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In the classical "Amusing Ourselves to Death" Neil Postman makes a case that politics, and the quality of political debate, has deteriorated a lot from 18-19th
by V-2 10y ago
In the classical "Amusing Ourselves to Death" Neil Postman makes a case that politics, and the quality of political debate, has deteriorated a lot from 18-19th century standards.
Back in 1850s, Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln debated with three hours speeches each. It wouldn't sit well with the attention span of modern audience.
- Avawelles 10y agoAttentions spans are very short nowadays. Probably why everything politicians say seems to be in soundbites now.
- digi_owl 10y agoNah, i think that's from the use of modern marketing techniques. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self
- rm_-rf_slash 10y agoCorrect. Much of modern society is the way it is because it was deliberately manufactured to be that way, from throwaway consumerism to sound bite politics.
- jandrese 10y agoI have a tough time believing that people were sitting with rapt attention for the full duration of two 3 hour stump speeches.
- Avawelles 10y agoI think over time public speakers have seen a benefit in reducing ideas to memorable slogans. This way their words are understandable to everyone and not just those who can understand the complexity of the issue. Whether this is good or bad for society is certainly up for debate.
- pjc50 10y ago.. whereas the outcome of the process seems to have (unevenly) improved in the 20th century. Lincoln had to persuade people that slavery was a bad idea. We have now, largely, climbed that particular hill and are working on the next society-wide injustices. Also, that three hour debate would be all you got. We have 24 hour rolling news now. (I have to admit that Trump is contradicting this thesis rather badly)
- adrianN 10y agoI'm not so sure about that. Nowadays politicians have to convince people that banning gay marriage is a bad idea and scientists have to convince politicians that blasting all those greenhouse gases into the atmosphere might not be a good idea. It's always easy to look back and say "Why did this issue even need an argument?!".
- V-2 10y ago> Nowadays politicians have to convince people that banning gay marriage is a bad idea They don't "have to", they want to
- HemanHeartYou 10y agoYou don't know what they want.
- pjc50 10y agoEqual marriage is very much an example of the process working, from homosexuality being illegal within many people's lifetimes. Social change always takes a long time as it involves gradually changing norms, not just legal process. Persuading people that the alleged "harm" is entirely mythological. GHG on the other hand is a problem where lots of people's incomes depend on ignoring it.
- Ygg2 10y agoI have to disagree. I think each society is a product of its environment, both natural and social. It's extremely hard to be pacifistic when your neighbors are rattling guns.
- jkot 10y agoMaybe it is better, politics is now more open and problems can be recognized faster. In 1850s British government did not notice, that millions were dying in Great Famine.
- douche 10y agoDidn't notice, or didn't care?