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[fastpakr]

I didn't force anyone anywhere. I was making a observation about the media and the internet powers that be.

Only if you pretend you said something wildly different than what you actually wrote...

 

[Dirtman]

Now you’re just being gross.

I don't actually eat it!

 

[Snoranger]

Only if you pretend you said something wildly different than what you actually wrote...

That’s a common thing these days.

I don't actually eat it!

My statement still stands, just for different reasons now.

 

[franklin2]

You’re the one that only sees the 2 choices.

Only seeming to have 2 choices was my observation. I see you don't agree, that is fine. Are you sure you speak for everyone on here? The guy I originally quoted hasn't replied. He may agree or disagree also. His opinion will be respected whatever it is if he even decides to jump in.

 

[RonD]

Here is an "old guys" take on it

"Back in the day"...........", lol, we had Network News, ABC, CBS and NBC , and the news divisions ALWAYS lost money
They wouldn't accept commercials from national advertisers, just local advertisers usually, and always no strings attached
We had guys like Walter Cronkite, often said to be "the most trusted man in America"
Mike Wallace and Dan Rather were also up there with the trust factor

I remember my dad and grandfathers not always liking what Walter had to say, but they never doubted what he said
My dad and his father were from the South, and were racists, not overt, but certainly had things to say about Walter's reporting about Civil Rights issues in the South, being one sided............in other words FAIR, lol

60 Minutes was going to do the Pinto Story, the exploding gas tank thing
Ford was the main advertiser/sponsor for 60 minutes, Ford said if you run that story we walk
Decisions was made to run it, "we will find another sponsor"
Ford backed down

Point being, most people now find the news people that report the news closest to their point of view, not unbias, bias for sure
I am sure there are news reporters that report the news in a fair and impartial way, but they do NOT get alot of viewers

People like confirmation that their skewed point of view is valid, they do not want to see or hear anything that would cause them to question their point of view, way to insecure, the "my way or the highway" thing

The polarization doesn't COME FROM the media, the main news media is just a business now, it wants viewers, ratings are ALL, so they follow what the viewers want, what WE want, so yes, polarized news to get those viewers "on that side"

It's no longer the "News hour with Walter Cronkite" its the "News Show staring Wolf Blitzer or Anderson Cooper"
So a show like Seinfeld or Breaking Bad, entertainment

Because we have so many choices for news we find the one(s) that caters to our insecurity, and then we believe what they report, human nature

Was it the Battle of Little Bighorn, or the Massacre at Little Bighorn, lol, same news event different slant

I don't think we can, or should, blame the media for our insecurity

The Movie "Network"(1976) touched on this,
Howard Beale speech

We know things are bad – worse than bad. They’re crazy. It’s like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don’t go out anymore.
We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is: ‘Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won’t say anything. Just leave us alone.’

We just want to see and hear what we already believe to be true, "just leave us alone", no other points of view, lol

 

[Snoranger]

Only seeming to have 2 choices was my observation. I see you don't agree, that is fine. Are you sure you speak for everyone on here?

No... I only speak for myself.

 

[franklin2]

Here is an "old guys" take on it

"Back in the day"...........", lol, we had Network News, ABC, CBS and NBC , and the news divisions ALWAYS lost money
They wouldn't accept commercials from national advertisers, just local advertisers usually, and always no strings attached
We had guys like Walter Cronkite, often said to be "the most trusted man in America"
Mike Wallace and Dan Rather were also up there with the trust factor

I remember my dad and grandfathers not always liking what Walter had to say, but they never doubted what he said
My dad and his father were from the South, and were racists, not overt, but certainly had things to say about Walter's reporting about Civil Rights issues in the South, being one sided............in other words FAIR, lol

60 Minutes was going to do the Pinto Story, the exploding gas tank thing
Ford was the main advertiser/sponsor for 60 minutes, Ford said if you run that story we walk
Decisions was made to run it, "we will find another sponsor"
Ford backed down

Point being, most people now find the news people that report the news closest to their point of view, not unbias, bias for sure
I am sure there are news reporters that report the news in a fair and impartial way, but they do NOT get alot of viewers

People like confirmation that their skewed point of view is valid, they do not want to see or hear anything that would cause them to question their point of view, way to insecure, the "my way or the highway" thing

The polarization doesn't COME FROM the media, the main news media is just a business now, it wants viewers, ratings are ALL, so they follow what the viewers want, what WE want, so yes, polarized news to get those viewers "on that side"

It's no longer the "News hour with Walter Cronkite" its the "News Show staring Wolf Blitzer or Anderson Cooper"
So a show like Seinfeld or Breaking Bad, entertainment

Because we have so many choices for news we find the one(s) that caters to our insecurity, and then we believe what they report, human nature

Was it the Battle of Little Bighorn, or the Massacre at Little Bighorn, lol, same news event different slant

I don't think we can, or should, blame the media for our insecurity

I can't believe how dumb I was to believe the news media even back in the old days. I thought they always fought for the truth, and exposed the government all the time, I thought they were the "good guys". But I found out even back in the 60's when that Ralph Nader guy supposedly exposed the Corvair for being dangerous, that was all a made up scam. I am not sure when they got found out, but I just heard about it a year or two ago.

 

[Dirtman]

I am not sure when they got found out, but I just heard about it a year or two ago.

But who did you hear about this from? Another media outlet? How can you trust them? How do you know they aren't lying about the lie? How are you basing your decisions on who is telling the truth?

 

[franklin2]

But who did you hear this from? Another media outlet? How can you trust them? How do you know they aren't lying about the lie?

You got me on that one Dirtman!

 

[rumblecloud]

....People like confirmation that their skewed point of view is valid, they do not want to see or hear anything that would cause them to question their point of view, way to insecure, the "my way or the highway" thing

I agree with most of what you're saying -- and not that that matters a whit, -- but just one question as it relates the above portion:

What makes their point of view skewed?

 

[Dirtman]

I would argue that no matter what your point of view, if you're completely unwilling to hear arguments against that point of view then your view is skewed...

 

[RonD]

I would argue that no matter what your point of view, if you're completely unwilling to hear arguments against that point of view then your view is skewed...

+1 ^^^

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values..................................
they select information that supports their views, ignoring contrary information, or they interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing attitudes.
Confirmation bias cannot be eliminated entirely, but it can be managed, for example, by education and training in critical thinking skills.

Cogito, ergo sum - "I think therefore I am"...............skewed, lol

Cogito, ergo sum...............alid sinistra

 

[Dirtman]

Personally I believe that cannibalism is wrong. It is my point of view, however I would never be so close minded as to not allow others with a different point of view to express their thoughts on the matter. If they provided me with new insight I may even change my point of view. If I were to say "cannibalism is wrong and I won't listen to any other opinion" then I would have a skewed point of view.

 

[RonD]

"Donner party, table for 6"

 

[rumblecloud]

I would argue that no matter what your point of view, if you're completely unwilling to hear arguments against that point of view then your view is skewed...

It was/is not an argument. It was/is a question. Both your answers makes sense.

So... a way to avoid "confirmation bias" is to not have an opinion - on anything - but then, that would be confirmation bias, too - or would it? Hard for me to have an opinion.