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irateplatypus · 09-02-2004, 07:25 PM

you fail to see a difference? wow... ok

surely you'll grant me: most people aren't thrilled to talk fiscal policy, listening to a politician speak is often boring and time-consuming, people are very busy with their own lives, issues of substance are seldom entertaining.

yet when people watch the daily show they are exposed to these issues but do not view them in their proper context. yeah, they hear about the mr. politicians tax proposal... but they hear about it from a comedian who spends 25 seconds telling jokes about it. if a well-informed electorate is essential to a healthy democracy then how can we legitimize this format as a method of understanding our world?

is politics, by nature, entertaining? how about international policy? warfare? abortion? taxes?

if the answer to one of these is "no", then you must concede that something vital is lost when they are converted into entertainment.

we need to step back and give less creedence to comedians and entertainers. the daily show is not a legitimate source of news. news sources of it's like are fun to watch, but should not be given as much serious weight as it seems to have garnered in the past 10 or 15 years. the real issues aren't as compelling as jon stewart portrays them, but perhaps toughing it out a bit to hear more about major issues from cspan is what it takes to make the right choices.

09-02-2004, 07:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
irateplatypus can't help but laugh Location: dar al-harb	you fail to see a difference? wow... ok surely you'll grant me: most people aren't thrilled to talk fiscal policy, listening to a politician speak is often boring and time-consuming, people are very busy with their own lives, issues of substance are seldom entertaining. yet when people watch the daily show they are exposed to these issues but do not view them in their proper context. yeah, they hear about the mr. politicians tax proposal... but they hear about it from a comedian who spends 25 seconds telling jokes about it. if a well-informed electorate is essential to a healthy democracy then how can we legitimize this format as a method of understanding our world? is politics, by nature, entertaining? how about international policy? warfare? abortion? taxes? if the answer to one of these is "no", then you must concede that something vital is lost when they are converted into entertainment. we need to step back and give less creedence to comedians and entertainers. the daily show is not a legitimate source of news. news sources of it's like are fun to watch, but should not be given as much serious weight as it seems to have garnered in the past 10 or 15 years. the real issues aren't as compelling as jon stewart portrays them, but perhaps toughing it out a bit to hear more about major issues from cspan is what it takes to make the right choices. __________________ If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. ~ Winston Churchill Last edited by irateplatypus; 09-02-2004 at 07:32 PM..