5 Ways to Spot a B.S. Political Story in Under 10 Seconds

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

5 Ways to Spot a B.S. Political Story in Under 10 Seconds

It appears that even some of our esteemed colleagues from this above-average forum have fallen prey to the tactics described in the linked article. I hope that you can look at yourselves honestly and analyze whether you have succumbed to the lure of popular media and team politics or not. No one can tell you whether you are in the pool with the rest of them, but take some time somewhere along the way and be a little introspective about why you think the way you do and where your opinions are coming from. And keep in mind that the media is not your friend.

Partisan politics is not just a function of certain groups. The media keeps the game going too, mainly to keep the feelings of anger and offense going so that they can make money. (There's some secondary reasons too, of course.) So, is the solution to fix the media or to fix the consumers? Fixing the media isn't likely to happen, as they are just responding to how people work. Fixing the consumers isn't likely to happen as people generally aren't introspective and aren't aware that they are being manipulated, but that is where I do try to put some effort into waking people up (even those who are aware that they aren't aware and don't care to change). Or do you have a third option?

Comments

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:

Thanks grandma.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

You can go ahead and read it now. It won't kill you.

[jerseycajun.livejournal.com]

Pro-tip:

When posting on an article like this it's best to include yourself into the group, even if you don't believe you're guilty of one of the articles' criteria for those falling into the trap. Most likely even if one can't remember it, our early developmental stages of political thought tend to have their own 'awkward teen' stage where we fell into believing that those things were valid.

I'm not accusing you of doing any of these yourself, but by excluding yourself from the group you're talking to, it comes off as exceedingly condescending, and that for me is a huge pet peeve.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

There is nothing to discuss here. This is the same where you posted a link to logical fallacies and condescendingly wagged your finger going 'shame on you!' to no one in particular.

Then you proceed to make the same fallacies.

If you're gonna call out some things done in this community, then call them out. Otherwise, you're talking to no one but yourself.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Please fix this post and infuse some facts, discussion points or more original points of view of your own. Otherwise it goes.
This is an above-average forum for a reason.

You have 2 hours.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

Way 6:

Story was posted by gunslnger

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

How did I exclude myself?

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

If you say so.

If you're gonna call out some things done in this community, then call them out.

I'm not calling anything like that out. If you understood the OP, you'd understand that.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tips boss man.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

I think the point is clear: he thinks most of us are dummies.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Hmm, since I don't post political stories, it would seem that you have a logical error.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

It's only because I care.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Done.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

I do, but that's not the point of this post.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[jerseycajun.livejournal.com]

Choice of pronoun in the context used. Done repeatedly. "I hope that you can look at yourselves."

And the only thing I can think of to say in response to this:

No one can tell you whether you are in the pool with the rest of them, but take some time somewhere along the way and be a little introspective about why you think the way you do and where your opinions are coming from. And keep in mind that the media is not your friend.

Is "Yes, mother"

It's not that the list is wrong (I read it days ago), it's that your presentation comes across like a "Here's what you need to know, son, for your own good." moment I'd expect to have gotten from my father when I was six years old.

Presentation matters.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

You're posts are consistently lazy, and insulting to the community's participants at large.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

*Your


sorry ;)

[awdrey-gore.livejournal.com]

Wow, Gunny! Thanks for sharing! I'll get right on reinterpreting how I interact with media based on a Cracked article.

I can't help but anticipate the earth-shattering changes to my world view I will experience when I read 18 Unfortunate Offspring of Cartoon Character Mating (http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_360_18-unfortunate-offspring-cartoon-character-mating/) and What Inanimate Objects Are Thinking (http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_362_what-inanimate-objects-are-thinking/).

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

see the www.foxnews.com in the url?

[telemann.livejournal.com]

I saw that, but my going out to get some Chinese take out and a speedy reply prevented my editing and correcting it, but I do appreciate that, YOU ROCK!

[dwer.livejournal.com]

...

It's so wonderful that you deign to grace us with your presence so that we might glean just a jot or tittle of knowledge that drips copiously from your extremities.


Oh, wait. Get over yourself.

[il-mio-gufo.livejournal.com]

Nope, no third solution sir. We working love our drama & love it more when it's in a headline next to a politician :)

So, it goes like this, we hear:

#1. The Headline Includes the Phrase "Blow To" and right away we're thinking of physical punches being thrown! Ooo - a fight!

#5. The Headline Contains the Word "Gaffe" and right away we want to learn of someone else's embarrasment - i think something in psycology explains that human tendency.

#4. The Headline Ends in a Question Mark this question-mark tempts us to give a reply! darn it - answer the question.

#3. The Headline Contains the Word "Blasts" c'mon really? it's a slang that everyone has learned by now and it condenses the point into a short title.

#2. The Headline Is About a "Lawmaker" Saying Something Stupid ha! it's so funny when they do that :D

So, bottom line all of these warnings include literary lures to get people to buy/read an article; it's more about sales than informing the reader. Okay, I get it, but sometimes....just sometimes....you can even walk away from one of these dressed-up articles and have just a little bit more insight on the types of quirky things a person is/isn't capable of doing/saying, am i right?

[oportet.livejournal.com]

The media is driven by the consumers. I guess if it's a problem, I can admit to being part of the problem. I like reading things that confirm what I believe, and I like reading things that tell me I'm an idiot for what I believe. I don't want to hear unbiased regurgitation of the facts.

I'm not saying entertaining me is more important than the well-being of society, but I'm not not saying it either...