Skip to main content

Why it's difficult to have civilized political discourse anymore

While many say it's a no-no to ever discuss politics with another person, I think it would be healthy for more people to do so. The problem is that it's getting ever more difficult to civilly discuss such matters with people of differing viewpoints because many people get their "facts" from different sources, these sources usually aren't consistently reliable, and "facts" often times get blurred with opinions.

Sadly, it's gotten to the point where, when I debunked a conspiracy theory of another individual's, he countered that with, "Well, when you think about it, there really isn't such a thing as facts." In other words, "facts" are what we make of them. So long as we believe something to be true, it is, because it can't be proven with 100% certain that it's inaccurate.

A big problem is that many liberals and Democrats tend to get their news from sources like: MSNBC, The Daily Show, internet memes, and many conservatives and Republicans tend to get their news from: Fox News, Rush Limbaugh (and other talk radio), internet memes and chain emails, etc. All of these sources have a political bent to them, and intertwine opinion with fact.

A study was just released which showed that while MSNBC was 90% accurate with regard to climate science, Fox News was just 28% accurate. So, when a regular watcher of the two cable networks get into a discussion regarding that issue, the conversation likely goes something like this:

MSNBC viewer: "Look at the numbers! Climate change is real!"

Fox News viewer: "Whatever! I've heard otherwise. What news channel do you watch?"

MSNBC viewer: "MSNBC"

Fox News viewer: "You see? That's just liberal garbage right there! They're just trying to spread a liberal agenda! That's hogwash!"

MSNBC viewer: "Well, what channel do you watch?"

Fox News viewer: "Fox News"

MSNBC viewer: "...and you actually believe that crap? Look at the studies. Here - I'll show you..." ::fact-checks to find that climate change is real::

Fox News viewer: "Fox said it was baloney, so whatever."


Now, while I believe that MSNBC is more consistently accurate with their reports than Fox News, they still mix opinion with fact to slant the channel to the left, and anymore, it's becoming next to impossible to engage in civilized political discourse with a person of an opposing viewpoint, because not only do the two people disagree on the issue at hand, they disagree on what sources are reliable, and what constitutes actual facts. The fact it seems as if a growing number of people mistake opinion for fact gives me a migraine just thinking about it...
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Boycotting jukeboxes because of TouchTunes

I love music and enjoy hitting the bar(s) over the weekend, so naturally, when the mood strikes me, I've never been coy about playing some songs on the jukebox. This past Thursday, a friend of mine turned 50, so several friends of her's, including myself, all met up to celebrate the occasion. At around 9:30, a friend of mine and I both chipped in $5 to play some songs on the jukebox. Four hours and 231 skips later, we gave up on hearing the songs we had selected, and went home knowing we had just wasted $5. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened to me (and many others), and due to that, I'll be boycotting jukeboxes. Why? The scam known as TouchTunes. You see, here's how the plot typically breaks down. A person (or group of people) downloads the TouchTunes app on his/her phone, consumes one too many adult beverages, and due to this, has less care for spending extra money to hear the songs of their choosing right NOW. That's the thing with TouchTun
2 comments
Read more

The difference between "looking" and "checking out"

I may be way off with these numbers, but it's my approximation that at least 75% of individuals whom are involved in a serious relationship feel it's perfectly acceptable to "check out" members of the opposite sex they're not involved with. Meanwhile, approximately 25% either don't feel this is acceptable or aren't sure about the matter. I hadn't thought about this matter for a while, but since I've been dating a woman for about 8 months, the topic has been pondered about some. When reading or hearing others discuss this very issue, I often times hear comments similar to the following: "It's human nature to look." "There's nothing wrong with checking others out. I'm sure he/she does it too!" "It's fine to do it. Just don't tell your boyfriend/girlfriend about it or do it in front of them!" "It's natural to find people attractive." When observing the array of comments, I i
Post a Comment
Read more

The verdict is in. To no one's surprise, Jonathan Hoenig has been found guilty of being an idiot.

Just recently, when discussing the Michael Brown shooting and whether or not race had anything to do with it, Fox News contributor Jonathan Hoenig said, "You know who talks about race? Racists." One moment while I provide Mr. Hoenig with the well deserved slow-clap. :: slow-claps for two seconds :: So, that was quite the line by Mr. Hoenig, wasn't it? "You know who talks about race? Racists." Well, wasn't he just talking about race? So, by his own words, I guess that makes him a racist. Also, if he wants to be consistent, does this mean that people whom talk about gender are sexists and people whom talk about sexual orientation are homophobes? With that line of thinking, Hoenig would engage in the following back-and-forths: Hoenig: "So, who are you voting for?" A woman: "The Democratic candidate, because he's been adamant about his support for equal rights for women." Hoenig: "You sexist feminist nazi!"
Post a Comment
Read more