I plan on keeping this post shorter than the usual, I just wanted to share what I think is a growing concern about how we receive the news now a days. With access to 24/7 live news updates and a million different blogs and opinions on every subject imaginable, an amazing feat, I fear most people have begun to lease there opinions out to certain pundits and talking heads that they happen to listen to a lot. Be it politics, policy, or pop culture I feel like instead of looking at the issue subjectively, we start with a pre-conceived notion --> find a site/news/podcast that agrees with us --> begin exclusively using that source to reinforce our opinions. Its a feedback system which makes us feel good about ourselves and solidifies that we are right in all of our views which can lead to entrenched positions and an unwillingness to compromise.
I do it too mind you. We are all guilty of it, but to be aware of it and remember to shake things up and research an issue independently every now and then isn't a bad idea. Until the hypnotoad comes to make us all obey, lets try to remember to keep an open mind and develop opinions for yourself instead of just parroting what you have heard from your favorite talking head.
completely agree..there is a book i think you'd like, titled "true enough" by farhaad manjoo (i believe is his name). basically it talks about how people's pre-conceived notions lead them to believe certain "facts" when they hear them, because they already have the notion that it is true.
ReplyDeletethese days its harder than ever to get people to try and see the whole picture, and i think its because they dont want to. no one enjoys being wrong, but being wrong and learning from your mistakes is a vital aspect of humanity and the development of your personality