"Why conservatives prefer propaganda to reality"

[applegrove]

Why conservatives prefer propaganda to reality
by Amanda Marcotte at AlterNet/Salon

http://www.salon.com/2014/10/24/why_conservatives_prefer_propaganda_to_reality_partner/?utm_source=huffpost_politics&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article

"SNIP..................


Pew Research set out to find what’s behind what it considers the increasing political polarization of the United States; why the country is moving away from political moderation and becoming more and more divided between liberals and conservatives. Its first report on the phenomenon, which examines where people are hearing news and opinion in both regular and social media, shows that this is happening for very different reasons among people moving to the right than for people moving to the left.

Or that’s the charitable way to put it. The less charitable way is to say Pew discovered that conservatives are consuming a right-wing media full of lies and misinformation, whereas liberals are more interested in media that puts facts before ideology. It’s very much not a “both sides do it” situation. Conservatives are becoming more conservative because of propaganda, whereas liberals are becoming more liberal while staying very much checked into reality.

That this polarization is going on isn’t a myth. Previous Pew research shows the percentage of Americans who are “mostly” or “consistently” conservative has grown from 18% in 2004 to 27% in 2014. During that same period, the percentage of Americans who are “mostly” or “consistently” liberal stayed a little more consistent, growing from 33% to 34% in 10 years. (These statistics don’t measure what you call yourself, but what you rate as on a scale of beliefs about various issues.) While liberals became more liberal, conservatives both became more numerous and more rigidly conservative over time. What gives?

Enter right-wing media, which has a nifty trick of convincing audiences it’s the other guys who are the liars, all while actually being much less trustworthy in reality. From conservative screaming about the “media elite” to Fox News’s old slogan “Fair and Balanced,” conservative media is rife with the message that everyone is out to get you, conservative viewer, and only in the warm blanket of right-wing propaganda will you be safe.

.......

The problem with this is watching Fox News actually makes you less informed than if you don’t watch any news at all. In a 2012 study, Fox News viewers rated the absolute lowest in ability to correctly answer questions on a quiz about recent news events. People who didn’t take in any news programs at all did better on the quizzes. NPR listeners rated the best. Consistent liberals in the Pew research were big fans of NPR, by the way. It was the second most common outlet cited as a favorite by consistent liberals, topped only by CNN.



..................SNIP"

[elleng]

1. It's almost all we hear,

and due to dumbing-down of education, they don't seek to and can't tell the difference.

[daleanime]

7. Too many don't want to......

it makes them feel more comfortable then dealing honestly with real world problems.

[Doctor_J]

2. I believe conservatism will be a recognized illness in the DSM before long

Most people I know who consider themselves conservatives are mentally ill.

[applegrove]

3. Many conservatives are people who don't like 'cheaters' and 'those who break the law'.

That is in their minds. A certain percentage of the population. The GOP has co-opted those people with their law and order agenda as well as painting the poor as welfare queens and such. And they have to keep feeding them stories about the 'cheaters' to keep them engaged with the Republican party. No wonder these people are paranoid. It is as it was planned. They take something in the minds of their base, rework their party to harness it, and repeat and repeat the narrative that they are being cheated. Now the paranoia extends to Obama who is actually trying to make life better for them and has succeeded in many ways (the economy, health care) with no help from the right wing congress. No wonder voters fear they are alone. They are alone: not allowed to connect to Obama, and led by the GOP who just uses them. They are alone. They should be afraid. Just not of Obama.

[cstanleytech]

10. That last part actually sounds like my younger brother Doc.

He is borderline mentally retarded and he buys the line of BS he heres at his so called "church" about Obama being a muslim socialist who was not born in the US hook, line and sinker and there is zero chance of talking to him about it as all he does is start ranting and shouting.

[freshwest]

4. The only propaganda liberals fall for is that the conservative are going away. Ain't happening.

[billhicks76]

8. Obama Not In Charge

Here's a fun for you...it's been reported today that the Obama administration is counting on Republicans winning the Senate so that the Torture Report doesn't get published. The CIA and Brennan have stated their wish for Republicans to win. That's beyond a conflict of interest. It proves Obama is not in charge.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Republicanism is a mental disease.

[cstanleytech]

11. Its not Republicanism its conservatism thats the problem.

Before the civil rights movement alot of the conservatives in the south were democrats but gradually over time they began to call themselves republican.
In other words its not the party thats the problem rather its the people and conservatives have always been a thorn in the side in every country no matter what political name they try to hide under like a rock.

[JaneyVee]

6. Reality has a liberal bias.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. "Why conservatives prefer propaganda to reality"

Easy. The 1st rule of being a Conservative is to NEVER admit you are wrong.

....and in reality,....they are WRONG.