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Isn't this the sort of attitude that enables bad actors to abuse their positions of power?

switchbak 7y ago
Bad actors are already very much using the aforementioned media outlets to abuse their positions of power anyway. I do agree it's a problem - being uninformed of what's going on around you. Not sure that being misinformed is really any better though. I do despair at our general ability to have an accurate sense of the world around us.
objectivetruth 7y ago
It's the sort of attitude that enables a LOT of bad things in the world: The poster doesn't like "unvetted" news sources like the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times (which get lumped in with Reddit and Stephen Colbert in their opinion). Instead, apparently they consider the information they get from their friends and family as adequately "vetted." Now, that's a very unusual definition of "vetted," plus where are the friends/family getting THEIR info? The poster is information-gathering via the old game of "telephone" with all the attendant problems and distortion that invites. Now, the poster also claims they are getting all the info they need. How do they know that? How do they know their trusted friends and family are 100% informed on all of the relevant issues? The world is a fast-changing place so to safely not worry about any of those changes, you have to be: 1) near the top of the socio-economic pyramid, AND 2) devoid of empathy Example: as a white natural-born US citizen, I probably won't have to worry about any upcoming changes to the existing legal permanent resident program personally affecting me. But a recently-approved permanent resident really SHOULD pay attention to the news so that they can learn that many Americans and their representatives want to revoke their residency and kick them out. Same thing for marriage laws: I'm a straight unmarried man, so I won't personally be affected if the GOP re-bans gay marriage, invalidates all of the existing ones, and jails county clerks and pastors for officiating them in the future. But as a human being who cares about the people who ARE affected, it would be incredibly selfish of me to ignore not just their plight, but to go out of my way to avoid learning about what is going on. I feel that being an informed citizen is a critical responsibility, an integral part of citizenship.
- buildzr 7y ago
  > where are the friends/family getting THEIR info? Are you trying to tell me Alex Jones and The Official Flat Earth Facebook group aren't "vetted" enough for you?

Bad actors are already very much using the aforementioned media outlets to abuse their positions of power anyway. I do agree it's a problem - being uninformed of what's going on around you. Not sure that being misinformed is really any better though. I do despair at our general ability to have an accurate sense of the world around us.

objectivetruth 7y ago

It's the sort of attitude that enables a LOT of bad things in the world: The poster doesn't like "unvetted" news sources like the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times (which get lumped in with Reddit and Stephen Colbert in their opinion). Instead, apparently they consider the information they get from their friends and family as adequately "vetted." Now, that's a very unusual definition of "vetted," plus where are the friends/family getting THEIR info? The poster is information-gathering via the old game of "telephone" with all the attendant problems and distortion that invites. Now, the poster also claims they are getting all the info they need. How do they know that? How do they know their trusted friends and family are 100% informed on all of the relevant issues? The world is a fast-changing place so to safely not worry about any of those changes, you have to be: 1) near the top of the socio-economic pyramid, AND 2) devoid of empathy Example: as a white natural-born US citizen, I probably won't have to worry about any upcoming changes to the existing legal permanent resident program personally affecting me. But a recently-approved permanent resident really SHOULD pay attention to the news so that they can learn that many Americans and their representatives want to revoke their residency and kick them out. Same thing for marriage laws: I'm a straight unmarried man, so I won't personally be affected if the GOP re-bans gay marriage, invalidates all of the existing ones, and jails county clerks and pastors for officiating them in the future. But as a human being who cares about the people who ARE affected, it would be incredibly selfish of me to ignore not just their plight, but to go out of my way to avoid learning about what is going on. I feel that being an informed citizen is a critical responsibility, an integral part of citizenship.

buildzr 7y ago
> where are the friends/family getting THEIR info? Are you trying to tell me Alex Jones and The Official Flat Earth Facebook group aren't "vetted" enough for you?