addressing the possibility that the ascent was part of a larger agenda to steal attention from pressing issues like inflation, crime rates, or the sheer absurdity of spending billions on useless infrastructure while our streets crumble? Instead of diving into critical discussions, they relish the flashy narrative.

What’s glaringly apparent in their coverage is the prioritization of spectacle over substance. This portrayal paints these escapades in a positive light, suggesting that romantic gestures done in dangerous situations are somehow noble, rather than foolhardy. It’s all a part of the spectacle-driven circus that mainstream media perpetuates: sensationalism over the truth, putting entertainment above critical discourse. We should be cautious about what we glorify. Are we really fine with glamorizing near-death experiences while ignoring the real challenges we face?