Why Americans Become Apathetic To Politics
In The Cultural Approach of mediated citizenship written by Jeffery P. Jones, Jones discusses how politics are presented through different mediums but, also limited because of the perceived seriousness of the topic. He says the following on that very topic: “The persistent focus on news media has weakness. It leads to the dismissal of other, more popular sources of political information and content as illegitimate.” (367) This is a problem because it doesn’t present all political information. The article makes a good observation of political media and how often humans interact with it on a daily basis, but if those numbers are correct why isn’t it taken seriously?
For every year that passes, it seems as though more and more people are beginning to lose their faith in the US government. Many have grown tired of being ignored by their representatives, while others are disgusted by the greed and corruption that appears to control every movement congress makes. In the blog, "The Disease of American Democracy," published in the Huffington Post, the author, Robert Reich, explores this very idea; however, instead of merely agreeing with the majority of the American public, Reich uses his blog to motivate Americans to once again become politically active, so as to restore the democracy that there once was in the US. Just like any other author, Reich certainly took his audience into much consideration. Reich
" In this statement Minow makes an excellent point, perhaps even unintentionally foreshadowing what was to come in America with the rise of mass media, the point that people can be persuaded to action by nothing more than a mere television. Although disturbing, this notion has played out in America at an alarming rate, in essence brainwashing the majority of our population. We see it all the time, people in an uproar over events that have zero effect on them just because they saw it on the television, or when people obsess over
The argument can be made that, instead of appealing to the lowest common denominator in the public, at least some media should give the more informed and critical segment of the people what it wants (Lazere 305). The people are considered to be the largest segment of the audience and that should be enough evidence for the media members to make the news tailor made for the viewing public. When confronted with said evidence, most media members blame it on education. “One professional consultant who pioneered these formats justified them by claiming, “People who watch television the most are unread, uneducated, untraveled and unable to concentrate on single subjects more than a minute or two.” (Lazere 306).
Though partisanship presents dangers, especially in a period of divided government, it is healthier than the apathy of my peers. These same people are those who saw little purpose in a proposal to plan a voter registration drive for eligible students during school hours. I fear that few of them will register to vote within the coming decade, and so they will have denied themselves the exercise of a right to participate in the political process and to influence the course of their local, state, and national governments. Madison confessed the shortcomings of faction but established how essential it is to democracy. Individuals who are indifferent to government
As a result, televisions control the people, people spend most time watching tv. News stations show news of celebrities, rather than news about congress or politics. News stations are run by companies, people that run-in politics, the stations are to show what they want them to show. Also ads are bought for politicians to get their polls up in the elections. Politicians are searched out to be millionaires to buy their own ads.
Thomas Hobbes once said that “curiosity is the lust of the mind”; that humans naturally gravitate towards knowing more of the unknown out of pure desire. In the context of power, this statement could not be any more truer. In history, we have seen countless examples of power-hungry figures who have only been detrimental to their societies. The Mussolinis and Maos of this world have proven time and time again that the desire to elevate one’s status of power ends more often than not in terrible consequences. The increase in party polarization that the United States sees today can be linked to a power-hungry society.
The political attitudes of Americans do not have a cognitive
Murrow Political Bias in media is one of the most rampant examples of bias in terms of its influence on mindsets of people. The statement above by Edward R. Murrow makes total sense in today’s world. Political Bias is at its peak during elections. Public has to vote for candidates and much information about the candidates comes from media. Media, during these times, takes this advantage.
The polarization of the political system in America infects the decision making and voting of politicians and Americans. Logical political decision making of political officials and Americans have been clouded by ideological viewpoints which does not logically increase the United States well being (Wilson pg 7). The political powers lack the efficient clarity in order to expand the growth of society fundamentally. Each political party has its own regime and viewpoint of what is to be of the country we all dwell in. This fog in the vision of these parties withstands a fine judgement in the development of the United States as a whole.
Rachel Reyes Frankenbush – 3 AP Government 25 January 2016 Paper #1 Over the past thirty years, media has become more accessible, advanced, and useful for people around the world. Due to the rise in the types of media outlets and availability to information, the public is more engaged and knowledgeable in political affairs. This rise in public engagement and knowledge through the widespread availability of information has reinvented the way government and politics are handled and effected by the people. Media today is used as a persuasive device to sway the public’s support and strengthen their own beliefs.
(This topic will be explained in two parts – Partisanship and antipathy of the Democrats and the Republicans). 1. Even though American politicians have been characteristic of negatively rating their opponents, currently those negative ratings have more than doubled as compared to two decades ago. 2. Deeply negative ratings and the strong dislike of the Democrats and Republicans has risen to alarming levels with each side viewing the opponents’ policies as misguided leading to gridlocks in policy making processes.
The United States currently faces a severe problem with one of their governmental processes. In the democratic system of the United States, politicians are elected by voting from the citizens, in most cases. The problem the United States is facing is that people are no longer voting in elections for officials. This problem is discussed in the article, “In praise of low voter turnout”, written by Charles Krauthammer. The main idea behind this article is that voters are no longer interested in politics, as they were in previous generations.
I am regularly amazed by the power and profound impact a film can have one’s life. As we watch movies at different intervals of our lives, the movies can also be special markers of what defines our own human experience. When I first saw this film some seventeen years ago during its initial release, I was in my mid-twenties. I was in awe of the experience.
In the age of instance access to news, most people would argue we are more connected than ever to world events, however many people would be surprised how arcuate the information we receive through traditional news media is. I think George Carlin sums up this up when he said “…My mind doesn’t work that way, I got this real moron thing I do, it’s called thinking and I’m not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions… I have certain rules I live by. My first rule, I don’t believe anything the government tells me… and I don’t take very seriously the media or the press in this country” what Mr. Carlin is referring to is what Chomsky calls manufactured consent, the deliberate manipulation of the news to suit the needs of the powerful
More about Why Americans Become Apathetic To Politics
Mediated Citizenship Summary
325 Words | 2 PagesSummary Of The Disease Of American Democracy By Robert Reich
1103 Words | 5 PagesNewton Minow's Speech 'Vast Wasteland'
604 Words | 3 PagesGreg Hardy
473 Words | 2 PagesSimilarities Between Madison And The Federalists
1723 Words | 7 PagesThe Assault On Reason Analysis
847 Words | 4 PagesIncrease In Party Polarization
1624 Words | 7 PagesThe Big 3: The American Voter
136 Words | 1 PagesLatin American Stereotypes Essay
940 Words | 4 PagesPolarization Of Congress
1611 Words | 7 PagesSocial Media Essay Ap Government
982 Words | 4 PagesDemocrats Vs Republicans
587 Words | 3 PagesLow Voter Turnout Essay
940 Words | 4 PagesPlato's Cave Allegory
785 Words | 4 PagesCreative Writing: George Carlin's Rule
139 Words | 1 Pages