Walter Cronkite and Luck: Difference between pages

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''This article is about good and bad fortune. There is also: [[Luck, Volhynia]], a town in [[Ukraine]], and [[Luck, Wisconsin]], a village in the [[USA]].''

'''Walter Leland Cronkite Jr.''' (born [[November 4]], [[1916]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[journalism|journalist]], best known for his work as a [[television]] news anchorman. During his tenure at [[CBS Evening News|CBS News]] he was often called "the most trusted man in America."

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'''Luck''' may be analysed from three viewpoints: rational, social, and spiritual.

==Rational viewpoint==

Indeed, his current biography at King Features Syndicate, for whom he writes a weekly column called "And That's The Way I See It" notes that "In a nationwide viewer opinion poll as recently as 1995, more than a decade after leaving the CBS anchor desk, he again was voted 'Most Trusted Man in Television News.'"

As related to the occurrences of actual events considered to be of low [[probability]] in a [[mathematics|mathematical]] or [[statistics|statistical]] sense. A [[rationalist]] approach would lead to the conclusion that such matters as whether or not someone bore a victim ill will would have no bearing upon (for example) that person being hit by a loose brick falling from a decrepit building. It was only due to a remote statistical probability that the brick's four [[Dimension|dimensional]] [[Spacetime|space-time]] path intercepted the 4D path of the victim's head (this was an actual occurrence in [[San Francisco]]). In a case like this both rationalists and spiritualists would likely say that the victim was ''unlucky''. In an example of good luck, a person winning a [[lottery]] would generally be considered lucky, although a rationalist might point out that there was bound to be a winner sooner or later, and there was actually nothing lucky about ''someone'' winning - it was merely a [[probability|probabilistic]] event. It is doubful that the winner would agree with that analysis, however.

==Social viewpoint==

Cronkite was born in [[Saint Joseph, Missouri]], and grew up in [[Houston, Texas]]. He attended middle school at [[Sidney Lanier Middle School, Houston|Lanier Middle School]]. Thereafter he attended the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. After various [[newspaper]] reporter jobs covering news and sports, he entered broadcasting as a [[radio]] announcer for a station in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]. He joined the [[United Press]] in [[1937]], and became one of the top American reporters in [[World War II]], covering battles in [[North Africa]] and [[Europe]]. After the war, he covered Nazi war crimes trials, and served as the United Press main reporter in [[Moscow]] for 2 years.

As a [[Society|social]] phenomenon, there is much truth in the saying "what goes around, comes around" (see [[karma]]). On the one hand, those who are kind and generous to others are usually perceived as open and accepting and so more likely to be freely offered assistance from others. They are also more likely to also be able to ask for and receive help from others in time of need. On the other hand, those who are asocial or anti-social are less likely ask for assistance or to be offered assistance by others. The open, generous and cheerful person is more likely to be classified by others as lucky, while the curmudgeon is more likely to be considered by others or to consider him/her self unlucky.

In [[1950]] he joined [[CBS]] news, in their growing young television division. He anchored the network's coverage of the [[U.S. presidential election, 1952|1952 Presidential election]], as he would continue to do with American elections until his retirement.

==Supernatural viewpoint==

Cronkite served as [[anchorman]] of the ''[[CBS Evening News]]'' from [[April 16]], [[1962]] until [[March 6]], [[1981]], a job in which he became an American icon.

There is also sometimes considered to be a [[supernatural]] bias towards experiencing events of good or ill fortune. In this sense some believe that one's own or another's good or bad luck can be influenced through spiritual means or by performing certain rituals or by avoiding certain (from a rational viewpoint non-relevant) situations. [[Voodoo]] is a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong, although many cultures worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their luckiness by ritualistic means. This often involves proper respect for spirits, believed to inhabit a ___location prior to human occupation. In some cultures, if one builds a house on a property it is respectful to provide a small [[spirit house]] for their habitation. In other cultures, a building may be interrupted by a passageway to allow the flow of spiritual energy - the ___location being determined by an expert in such matters. In such cultures, ignoring such matters is believed to lead to misfortune - ''bad luck''. In this context there is also the concept of "purpose" to events ascribed to luck, good or bad.

==Effects of viewpoint and beliefs==

During the early part of his time anchoring the [[CBS Evening News]], he competed against the [[NBC]] anchor team of [[Chet Huntley]] and [[David Brinkley]], who anchored the [[Huntley-Brinkley Report]]. During the greater part of the [[1960s]], the Huntley-Brinkley Report had more viewers than Cronkite's broadcast. This began to change in the late 1960s, as RCA made a corporate decision not to fund NBC News at the levels CBS funded CBS News. Consequently, CBS News acquired a reputation for accuracy and depth in broadcast journalism. This reputation meshed nicely with Cronkite's wire service experience, and in [[1968]], the CBS Evening News began to surpass the Huntley-Brinkley Report in viewership during the summer months. The CBS Evening News achieved total dominance of the American news viewing audience in [[1970]], when Huntley retired and corporate dithering on RCA's part crippled the selection of a successor anchor, and successive format. During this time, Cronkite's broadcast achieved a dominance it would not lose while he was at the anchor desk.

The belief in luck as a supernatural phenomenon is generally regarded by rationalists as a form of [[magical thinking]]. However, there is evidence that people who believe themselves to have '''good luck''' are more able to take advantage of fortunate chance events in their lives, and to compensate for unfortunate chance events in their lives, than people who believe that they have '''bad luck'''. This appears to be the result of [[positive thinking]] altering their responses to these events. A belief in luck can also indicate a belief in an external [[locus of control]] for events in their life and so escape from personal responsibility.

Some philosophers argue that we each "create our own reality", literally and not metaphorically, and in that context what appears to be good luck can be interpreted as having beliefs that encourage or create what are putatively good outcomes.

For many years, Cronkite was considered one of the most trusted figures in the [[United States]]. Affectionately known as "Uncle Walter", he covered many of the important news events of the era so effectively that his image and voice are closely associated with the [[Cuban missile crisis]], the [[assassination]] of President [[John F. Kennedy]], the [[Vietnam War]], the [[Apollo 11]] [[Moon]] landing, and the [[Watergate scandal]]. He is remembered by many as finishing the CBS Evening News with the phrase, "&hellip;and that's the way it is."

===Risky lifestyles===

The announcement of his retirement plans [[February 14]], [[1980]] became a national event. [[Dan Rather]] succeeded him as anchor of the CBS Evening News.

Often those who ascribe their travails to "bad luck" will be found upon close examination to be living [[Risk|risky]] [[Lifestyle|lifestyles]]. For example: a drunk driver may ascribe their arrest to the bad luck of being observed by a patrolman, or the bad luck of being involved in a traffic accident (perhaps not even the victim's fault), as a way of avoiding personal responsibility for his/her actions.

===Positive outlook===

Cronkite currently writes a [[Print syndication|syndicated]] opinion column for [[King Features Syndicate]]. He has continued to broadcast occasionally as a special correspondent for [[CBS]], [[CNN]], and [[NPR]] into the [[21st century]]; one such occasion was Cronkite anchoring the second space flight by [[John Glenn]] in [[1998]] as he had Glenn's first in [[1962]].

On the other hand, people who consider themselves "lucky" in having good health may be actually reaping the benefits of a cheerful outlook and satisfying social relationships, both of which are well known [[statistics|statistically]] to be protective against many stress-related diseases.

===Effects===

His other projects since his retirement have included voicing a character based on [[Benjamin Franklin]] in the educational television cartoon ''[[Liberty's Kids]]'' and, as Amateur Radio operator KB2GSD, narrating a documentary about [[Amateur Radio]] in the public service for the [[American Radio Relay League]]. Cronkite also appeared in a 2004 [[MTV]] special report on the American presidential election.

If "good" and "bad" events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, although untrue, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive [[meme]].

The [[gambler's fallacy]] and [[inverse gambler's fallacy]] are both related to belief in luck.

The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication is part of

[[Arizona State University]].

==Numerology==

Since retiring, Cronkite has become outspoken as a voice for liberal causes. In his column, he has repeatedly condemned President [[George W. Bush]]'s 2003 invasion of Iraq and advocated the establishment of a world-wide government. In 1998, he befriended President [[Bill Clinton]] during his [[impeachment]] trial.

Most cultures consider some [[numerology|numbers]] to be lucky or unlucky. This is found to be particularly strong in Asian cultures, where the obtaining of "lucky" [[telephone number]]s, automobile [[license plate]] numbers, and [[address (geography)|household addresses]] are actively sought, sometimes at great [[Money|monetary]] expense.

==Sayings==

== External links ==

Popular sayings and quotations related to luck:

* [http://www.asu.edu/cronkite/ Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University]

* "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" -

* [http://www.interfaithalliance.org/cronkite/bio.htm Biography on InterfaithAlliance]

* "You make your own luck" -

* [http://www.admontheweb.com/ Walter Cronkite Fansite]

* "When it rains, it pours" - this is an expression of the mathematical property of statistically independent events to bunch together.

* [http://www.arrl.org/ARToday/ Amateur Radio Today (video)]

* "Bad things happen in threes" - see above

* "Luck is the residue of design" - [[Branch Rickey]]

* When something happens by "sheer dumb luck", it is considered to have happened unintentionally and without planning.

* "Luck doesn't exist." There are more variations on this phrase than can be listed here, but not enough to make believers care.

* "Luck be your lady tonight"

* A famous Samuel Goldwyn quote sums up the rationalist view: "The harder I work, the luckier I get". Or an equally famous [[Gary Player]] quote "The harder I practise, the luckier I get".

* [[Knocking on wood]], spoken expression used as a [[charm]] to bring good luck.

* "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck" - [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]].

* "Luck can only get you so far" by Hermione, referring to a "luck potion Felix Felicis" in {{Harry Potter]] (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

==Items or events==

Several items or happenings are considered lucky or unlucky.

===Lucky===

*Finding a [[penny]] on heads

*[[Horseshoe]]s

*Four-leaf [[clovers]]

*[[Rabbit]]'s [[feet]]

*[[Ladybug]]s

===Unlucky===

*[[Friday]] the [[13 (number)|13]]th

*The number 13 (Many buildings skipped 13 when numbering their floors for this reason)

*[[Black]] [[cat]] crossing your path

*Stepping on a crack (it breaks the mother of the stepper's back)

*Breaking a [[mirror]] (seven years bad luck)

*Spilling over [[salt]] (but you can get rid of the bad luck by throwing the salt over your left shoulder).

*Putting a hat on a bed

*Opening an [[umbrella]] indoors

*Seeing three butterflies at the same time

*Killing a ladybug

*Walking underneath a [[ladder]]

==Luck in fiction==

*[[Gladstone Gander]], a fictional [[cartoon]] character, is dependent solely upon his good luck.

*[[Joe Btfsplk]], a character in the [[Li'l Abner]] (Little Abner) [[comic strip]] by the cartoonist [[Al Capp]] is not only unlucky, he is shunned by the other characters as they suspect (with good reason) that this bad luck may be [[infection|infectious]].

*In [[Larry Niven|Larry Niven's]] novel ''[[Ringworld]]'', the character [[Teela Brown]] was the incredibly lucky result of a centuries-long breeding program initiated by the alien [[Pierson's Puppeteers]] directed to just such an outcome. The consequence of her state was that she'd led such a charmed and worry-free life that she was emotionally immature and unprepared for "harsh reality."

*In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' series, luck is an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic personification]] known as the Lady, who, while not a goddess, is powerful enough to be the rival of the god Fate.

*[[Eugene Horowitz]] from [[Hey Arnold]] is known for the bad luck he constantly has, though his [[optimism]] always makes his personality win over it.

*In the [[Harry Potter]] novels, there is a [[potion]], [[Felix Felicis]], which gives its drinker good luck.

*[[Furrball]] the cat in ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' is a perpetually unfortunate feline, forever suffering mishaps, though frequently it's his own actions (i.e. overwhelming greed) that get him into trouble (not unlike mentor Sylvester the cat).

==See also==

*[[Curse]]

*[[Destiny]]

*[[Evil eye]]

*[[Fate]]

*[[Folk religion]]

*[[Irrationality]]

*[[Magic (paranormal)]]

*[[Probability]]

*[[Statistics]]

*[[Superstition]]