Consumption of news

[Junior]

I didn't want to put this into the Syria topic, because it doesn't really seem to fit. I thought this was an interesting article on the state of our country.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/09/09/americans-prefer-miley-stories-to-syria-stories-by-huge-number/2789451/

 

A new survey by Outbrain, a leading "content discovery platform" on the Web, tracked traffic data from its network of 100,000 publishers and major news organizations and found that Americans viewed 12 times as many pages about Miley-the-twerker as they did about Syria-the-damned.

[BigRedBuster]

I think that has to do with the age group that is more likely to use the Internet.

[HSKR]

"The survey also found that those who viewed the Miley-the-twerker pages were 5 times more likely have voted for Obama."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, I made that up, but you believed it, didn't you?

[Conga3]

I didn't want to put this into the Syria topic, because it doesn't really seem to fit. I thought this was an interesting article on the state of our country.

 

http://www.usatoday....number/2789451/

 

A new survey by Outbrain, a leading "content discovery platform" on the Web, tracked traffic data from its network of 100,000 publishers and major news organizations and found that Americans viewed 12 times as many pages about Miley-the-twerker as they did about Syria-the-damned.

 

When I read this stuff, I don't have the same view. It's not a poor reflection on our country that we choose to be distracted by shiny things instead of buried by serious things.

 

The Syria mess is really freaking complicated and Miley Cyrus does really freaky things.

 

I'd be more worried about our country if the numbers were flipped, actually.

[Mavric]

Not exactly surprising. Political literacy hasn't exactly been high in this country for some time and I don't think it's getting better any time soon.

[zoogs]

Hm....I think Conga brings up kind of a good point. I don't think this is the indicator it's portrayed as.

[BigRedBuster]

Hm....I think Conga brings up kind of a good point. I don't think this is the indicator it's portrayed as.

 

 

Bingo.

[Husker_x]

I think Bill Maher said it. America is a stupid country. Most people are completely ignorant and are happy to stay that way. By ignorant I don't mean that they disagree with my view, but that they don't have a view, don't want one, couldn't back it up even if they did, or are pretty much on a steady diet of platitudes from cable news networks.

 

The sad part is it doesn't have to be this way, but politics is complicated and if there's one thing most American hate, it's complexity.

 

Hopefully those people also don't vote.

[BigRedBuster]

Hopefully those people also don't vote.

 

I have said for a very long time that getting a higher voter turn out isn't necessarily good unless those people have taken the time to be informed and make educated decisions. That could be completely not agreeing with my views. BUT, for Christ's sake, at least pay attention and formulate your own views on subjects that are important.

 

I have absolutely no desire to have someone go vote who has absolutely no clue what they are doing.

[HSKR]

Just goes to show you how unimportant real issues are becoming in elections and how votes can be won because you are pals with Jay-Z.

[rawhide]

Political complexity along with big government have bred a growing apathy and distrust in this country. The crux of the problem that you can't get straight answers out of either politicians or the government. And to make matters worse; now you have to decipher each news outlet's bias.

 

I'd also like to see what the average IQ is for voters in the country now; versus 10, 20,30 yrs. ago. My thermostat is set at 82 in the summer and 74 in the winter. Somewhere in that range??? Hope not. Although, Maher probably knows his audience better than most.

[carlfense]

Political complexity along with big government have bred a growing apathy and distrust in this country. The crux of the problem that you can't get straight answers out of either politicians or the government. And to make matters worse; now you have to decipher each news outlet's bias.

I think that this is the biggest change.

 

When you start with a disagreement about reality/facts you're going to have a hard time moving on to substantive policy.

[BigRedBuster]

Political complexity along with big government have bred a growing apathy and distrust in this country. The crux of the problem that you can't get straight answers out of either politicians or the government. And to make matters worse; now you have to decipher each news outlet's bias.

 

 

You also have various political movements who work hard at getting as many people(living or dead) dogs, cats, parakeets and camels registered to vote then send vans around to make sure they all make it to the polls.

 

My personal view is unless there is a physical handicap of some kind that prevents you from actually getting somewhere to register or vote, do we really want people to vote who aren't motivated enough to actually go to a court house and register and then get their butts out of bed and vote on election day?

 

Are these really the people who are going to make wise decisions in the ballot box?

 

I'm not talking about restricting ANYONE from registering or voting. But, if you have to pester them or round them up or constantly be hounding them to do these things......nah......don't really want their opinion involved.

[carlfense]

Political complexity along with big government have bred a growing apathy and distrust in this country. The crux of the problem that you can't get straight answers out of either politicians or the government. And to make matters worse; now you have to decipher each news outlet's bias.

 

 

You also have various political movements who work hard at getting as many people(living or dead) dogs, cats, parakeets and camels registered to vote then send vans around to make sure they all make it to the polls.

 

My personal view is unless there is a physical handicap of some kind that prevents you from actually getting somewhere to register or vote, do we really want people to vote who aren't motivated enough to actually go to a court house and register and then get their butts out of bed and vote on election day?

 

Are these really the people who are going to make wise decisions in the ballot box?

 

I'm not talking about restricting ANYONE from registering or voting. But, if you have to pester them or round them up or constantly be hounding them to do these things......nah......don't really want their opinion involved.

Eh. Get out the vote campaigns are as old as elections themselves. That hasn't changed.

 

And the implication about voter fraud . . . it's virtually non-existent.

[BigRedBuster]

Political complexity along with big government have bred a growing apathy and distrust in this country. The crux of the problem that you can't get straight answers out of either politicians or the government. And to make matters worse; now you have to decipher each news outlet's bias.

 

 

You also have various political movements who work hard at getting as many people(living or dead) dogs, cats, parakeets and camels registered to vote then send vans around to make sure they all make it to the polls.

 

My personal view is unless there is a physical handicap of some kind that prevents you from actually getting somewhere to register or vote, do we really want people to vote who aren't motivated enough to actually go to a court house and register and then get their butts out of bed and vote on election day?

 

Are these really the people who are going to make wise decisions in the ballot box?

 

I'm not talking about restricting ANYONE from registering or voting. But, if you have to pester them or round them up or constantly be hounding them to do these things......nah......don't really want their opinion involved.

Eh. Get out the vote campaigns are as old as elections themselves. That hasn't changed.

 

And the implication about voter fraud . . . it's virtually non-existent.

 

 

Where did I mention anything about voter fraud in my post? And, just because the efforts have been their since elections began, does that make them good?

 

Actually...let me take some of that back. encouraging people to be involved in the process and educating themselves is very good. Just rounding people up who haven't done anything to learn anything on the issues just so they can go vote for a certain candidate is bad.