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PJMcK

(21,922 posts)
58. You really can't blame "the media"
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 03:43 PM
Jun 2016

Your thesis is right on the money, Stinky, and I agree that stupid people will vote for stupid people.

The media, however, isn't to blame; it's the stupid people. Stupid people don't educate themselves about facts and knowledge. Sadly, there are far too many stupid people and the Brexit vote illustrates that the Stupid isn't limited to the USA.

For the most part, the posters on Democratic Underground are informed and intelligent members of society. They make it their responsibility to search out the news from various sources and then try to distill some kind of "truth" from it all. There are others in our society that perform this basic civic duty to be well informed using whatever sources they have available.

Conversely, far too many Americans (and presumably, citizens of other countries) don't try to be informed. They get their news from "The Today Show" or Fox News or Headline News. The complexity of the 21st century world cannot be distilled and understood in the 15-second sound bites or brief internet headlines that make up most of broadcast and published news. It's the responsibility of an informed public to oversee its government. That's why our Constitution begins with, "We, The People..." Unfortunately, far too many people, particularly on the political right, have embraced ignorance as a strength.

So, I believe it's the stupid people's fault. If they weren't stupid, we'd have better news. In the end, all media is a reflection of its society.

It should have NEVER EVER been a simple majority vote on something so changing to UK uponit7771 Jun 2016 #1
Did joining the EU require a referendum at all? David__77 Jun 2016 #7
For some people, democracy of any kind is a one way street. nt cherokeeprogressive Jun 2016 #21
No. They had a referendum two years after joining affirming that they remain in the EU. RAFisher Jun 2016 #36
Ah ok. Well I suppose they may change their minds again at some point. David__77 Jun 2016 #45
That is a very good point PatSeg Jun 2016 #25
Yes. And unnecessary vote too. Cameron will go down as one of the stupidest UK politicians ever. .nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2016 #30
Amen. And most arrogant. nt auntpurl Jun 2016 #37
The Homer Simpson theory The2ndWheel Jun 2016 #2
I blame them for voting for W, whom I believe is Ilsa Jun 2016 #3
Good point, Ilsa. He DID destabilize the Middle East, which certainly has given a whole new meaning calimary Jun 2016 #33
This is what "direct democracy" looks like scaled up from the town hall, where it works, to a State Hekate Jun 2016 #50
The average person just barely has enough information to understand the Ilsa Jun 2016 #59
Hello, is this thing on? Nominee Trump?!? NightWatcher Jun 2016 #4
It all started when Reagan killed the Fairness Doctrine. Native Jun 2016 #5
He must have had pretty good aim when he pulled the trigger on the Fairness Doctrine in Europe. nt cherokeeprogressive Jun 2016 #22
I believe the poster is commenting on the rest of the OP's comments: deurbano Jun 2016 #34
Thank you. Native Jun 2016 #57
Its also due to the rise of cable TV and the internet Fresh_Start Jun 2016 #32
Nah, they were just figuring they were never part of Europe anyway, I mean look at it.. snooper2 Jun 2016 #6
Wrong. Really look at Europe: Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2016 #28
Yes Hekate Jun 2016 #51
Yep. And heeeeere comes TRUMP. n/t Triana Jun 2016 #8
Yes, the global 1% know better than the little people brentspeak Jun 2016 #9
This is carrying Bernie's stuff too far treestar Jun 2016 #14
+1! Exactly. KPN Jun 2016 #27
Murdoch has a strong presence there too, correct? underpants Jun 2016 #10
Murdoch media to control over a fifth of UK news consumption (Guardian) eppur_se_muova Jun 2016 #11
I'm assuming his organizations supported Leave underpants Jun 2016 #15
Oh yes nt auntpurl Jun 2016 #38
Gerrymandering as it has been taken to a high art form started with the Stupid vote. Stinky The Clown Jun 2016 #12
There's already an article somewhere treestar Jun 2016 #13
I heard one woman interviewed who said her whole family voted to leave as a protest vote . . . . Stinky The Clown Jun 2016 #16
Yes and here is some more on it: treestar Jun 2016 #17
House is product of gerrymandering, Senate is a fundamentally anti-democratic system forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #18
See post 12, above Stinky The Clown Jun 2016 #19
The basic theory of the Founders had to do with checks and balances in government plus .... Hekate Jun 2016 #52
An interesting table I swiped from Balloon Juice gratuitous Jun 2016 #20
Possibly another factor is the older voters think they are "taking back" something, deurbano Jun 2016 #40
I wonder what the actual numbers were for each age bracket TexasBushwhacker Jun 2016 #46
For younger people, membership in the EU has been the status quo all their lives daleo Jun 2016 #49
People don't like being told what to do, even if it's good for them Ex Lurker Jun 2016 #23
If you're hoping to counter the Leave campaign's characterization of Remain as elitist Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2016 #24
It looks like Britain doesn't like these 'free' trade agreements, either. (nt) w4rma Jun 2016 #26
The polarization between ignorant bigotted older voters for Brexit and the rest is very striking: Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2016 #29
stupid enid602 Jun 2016 #31
result of stupid people voting elmac Jun 2016 #35
The amount of anti-intellectualism on the Leave side struck me as astonishing RAFisher Jun 2016 #39
Yes UKIP leader admitted on TV lieing outright. Boris Johnson repeated debunked EuroMyths. . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2016 #43
It almost makes one want to declare that only the college educated can vote philosslayer Jun 2016 #44
It'd be good if everyone were college educated Wednesdays Jun 2016 #55
The stupid is strong in this country, but the media is not the root cause Cosmocat Jun 2016 #41
Yes. Critical thinking is not taught & not respected. Athletes & celebs are "heroes". . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2016 #42
Heres the scary part workinclasszero Jun 2016 #47
I Don't Agree mckara Jun 2016 #48
Yep. People 840high Jun 2016 #54
yep... chillfactor Jun 2016 #53
Don't we know that from the primaries. egduj Jun 2016 #56
You really can't blame "the media" PJMcK Jun 2016 #58
There is a difference between stupid and ignorance. Most people have tblue37 Jun 2016 #60
I'll leave this here: joshcryer Jun 2016 #61
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