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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBill O'Reilly Complains About Americans Being 'Self-Absorbed and Ignorant'
via Crooks and Liars:
Fox's Bill O'Reilly is very upset that many Americans can't answer the same questions that are asked of immigrants who take our citizenship test, and used his Talking Points Memo segment this Monday to rail about it.
This from the man who works for a network that literally makes their viewers dumber, that constantly rails against funding of public education in favor of school vouchers and charter schools, and who has been carrying water for the party that's responsible for getting rid of civics classes in our public schools to begin with.
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OReilly said America is in decline because so many citizens are not paying attention and are not interested in the welfare of the country.
O'Reilly's right about the problem. You'll never get him to admit his and his network's part in contributing to it though.
trublu992
(489 posts)many failings.
okaawhatever
(9,453 posts)For years, Stanford communications professor James Fishkin has been conducting experiments in deliberative democracy. The premise is simple: poll citizens on a major issue, blind; then see how their opinions evolve when theyre forced to confront the facts. What Fishkin has found is that while people start out with deep value disagreements over, say, government spending, they tend to agree on rational policy responses once they learn the ins and outs of the budget. The problem is ignorance, not stupidity, Hacker says. We suffer from a lack of information rather than a lack of ability. Whether thats a treatable affliction or a terminal illness remains to be seen. But nows the time to start searching for a cure.
You should read the first link. It's amazing what the statistics show about Americans understanding of things. The numbers on the budget explain a lot.
modrepub
(3,469 posts)and there are very few people who'll admit that they have a complete lack of knowledge about what they are talking about. Read any online comment section and you'll see numerous people claim they know absolutely what's wrong based on a couple of hundred words or less from a third-party witness to the event (a reporter). As Nassim Taleb says, it's amazing how well the world works given how little we understanding we have of it.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)That's a teleprompter.
edbermac
(15,919 posts)JHB
(37,133 posts)that picture is priceless
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Cha
(295,929 posts)mfcorey1
(10,997 posts)JHB
(37,133 posts)progressoid
(49,827 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)His passion, though, is faloofas.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)O'Reilly is engage is a classic case of projection
lpbk2713
(42,697 posts)That 1990's BBS style website was made for mouth breathers and is nothing like the real world.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)ignorant people!
1000words
(7,051 posts)I feel cheap.
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)was every single irony meter on the planet exploding at the same time. Unfortunately, there's a good chance the residual irony from the comment will be so strong we may never be able to get one to function again.
Cha
(295,929 posts)Americans are self absorbed and Ignorant. " He wants to take credit for his audience.