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redstatebluegirl

(12,264 posts)
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:27 AM Jul 2014

Is the media to blame for how angry and intolerant American has become?

Seeing all of the protests against the children escaping to this country, and hearing some of the nasty things said about just about every person or group that are not white, Christian, straight and male I am becoming very discouraged. We can't seem to have a civilized debate in the country on any issue.

Can a democracy survive with so much hate and anger?

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malaise

(267,813 posts)
1. All the agents of socialization are to be blamed
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:29 AM
Jul 2014

but the overwhelming influence of television is a huge factor. The beast of hate, fear, superiority and inferiority, and religious intolerance has been well fed and the gluttons have stuffed themselves with hatred on steroids.

rock

(13,218 posts)
2. It's a complex issue but the easy answer to your question is
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:35 AM
Jul 2014

the media is part of the cause. Also contributing are the conservatives who own the media. Also I need to mention the decline in the Republic Party as a fit party for a Democracy (i.e they're mostly Fascist these days).

Frustratedlady

(16,254 posts)
4. When the powers that be send out talking points each day...
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:39 AM
Jul 2014

and the sheeple hear the same story over and over and over again, they absorb the lies as truth. From that point on, they have to be deprogrammed and that is a long process. We've had over 5.5 years of implants of lies into the minds of those who can't think for themselves. It will take decades to clear all that rubbish from their heads.

Remember, there are 400+ RW radio stations spewing this hate and very few Democrats defending themselves with the truth. Granted, Democrats can lie, as well, but I've never seen a time in my long lifetime when the RW propaganda has been this intense.

MrTriumph

(1,720 posts)
5. With wages lagging, our economy is upside down.
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:47 AM
Jul 2014

Redstatebluegirl indirectly asks a question we discuss at work.

Most of our customers are older. Their wages did not keep up and their retirement looks difficult. As a result, they are frustrated when buying and clamor for ever lower prices on everything they buy. This puts a crunch on business and stifles wages of today's workers.

All this is upside down. Globalization and the outsourcing of products has been extremely detrimental to our society.

redstatebluegirl

(12,264 posts)
6. I agree with some of this statement.
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:52 AM
Jul 2014

I am older, not ancient but in my late 50's. The financial mess at the end of the Bush years almost sent us to the poor house. The hit we took at the age we were was hard to recover from. In normal times what we have saved would make us comfortable, in these times we struggle. Not as much as many do and I try not to complain knowing how much many young people are suffering under student loan debt and horrible pay, but it is really hard sometimes.

I fear at some point I will need to go back to work full time, a thought that terrifies me with my back issues.

 

conservaphobe

(1,284 posts)
7. Yes.
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:56 AM
Jul 2014

A big part of our problem is manufactured outrage.

Too many pundits always screaming from the rooftops that the sky is falling.

Uncle Joe

(58,112 posts)
8. Television literally hypnotizes and propaganda from such a source is most powerful whether it
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 11:56 AM
Jul 2014

comes in the form of news, programming or commercials.

There are large themes as to what television distracts, glorifies, omits, obfuscates and alters.

So yes, I would give a very large % of blame toward the corporate media.

Thanks for the thread, redstatebluegirl.

Igel

(35,196 posts)
9. It's the structure of the media.
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 01:49 PM
Jul 2014

And the structure of American society.

We've self-segregated into self-reinforcing communities, each of which has promoted the idea that we and only we are truly moral--and highly moral at that--while the others are truly and intentionally immoral.

redstatebluegirl

(12,264 posts)
10. Would you include DU in the "self-segregated" idea?
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 02:22 PM
Jul 2014

I have been lurking here for a long time, long before I joined. The past 3 years it has gotten horrible here in terms of how we treat each other and we have areas of agreement. I have found myself falling into that black hole and pull away for a while. I have said things here I would have never said anywhere else, at least not the WAY I said it. I think that is what frightens me.

 

Taitertots

(7,745 posts)
11. TV is 2/3rds rich people trying to manipulate you into acting in their best interests
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 02:50 PM
Jul 2014

The rest is commercials.

Rich people want you to be angry at anyone that isn't them. So they will gin up public outrage at any chance they get.

 

Lurks Often

(5,455 posts)
12. We, as people, share a large part of the blame
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 02:56 PM
Jul 2014

Look at any internet forum that discusses politics or social issues and the like. There are always groups of people so intolerant of anybody that disagrees with them on a certain issue that they attack the person they disagree with. It happens on liberal sites, conservative sites and sites that go both ways.

We have become so rigid in what we believe that we have no interest in even thinking about what the other person has to say.

Some topics that tend to make people especially strident: guns, abortion, female/male gender issues, Israel/Palestine and criticism of a President, even if it may be justified.

Hugabear

(10,340 posts)
13. I'd say that right-wing radio is an awful big part of it
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 02:57 PM
Jul 2014

They've been whipping up hatred and vitriol on radio, TV, and the internet for awhile.

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
14. I think that poverty and poor education can in many cases, lead to outrage
Tue Jul 22, 2014, 03:02 PM
Jul 2014

I think that poverty and poor education can in many cases, lead to frustration, despair and hopelessness, and outrage; an outrage then manipulated by entertainment demagogues.

So while I don't blame the media for the outrage in and of itself, I do tend to point to them (among other) as to the specific direction the outrage may take.

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