I was really bugged by George Stephanopolous talking about how politically polarized we are in the U.S. Catnip mentioned it in PsiFighter’s Obama diary, and provided a link to the 20/20 video Our Country Divided. Did anybody else see it? I thought the piece was a perfect example of big media sensationalizing, simplifying, and mischaracterizing evidence to create more controversy to sell more advertising. And it worked! The promos sucked my daughter and me in to watch it.
According to ABC news, some researchers split people up according to whether they were left- or right-leaning and gave each group a question upon which they had to reach consensus within a short period of time. Over and over, people who believed strongly in a proposition managed to sway those who had started out believing only moderately. The breathy conclusion was that “like-minded people are pushed to more and more extreme positions when they group together. It has profound and troubling implications for the country.”
My teen-age daughter picked out the fallacy in their conclusion with no trouble. A strong position is not necessarily an extreme position. Of course strongly held positions will win over mushy ones. What is so mysterious or sinister about that?
You know why this country is so polarized? Because of crappy “reporting” like this. Controversy is manufactured where none exists; it’s what sells. Tellingly, Georgie put the blame on “shout” TV, on politicians, and on – gasp! bloggers for the loss of “the ongoing civilized debate that is a cornerstone of American democracy “. He didn’t mention his own part in the deluge of media bullshit.
Am I missing something here?
It’s all showbiz, Lil. Conflict makes for better drama. Happpy and peaceful events are boring to talk about.
When profits (ie ratings) become the driving force over principles (such as objective news “reporting”), then entertainment “draw” trumps everything else. Whatever sells best, and sadly, people always tune in to train wrecks first. Those who strive to stay in power now know full well the effectiveness of of “divide and conquer” politics..
And I’m so sick of it! Good Gawd this Newfangled Republican party bought half their base with whatever sells the best! Why are Americans so stupid? I thought we were good at everything. I thought we were what the whole world desired to be and now that turns out to be a lemming colony.
The idea of a divided country was crafted lock, stock and barrel by the Republicans. It works to their benefit. Look at a quote from Grover Norquist:
We are trying to change the tones in the state capitols — and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship.
HOW I wish SOMEONE with the power to do so would focus the damn media spotlight and bullhorns where they belong: on the TACTICS they are using to divide and conquer..(at everyones expense except, of course, their own)
Instead, politicians,the media, and far to many Americans seem quite content to be perfect “marks”, willing to be jerked around and manipulated like mindlesss idiots, as long as it provides them with enough “quick fixes” and the food needed to maintain a comfy denial.
This is one masterful con game.
Agreed, scribe, I think this is what was bugging me about the 20/20 program. It did touch on what they called “shout TV” and not surprisingly found that “viewers are very likely to misunderstand those who disagree with them when they watch people shouting at each other.” But like so much of what passes for reporting, in an attempt to be “pbjective” the show provided no context whatsoever: who is doing the shouting? Who owns the programs that give airtime to the bullies? Who profits?
Thank you for your comments. It’s all showbiz, divide and conquer tactics — I agree that both are very much in play. I do recommend that people see the program for its graphic illustrations of just how much the electorate is increasingly polarized: voting districts that split 50/50 along party lines a generation ago, now skew in the neighborhood of 80-10 all over the country. It is alarming and unhealthy for our democracy.