--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now The Head Lines How do you like your…" description: "\"“ Now The Head Lines How do you like your truth? Gently spoken on breakfast TV By a man and a woman who sit comfortably Saying riots, and murder, when ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/benjamin-zephaniah-33067_bad-kid_now-the-head-lines-how-do-you-like-your_86391.png" --- # Now The Head Lines How do you like your truth? Gently… ![“Now The Head Lines How do you like your truth? Gently spoken on breakfast TV By a man and a woman who sit comfortably Saying riots, and murder, when will it end? As they struggle to act as if they are good friends. How do you like your truth? Bite-sized in sound bites cut easy to chew, With a…” quote by Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/benjamin-zephaniah-33067_bad-kid_now-the-head-lines-how-do-you-like-your_86391.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/benjamin-zephaniah-33067_bad-kid_now-the-head-lines-how-do-you-like-your_86391.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/benjamin-zephaniah-33067_bad-kid_now-the-head-lines-how-do-you-like-your_86391.png) > ““ Now The Head Lines How do you like your truth? Gently spoken on breakfast TV By a man and a woman who sit comfortably Saying riots, and murder, when will it end? As they struggle to act as if they are good friends. How do you like your truth? Bite-sized in sound bites cut easy to chew, With a talking head saying the victim's like you And when you've digested the horrors you've seen You find good, you find evil, and no in-between. How do you like your truth? Fantastic, sensational, printed in bold, Today it's exclusive, tomorrow it's old, All on the surface with nothin too deep With a story about animals to help you to sleep How do you like your youth? From perfect families with parents thet care, Or in perfect families but still in despair, Ten out of ten parents say they'd not choose To have bad kids like those in the news.”” [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of media’s shallow, sensationalist framing of truth, reducing complex issues to bite‑size soundbites that obscure nuance. **In simple terms:** Media reduces truth to soundbites. Key Takeaway Surface narratives mask deeper realities. Themes media criticism truth manipulation sensationalism social decay Mood critical skeptical Type poetic critique social commentary When to use this quote - watching news breakfast shows - consuming viral headlines - discussing societal violence Key Concepts information overload public discourse ethical journalism Practical Applications - media literacy education - critical analysis of news sources Questions to Reflect On - How does sensationalism affect public perception? - What responsibilities do broadcasters have to depth? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Good friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-friend/) [Good friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-friends/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Weep no more for treasures you've been searching for in vain, 'cause the truth is gently falling with the rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-moody-blues/weep-no-more-for-treasures-you-ve-been-searching-for-in-vain-cause/) [The Moody Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-moody-blues/) > [Say your truth-kindly, but fully and completely. Live your truth, gently, but totally and consistently. Change your truth easily and quickly when your experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/say-your-truth-kindly-but-fully-and-completely-live-your-truth-gently/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [When I'm up there, and I know the show's coming to a close, in my head I'm saying to myself, Oh man, you gotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/when-i-m-up-there-and-i-know-the-show-s-coming-to-a-close-in-my-head/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [Some people make tunes, but it is lines that run like moving messages through my head. Whatever else I am saying and doing often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/some-people-make-tunes-but-it-is-lines-that-run-like-moving-messages/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [“Nodding your head, saying yeah, yeah and pretending to know things you don't is right up there with one of the worst things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/nodding-your-head-saying-yeah-yeah-and-pretending-to-know-things-you/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [Even when things are at their worst, there's a little voice in your head saying, 'Good story!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/even-when-things-are-at-their-worst-there-s-a-little-voice-in-your/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [When you feel the entire world is against you, there is still a little voice in back of your head that keep saying You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-rathi/when-you-feel-the-entire-world-is-against-you-there-is-still-a-little/) Sanjay Rathi > [“I think, therefore I am, said a man whose mother quickly hit him on the head, saying, I hit my son on the head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-edson/i-think-therefore-i-am-said-a-man-whose-mother-quickly-hit-him-on-the/) [Russell Edson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-edson/) > [“The Roach clasps his hand on the back of my neck with a laugh. 'You did good, kid, you know that? You came out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/the-roach-clasps-his-hand-on-the-back-of-my-neck-with-a-laugh-you-did/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“It is now. But a trip like this? You will find something to fill it with. A truth of your own, that you discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-pennypacker/it-is-now-but-a-trip-like-this-you-will-find-something-to-fill-it/) [Sara Pennypacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-pennypacker/) > [...beauty, like truth, never is so glorious as when it goes the plainest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/beauty-like-truth-never-is-so-glorious-as-when-it-goes-the-plainest/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“This is the thing about great literature. It reads like truth and sticks to you forever and lets you know that you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlaina-tibensky/this-is-the-thing-about-great-literature-it-reads-like-truth-and/) [Arlaina Tibensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlaina-tibensky/) > [I just speak what I feel like is the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-elliott/i-just-speak-what-i-feel-like-is-the-truth/) [Chase Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-elliott/) > [Nothing misleads people like the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-brolin/nothing-misleads-people-like-the-truth/) [Josh Brolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-brolin/) > [The Reality Will Always Sound Bad Just Like The Truth Will Always Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-haynes/the-reality-will-always-sound-bad-just-like-the-truth-will-always-hurt/) [Edwin Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-haynes/) ## More by Benjamin Zephaniah > [“Don't give me truth, just give me gossip And skeletons from people's closets, I wanna be normal And millions buy it, I am blinded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/don-t-give-me-truth-just-give-me-gossip-and-skeletons-from-people-s/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“My name is Alem Kelo. I live with the Fitzgeralds, my foster family, at 202 Meanly Road, Manor Park, London. I have also lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/my-name-is-alem-kelo-i-live-with-the-fitzgeralds-my-foster-family-at/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“I think they had something to do with the killing of Mr. Joseph, miss." She laughed, as all adults seem to do when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/i-think-they-had-something-to-do-with-the-killing-of-mr-joseph-miss/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“martin learnt quickly to take every day as it came and never expect one day to be the same as the last”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/martin-learnt-quickly-to-take-every-day-as-it-came-and-never-expect/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [Rap comes from the oral tradition. The oral tradition gives voice to those who would've otherwise been voiceless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/rap-comes-from-the-oral-tradition-the-oral-tradition-gives-voice-to/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“De young an old are doing it I have a rappin mudder Everybody has dere rap so let's rap to each other No matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/de-young-an-old-are-doing-it-i-have-a-rappin-mudder-everybody-has/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“know what I must do, Father,’ he said, still looking into his father’s eyes. ‘I must represent Mother’s ideas, I should promote her dream.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/know-what-i-must-do-father-he-said-still-looking-into-his-father-s/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“real men cry, real men have feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/real-men-cry-real-men-have-feelings/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“˜ Life After Death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/life-after-death/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [The way animals are carted around reminds me of the slavery of my people... The slavery of animals has to be ended too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/the-way-animals-are-carted-around-reminds-me-of-the-slavery-of-my/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“A few years ago if yu said yu were Green Yu were really seen as Red.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/a-few-years-ago-if-yu-said-yu-were-green-yu-were-really-seen-as-red/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“But Robert, don’t you think it’s a bit cold to just hang out? If we hang out for long enough we will freeze.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/but-robert-don-t-you-think-it-s-a-bit-cold-to-just-hang-out-if-we/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [This planet is for everyone, borders are for no one. It's all about freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/this-planet-is-for-everyone-borders-are-for-no-one-it-s-all-about/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) [Explore all 14 Benjamin Zephaniah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) ## More Bad kid quotes > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [Aye I'm not a bad kid I just lost my soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooly-justice/aye-i-m-not-a-bad-kid-i-just-lost-my-soul/) [Cooly Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooly-justice/) > [I wasn't a good kid in school. I wasn't a bad kid. I just didn't focus. My grades weren't good. I mucked around, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacre-montgomery/i-wasn-t-a-good-kid-in-school-i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-i-just-didn-t-focus/) [Dacre Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacre-montgomery/) > [People always ask my mom what I did as a kid. My mom says, "He wasn't a bad kid. He was never an unruly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-the-cable-guy/people-always-ask-my-mom-what-i-did-as-a-kid-my-mom-says-he-wasn-t-a/) [Larry the Cable Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-the-cable-guy/) > [This stigma associated with drug use--the belief that bad kids use, good kids don't, and those with full-blown addiction are weak, dissolute, and pathetic--has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/this-stigma-associated-with-drug-use-the-belief-that-bad-kids-use/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [“Cos there's holes in this world,see. Holes. And the likes of Thommo, and Keith, and me, and Kenny, we just sort of fall through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ayris/cos-there-s-holes-in-this-world-see-holes-and-the-likes-of-thommo-and/) Ian Ayris > [“I'm often painted as the bad kid, The other side of me wants to hand out the brush”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cruz/i-m-often-painted-as-the-bad-kid-the-other-side-of-me-wants-to-hand/) [Patrick Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cruz/) > [When I was in high school, I wasn't a nerd, I wasn't a jock. I wasn't a bad kid. I just flew under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-centineo/when-i-was-in-high-school-i-wasn-t-a-nerd-i-wasn-t-a-jock-i-wasn-t-a/) [Noah Centineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-centineo/) > [Everyone who is in a financial situation argues with his or her spouse. Many people argue with their children. Or they lose the respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-gabler/everyone-who-is-in-a-financial-situation-argues-with-his-or-her/) [Neal Gabler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-gabler/) > [I was never a 'bad' kid, but I did get into minor juvenile trouble. Look, I grew up in Brooklyn. This was the '60s,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-forsythe/i-was-never-a-bad-kid-but-i-did-get-into-minor-juvenile-trouble-look/) [William Forsythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-forsythe/) > [I never wanted to be a wild kid. I respected my parents and I had great friends. I was lucky. We did a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-wild-kid-i-respected-my-parents-and-i-had/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [When my past always pulling behind me and you look me like,im so bad kid then maybe this is what we called break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/when-my-past-always-pulling-behind-me-and-you-look-me-like-im-so-bad/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I know it's impossible for you to see your peers this way, but when you're older, you start to see them--the bad kids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-know-it-s-impossible-for-you-to-see-your-peers-this-way-but-when/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-such-an-obnoxious-kid-but-you/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) Browse all 47 Bad kid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ Now The Head Lines How do you like your truth? Gently spoken on breakfast TV By a man and a woman who sit comfortably Saying riots, and murder, when will it end? As they struggle to act as if they are good friends. How do you like your truth? Bite-sized in sound bites cut easy to chew, With a talking head saying the victim's like you And when you've digested the horrors you've seen You find good, you find evil, and no in-between. How do you like your truth? Fantastic, sensational, printed in bold, Today it's exclusive, tomorrow it's old, All on the surface with nothin too deep With a story about animals to help you to sleep How do you like your youth? 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