Krugman: The Puzzle of Gullibility

[mod mom]

April 6, 2011, 9:21 AM
The Puzzle of Gullibility


Looking at the House budget proposal, in all its ludicrousness, makes me wonder about an enduring puzzle: the gullibility of so much of our pundit class.

In the time I’ve been writing for the Times, I’ve watched my colleagues in the commentariat, en masse, agree that:

George Bush is a nice, moderate guy, who will work in a bipartisan way.

George Bush is a heroic leader, who has risen to the occasion.

The case for invading Iraq is overwhelming; only a fool or a Frenchman could fail to be persuaded by Colin Powell.

John McCain is an independent-thinking maverick.

Paul Ryan is an honest, deeply serious thinker who really cares about the deficit.

The tax cut deal paved the way for a new phase of bipartisanship.

The Ryan plan sets a new standard of seriousness.

In each case, any educated citizen with internet access could quickly see overwhelming evidence that these things weren’t true. And you would think that people would learn something from the repeated failure of these kinds of consensus.

-snip

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/the-puzzle-of-gullibility/


Says quite a bit about the quality & intentions of the "pundits" doesn't it?

[ejpoeta]

1. he's right, but unfortunately a lot of people don't bother to look things up for themselves.

they just think that since glen beck says it then it must be true. or even people who may not watch faux but get the corporate slant on everything on every other channel has no conflict of interest to LIE to the people.

[mod mom]

2. Yep...we'll be the 1st democracy to surrender to the corporate state because it's citizens

were too busy with nonsense to care about what is going on in the country. :mad:

[WhiteTara]

6. Fortunately, that pie hole will close soon

at least on the PUBLIC airwaves.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Gullible or complicit

Complicity is not as hard to explain.

[Life Long Liberal]

4. The stupidity of the American Public is beyond belief.

[n2doc]

5. "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not...

Understanding it" -Upton Sinclair. This is the essential truth of the matter.