Gusdavis Aughtry July 16, 2010

http://media.nowpublic.net

Recently, I engaged in a healthy dialogue with a friend about several political issues. My friend is educated, intelligent, and thoughtful; yet, is prone to make these “close out” declaritive statements which say, “This is the way it is and there is no need to discuss it further.”

I keep wondering where attitudes like his come from. (We blame everything else on the media, why not my bud’s lack of communicative skills). My speculation is that opinions like his are the result of a biased news media, regardless whether it is Fox News or MSNBC. If my friend listens to one of these outlets, 24/7, the result will be "close out" opinions. In fact, one of my heroes, Louis L’Amour, said thirty years ago, “We have become a nation where people have opinions and not knowledge.” What in the world would he say today?

This is why reading news is so much better than listening or watching, I think. Reading allows us to filter the BS from the comments. I never hear “talking heads, the armchair pundits, prognosticaters, or strategists of various sorts say, “This is the way I see it or this is my opinion.” However, they regularly say BS like, “All the evidence says or shows this... I want to say, “What evidence and who says it? Are we to take your word?” Guess what? Many of us do, without questioning.

If you are reading a newspaper, you will see whether it is a news story or opinion or just facts. With media outlets like Fox News or MSNBC that run the Limbaugh and Keith Olbermann rants, the filter just isn’t there-my opinion.

This sounds like an exercise in commo(communication) but much of it has just come to me. I like reading and writing articles for websites and blogs. Blogs, websites, and newspapers offer opinions and they do give us a filter. Reading requires some effort. Watching broadcast media requires little or no effort- in my opinion, the end result is IGNORANCE. Dang, I may be on to something here.

Leave Us A Comment. No email required. Just click in the boxes. Place a name or put anonymous and then leave your thoughts.