Thursday, June 29, 2006

Being Polite

I listened to a professor of language and media this afternoon on Fresh Air on the public radio station attempting to explain the differences and difficulties in today's political discourse. So, to say that sentence again in the way some of you might read it - I was listening to a liberal talking about useless liberal college agendas on a liberal radio network.

He made a fine point that after all these years since American encountered the Bunker family on "All In The Family", our political debate today most often is characterized and shaped by media as an easy-to-follow, endless Archie vs Meathead argument, where the point seems to be focused on outrage at the Left or Right and that most of us hearing or seeing the argument have really already got solid views on whatever topic is being "discussed". Most of us know it's enterainment-based and simplistic. To constantly narrow the views one has thru a limited prism of Left and Right is a ever-limiting and distorting of Reality.

Talk show stars, like Rush or Coulter or Hannity or Boortz or Franken or Carville, are just members of our extended family whose eccentricities are indulged out of politeness on our part; rodeo clowns of distraction who served a limited and defined function.

Here's a fine post today from Huck in Nashville that pretty much explains as well why people who believe in the Church of Rush Limbaugh aren't in the mainstream - or even a sidestream - well, really they are kinda just extreme. Nice one, Huck.

6 comments:

  1. Being polite is highly overrated.
    I say this my blog-fueled rage, yet they call me the diplmat at work.
    I'm a pansy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:29 AM

    I do not think it is just a matter of being polite. Conservatives appear to have a belief that they have some kind of moral high ground from which they can pass judgement on others' beliefs and behaviors. I am the only person in that position and I am going to file my report to the almighty soon...so, everyone better guess my criteria and act accordingly, or there will be hell to pay,...literally.

    Viagra. What he couldn't find any Oxys?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't think someone like Al Franken would argue that his show on Air America sides on the level entertainment. But I've also been able to research and look up documents and articles he cites on the show. Al is the first to admit that he is left leaning--but he uses actual facts to support what he says. Rush, Ann, Bill, and that ilk pull opinions out of their behinds and call them facts. They misrepresent and misinterpret. They confuse opinion for truth.

    You can paint them all with a pundit colored brush, but do not confuse those who expose the truth and those who diseminate lies and half-truths and opinion.

    And as far as being a good American, Al is the only person who has bothered to entertain the troups in Iraq.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Entertainment is key to my point - and whether Facts or Falsehoods are presented, the public perception remains that their statements tend to fall on one side or another of a Pre-packaged Fence.

    To illustrate better, see the newly added link to the interview on Fresh Air from June 28th, 2006,

    ReplyDelete
  5. Entertainment is key to my point - and whether Facts or Falsehoods are presented, the public perception remains that their statements tend to fall on one side or another of a Pre-packaged Fence.

    To illustrate better, see the newly added link to the interview on Fresh Air from June 28th, 2006,

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry, make that June 29th.

    ReplyDelete