He made an interesting comment. He said that he does not watch much television, just sports and Fox News. What I found interesting is that he identified the news he watches as Fox News, not just "The News". If it was me, I would say I watch the news and not identify it any further. I, in fact, watch a variety of news programs, on a variety of networks. I keep confusing which channel is NBC, CBS, ABC, etc. I know where the program is, but not necessarily the network.
Yet, he doesn't just watch the news. He watches "Fox News" -- like it is different from any other news. Well, I guess it is. It is really more propaganda than news. The few times we have discussed politics, and I point out the errors of his thoughts, thoughts he got from Fox News, he agrees with me. But he still watches it. I think it is wishful thinking. They report things the way he wishes it was, rather than the way it really is.
This is a problem because when you watch only one version of the news, you have nothing to compare it to, and it becomes difficult to tell the difference between truth and fiction.
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"The few times we have discussed politics, and I point out the errors of his thoughts, thoughts he got from Fox News, he agrees with me. But he still watches it."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this is because it's more comfortable, or at least less irritating than from other sources because Fox's propaganda fits his notions. I also tend to think people do this out of a cynical belief all news sources are skewed one way or another, so why not go with what's familiar and comfortable?
Either way, it seems foolish. Facts matter. We didn't get The Worst President in U.S. History™ because so many voters were well informed with solid facts and made sound judgments as a result. That goes double for voting George W. Bush a second term.
FOX WHORE NEWS
ReplyDeleteNews the way you want it heard.
Although I can't imagine why, is it possible that he identifies which "news" program he watches because he is proud that?
ReplyDeleteHello Jerry,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes from Thomas Jefferson is,” He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors."
This surely applies to those who ONLY watch Fox...and I intentionally omitted using the word NEWS.
I think righties watch Fox because they believe it's a "news" for religious conservatives, as opposed to "evil liberal left leaning news"
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's anything sinister, just good branding on the part of the Fox News marketing department. It's like saying you own an iPad... You don't say you own a tablet computer...
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, Heathen. It is good branding, although a very flawed product.
ReplyDeleteJerry,
ReplyDeleteBTW: I have moved THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON POST over to wordpress.com. Its new address is http://jackjodell53.wordpress.com/. Thanks for your continued patronage, and I hope too see you there again real soon! :-)ry,
Diversity is great. I have a friend that read Foreign newspapers when they write articles about the United States; she wants to see an outsider viewpoint too.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good point. If you only see one version of things, it becomes easier and easier to forget that there might actually be a million more ways to see things.
ReplyDeleteMy brother in law is also an engineer and he only watches Fox News. I think the attraction, outside of Glenn Beck, is that the Fox News evening line up is actually pretty straight forward...they let you know what is good and what is bad and its very easy to swallow and does not involve much thinking....
ReplyDeleteThey not only give you the news but they also give you your opinion of the news all in one easy to swallow program.
"If you only see one version of things, it becomes easier and easier to forget that there might actually be a million more ways to see things."
ReplyDeleteIt's worthwhile to keep in mind there are two sides to every story. It's also important to keep in mind that while everyone has a right to their own opinion, they don't have a right to their own facts.
The key, I think, is keeping straight what is fact, what is opinion and whether some person or media outlet is trying to represent one as the other.
He said it himself. He only watches entertainment television.
ReplyDeleteOne person's fake news is another's treasured fact. Like the "George W. Bush went AWOL" hoax that was hung off of forged 1970s documents which used 1990s Windows fonts. I still run into people who believe it. And no, that one was not Fox News.
ReplyDelete