How social media and cable news are changing the face of politics and human interaction… For the worse.
“It is a capital
mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts
to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."-Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle.
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet"-Abraham Lincoln
I remember a time when I was a young and not so jaded person
and it didn’t really matter so much that a friend was more liberal or
conservative, some were even socialists and libertarians. We respected each other’s viewpoints and
though we disagreed, and argued passionately about what direction the world
should go in, there was some base of friendship there that was more powerful
than the pettiness and ultimate there really isn’t much we can do about
it. Let’s have another beer, play
another round, and move on with our lives.
This was a happy time for me, since I’m a self-confessed idea
junkie. I often read things that I know
I will disagree with because it helps me either strengthen my argument, or force
myself to find another viewpoint that could be better than my own. Some people would call that ideological
anarchy, I call it mental exercise. It
teaches me what guns I’ll stick to, what I’ll give in on, and most importantly,
what I am wrong about. I think it makes
me a better, more well-rounded person.
It makes my ideas stronger, and it also helps me cut out my own bs.
However, social media has given a voice to the masses, and
ultimately, the masses decided that there should never be compromise, that we
should hold steadfast to our own ideas and ideals, and those that oppose us
should be ridiculed, silenced, and punished for disagreeing with our own
viewpoint. Instead of moving forward to
an understanding that no one has it all figured out, we have moved in extremes
in our political parties to the point of catastrophe is better than compromise,
like a bad skit of keeping it real gone
wrong.
The internet has offered a massive sense of anonymity that
is present in everything we see. IFC
cannot post a link on facebook without a slew of people complaining that there
are commercials on it now, even though it has always been a free channel. Go on Xbox live or PSN and hear the way
people talk to each other over a video game.
I wouldn’t talk to someone who cut me off in traffic the way some people
act. We’ve gotten away from being polite
and respectful, and we’ve forgotten that respect is earned, not freely given.
It was initially dumbfounding in the age of the internet and
the 24 hour news cycle that we can’t just get anything done, or at least
anything meaningful done. There should
be total transparency and ultimately, results and accountability. However, in the age where we have more access
to the political process, more information outlets than ever before, and now
faster than before, the goal it seems is to manufacture outrage at every given
opportunity. I am not opposed to outrage
when it is warranted, or dabbling in outrage.
But it seems every little thing one party does outrages the opposition,
and that isn’t a partisan line either. I’m
a republican, and many, many times people in my own party have been unjustifiably
outraged by President Obama or the democrats in general that it seems
almost completely impotent when they have every reason to be outraged at the
opposition, and there has been enough occasions this term and last for them to
do that. How many symbolic repeals of
the taxcare bill do we have to go through before someone mans (or woman’s) up
and introduces real conservative healthcare reform like George W Bush asked
them to do in 2006. But I say that as a
ruse, because liberals are outraged over everything the republicans do.
This would be fine if our system was not founded on that we
might not always agree, but we want what’s best for our country and we will
respectfully argue and defend our positions.
But unfortunately, we are trying to govern parallel lines and the middle
ground is completely obsolete. It’s not
the sexiest thing to say that I’m passionate for the middle. People that tend to go the middle road are
often ostracized by their own parties.
Republicans call them RINOS, democrats call them hacks and sell outs,
and no one comes to the peacemaker’s defense.
Ultimately, if you ask a democrat what’s the problem with the
political landscape, they will undoubtedly go to Fox News. If you ask a republican, they will say
liberal media bias. If you ask an
independent, they say both parties have gone too extreme. I tend to think the independents have it
right. Not to toot my party’s own horn
too much, but it’s pretty amazing to see the very bias in action. Take this
for example… But, marching orders are
indeed, just that. I’m supposed to be
more outraged over the Benghazi cover-up, but what I’m most outraged about is
there is a filmmaker STILL in jail whose life as well as his family’s lives
that were put in danger over using his first amendment right, and EVEN if there
was a judgment against him saying that he was not allowed to use a computer,
that violates his 7th amendment rights, because I bet you can’t name
4 jobs that do not require the use of or access to a computer. But I don’t want to make this political blog about politics,
unless you are interested in demanding freedom for the youtube auteur.
It’s understandably upsetting the way things are turning
out, but I just wish that there would be more attempt to stop and actually
think about things, rather than relying solely on knee jerk and emotional
reactions. There is a complete push
towards information without understanding, and like in the quote prefacing this
piece, we find ourselves theorizing without all the data, twisting facts to
support our theories. My goal isn’t to
make you abandon your ideas or beliefs, or even stop talking about them. My goal is to consider that your ideas and
beliefs come from your experience and background, and that they probably are
not the same as anyone else’s and that does not make them any truer or
better.
