The Media is to Blame.

Americans continue to be too stupid to have an effective democracy. I don't think, however, that they, as a people, are genetically predisposed to stupidity (OK perhaps in the southeast). I do however believe they are stupid insofar as they are ignorant.

To be ignorant, one must go out of there way to avoid factual information, or, just not be privy to it. I believe both to be the case for some; the latter being the case for most.

In some cases individuals do not care about factual or scientific information because it disagrees with a previous strongly held belief. Cases in point: creationism vs. Evolution, patriots vs. America using unscrupulous methods to expand it's commercial and economic empire. People with deep seeded beliefs have difficulty accepting that something they have had faith in maybe proven false. I would have difficulties believing anyone who told me that evolutionary theory is wrong. Even if they had all the empirical evidence in the world, it would still be difficult for me to accept. But eventually, one has to accept truth as truth. It can not be disregarded because it contradicts a previously held notion.

The other reason to explain American ignorance: Information from most domestic media sources is incredibly biased and misleading.

This is a subjective point and difficult to argue. Let me just start by saying: I HATE CNN! Crossfire is not fucking news. Wolf Blitzer asking leading questions to people is not news. Aaron Brown is not a journalist he is an opinionist. It is all a joke. It is all editorial opinions of the news -Just like Rush Libaugh or Bill Maher.

Private news media is something I have a problem with in general. Not as an ideal, private newspapers voicing an array of opinion have been around since the dawn of democracy. That was a good thing. Then radio came along - the public airwaves, and practically everyone one had a voice. That was good. The way it is currently practiced, though, large corporations have control. And due to on-going de-regulation and quasi-privatization of former public trusts, it is becoming more and more difficult to hear that wide array of opinion and spin that was present in the old days of independent newspapers and radio. This is especially the case for the "liberal" agenda. Media that is not representing some right wing agenda has little place within the media owned by Rupert Murdock, Clear Channel Entertainment and other large media enterprises.

Media corps are interest in the bottom line. Their political attachment to the "right" is connected to this in two ways:

1) The "right" has a tendency to lower corporate tax.

2) The "right" leans more toward the idea of free market. That mean less regulation on media ownership. The media corporations can then expand their propaganda empire.

The political allegance leads to the lack of quality and excess bias we are seeing in media today.

But of course, they also want to get more viewers; to make more money; to make the share holders happy.

This means we get lots feel good news. Not what is happening in the world, but how to make to world entertaining - with the proper spin of course. Stories about feel good patriotism of Americans saving the world from it's own savages hold more weight in this media enviroment than America flagrantly disregarding world law or being hypocritically arrogant in regards to things like non-proliferation treaties. You don't hear much about that type of thing do you? It's not good for ratings (or political polls).

News is not entertainment, nor editorial (at least it shouldn't be). It is the belief to the contrary that is media's failling. That is why Americans are ignorant.

OK. That is my rant about American Ignorance... Please, agree or disagree, leave a comment.

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TooStupidForDemocracy Reason#1

In about 10 minutes from now George W. Bush (AKA idiot, moron, pretzel choker, Dick Cheney's little Bitch etc....) Will be making his acceptance speech for his second term in the Oval Office.

It is for this reason that I have chosen to start this Blog.

During his previous term in office he:

1) Dismissed an international treaty that was attempting to delay the ultimate death of the planet's ecosystem and the human race right along with it.

2) Used bogus and changing justifications to wage an illegal war on a country that had been crippled by almost a decade of international sanctions.

3) Turned the United States into one of the worst human rights violators in the western world with by the atrocious treatment of prisoners at the US base in Guantanamo Bay and throughout Iraq.

4) Domestically, he supported an economic policy that encouraged a very unstable job market where temp jobs and low wages became a staple in working class USA - Temp Jobs also meant even less health insurance and other benefits for the poor.

5) Introduced the Patriot Act that restricted certain rights of Americans.

6) Introduced the "No Child Left Behind" education policy that forced many schools to ban things such as Halloween activities. Under the act, Halloween is seen as an unnecessary perk for 2nd graders.

7) Increase the National debt to some absurd amount that will never, ever, ever be paid off, all this while lowering taxes for the upper class.

These are just the things off the top of my head. I can not think of one policy decision he has made that I agree with (other than forcing the Taliban out of Afghanistan. But he kind of even screwed that up).

And he still won the election. He still won the election.......... I can't fucking believe it!

Why did Americans do this? How could they vote for that retarded looking, brain-dead Marboro Man?

Some of the more interesting reasoning I've heard:

"John Kerry just seems too smart..." (No, can't have a smart President)

"I'm Just going with my gut...." (If you don't have a brain, you've got to use something.)

"God is pro-life..."

Ok. That last one is a little tougher to come up with a smartass comment about so here is my simple atheist opinion:
It is fine to believe in God. I don't, but that does not mean that I don't respect the idea of God or respect others who believe. Politics are not about God. Politics are about the governing of the society around you, not the elimination of contrary opinions and values. Many of the pro-life/anti-gay marriage people in the Christian right want to do that by bringing their morality issues to the constitution; an action that would effectively eliminate pluralism on these issues.

And to that pro-life thing, just a quick point. I think that it is kind of hypocritical that many of the pro-lifers also supported the War in Iraq. Sending soldiers to kill and to die in the vanity of patriotism and false altruism. Why is that not as immoral to the pro-lifers as it is to spare an unborn baby the burden of being raised in an environment where it is unwanted and unloved?

Back to the point. None of these reasons stated earlier is acceptable enough to forgive 4 years of decline. Decline in standard of living, decline in job security, decline in world respect. Ultimately, America is in a much shittier state of affairs than in was in 2000. How can Americans still think that Bush is good for them?

My only conclusion is that Americans have become too stupid to have an effective democracy.



End thought:
Well, I know I was all over the place with this first posting, but that is where my mind is right now. A friend of mind was the co-artist involved in a painting. Around the corners of the dark abstract work it read: "If you're not confused, you're not awake."
I feel unfortunately awake today.