Let me make myself perfectly clear : I am a non-partisan, moderate, independent citizen and voter, who prays——-yes, prays——-for more like me , who strive for consensus. One of our Founding Fathers, Patrick Henry, shouted out ” UNITED WE STAND , DIVIDED WE FALL ” , understanding the value of giving a little and taking a little in the name of good will and progress.
Somehow that has lost its way.
Just thinkin’ that maybe a law , at the federal level, should be enacted stating that all registered Democrats be required to watch FOX for a designated number of hours and all registered Republicans be required to watch MSNBC for a designated number of hours before they are allowed to vote.
Fantasy, I know, but it makes my point.
We , as television viewers and social media addicts, have been , subtly but surely, pulled into the ever present, ever pounding, ever relentless world of ” talking heads ” , those ” news ” shows that go on and on day and night. Facts and opinions are intermingled , and we, the viewers, too often cannot determine which is which.
I have often said, during my long journey in the world of education, that starting in kindergarten, students should be taught , at every level , the difference in fact and opinion.
I had a dear and very bright friend through the years that kept her television on one of the cable stations 24/7, literally. She has since died, but I often wonder if she ever really knew what a warped view of our world she was seeing.
I turned to one of these stations this morning just to get a taste of what viewers were seeing and hearing. And then I turned to the opposition for a different perspective. What I found was that each had a male and female commentator, that each was ” preaching ” his/her own perspective on basically the same issues, and that it was pure bias. No reasonable rationale, no nod of the head to a different idea , no relief from the pounding of opinion ( with a fact or two thrown in ! ).
It goes without saying that we all appreciate hearing support of our thinking. Hence the popularity of these ” talking heads ” But an open mind is to be valued, and rarely does one opinion represent the whole.
An educated citizenry is the real answer , and try as we might, we have a long way to go on that journey. A willingness to listen is a ” must ” and finding a common thread when all the facts are on the table are steps toward consensus. Our electorate determines the direction our President and Congress take , and YOU, my friends , are the electorate.
LET ME BE CLEAR AGAIN : I am neither Democrat nor Republican. I vote independently, considering each issue and/or candidate on its merit. I admire our few members of Congress who reach across the aisle, preferring consensus to angst. And I am not an admirer of ” talking heads ” in either domain.
For what it’s worth , Patrick Henry had it right…………………
You are right on. We need to do the research ourselves and not solely depend on the media. Sadly that is not what people do.
Joanie, what better decision-making would come forth if we all would do just that ! And social media has added to the problem. If it’s written, too many of us believe with absolutely no informed backdrop. I saw something posted a few minutes ago regarding business decisions and it was being shared and re-shared, and there was absolutely no credibility of the person who posted. It really is scary………….
One thing that amazes me is how often the news stories have become about the reporter’s reaction to their interviewee. Even the headlines are written this way. The news should present an unbiased account of what happened. The viewer then can decide what to do with it. When the news is about the reaction of the talking head, it’s no longer news, but instead entertainment. Too much of the news is now just entertainment and, like you said, opinion.
Jason, you are absolutely right. And from my many years ago as a proud grad of the UGA Grady School of Journalism , I find much of the flaws lie in the speed of news travel. Back in the day it was written or heard by design and either took time and focus. Now, we get it whether we want it or not. And MUCH has to do with “beating ” the competition to the draw. Opinion should just be opinion, nothing more and nothing less.
Wouldn’t it be helpful if someone would post a list of the good and lasting things that have been accomplished through consensus
Yes, it would, Don, but my history is limited, to say the least. Perhaps someone will respond to this suggestion. I just know that in all relationships there has to be a little give and a little take or else there’s a stalemate. Wish I had some answers……..
I do agree. I watch them
All thinking I can’t know what for if I don’t see what I’m
Against. I like to watch gov’t hearings, etc on CSpan and then watch the channels to see how they report it. Sometimes amazing.
As long as there’s a balance, there should be no problem. Too often too many citizens/voters only hear support for what they have believed all along, therefore never testing their own beliefs and values. The Commissioner on my favorite show, BLUE BLOODS, said it best, ” Consensus was once a good thing “. And I paraphrase.
All my years of experience has taught me that give-and-take only works in a marriage
You may be right. No easy answers. But right now all our elected officials are doing is fighting and that gets us nowhere. In all my years ( nearly as many as yours ! ), I have yet to see either party right all the time. Which is why I am, and will remain, independent in my thinking and voting.
You are right on that I am only an independent
And a sweetie to boot !!!!!!
I guess it just depends on what direction you want the country to go towards. However, since you are a praying person and I imagine you rely on God to guide you to vote. Scripture calls us to pray for our elected people. Romans 13 explains it well. Even the Bible talks about a house divided will fall. We are also walking into lawless times. In the end God is in control and the way I see it… I’m just waiting for His return! He’s going to comeback no matter whose in office.
Thank you for reading and responding.