Bias In Media

[Sebastian]

What conversation... the one about Breitbart?? The one none of the right-wingers (or you) were willing to engage in?

That's not a conversation. You guys had no interest in talking about Breitbart..

Breitbart's stock photo of Hitler just has you confused is all.

 

[gourimoko]

Breitbart's stock photo of Hitler just has you confused is all.

 

[Sebastian]

@King Stannis

Political ideology is partially genetic, but the way that you're presenting it comes off as determinism. Temporament is both nature and nurture and I believe this is on what you're basing your last post. Traits will skew towards the left or right or top and bottom of a political compass and are largely predictable, to an extent, but it isn't determined outright.

In some it can be. Cognitive inflexibility and stress reactions dictated by certain portions of the brain will create the same outputs over and over.

Depression is not a state of mind but a neural disorder associated with physical differences in the brain. The same can be said for all behaviors if there is a pronounced difference from the mean.

 

[David.]

In some it can be. Cognitive inflexibility and stress reactions dictated by certain portions of the brain will create the same outputs over and over.

Depression is not a state of mind but a neural disorder associated with physical differences in the brain. The same can be said for all behaviors if there is a pronounced difference from the mean.

So you're saying you believe cognitive inflexibility is genetic rather than their political positions?

The latter assumes people don't reason into their beliefs or aren't pandered to and don't base their world view off of their life experiences. I juts don't think determinism precedes those things.

Also, if people are genetically predetermined, why worry about propaganda at all?

 

[TyGuy]

Breitbart's stock photo of Hitler just has you confused is all.

He probably has some calf implants but refuses to get those moles removed.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

It applies to all humans to a varying degree.

Social conditioning, both involuntary and voluntary (with a heavy emphasis on voluntary as it has become the dominant social environment with the internet), shape our perceptions of the world.

However, not everyone is effected equally by it. Genetically, not everyone's brain is wired the same and there are differences between political affiliations at a genetic level.

But, that isn't to say people can't look past both inherited and social affects; but it does require a certain type of personality or thought process.

Edit: None of this excuses poor behavior. Unless one has a damaged frontal lobe, there is no reason to not hold people accountable for their beliefs and actions. A belief is one thing, but beliefs spring into actions and some beliefs are objectively incompatible with societal mores; Nazis being the most prominent on the list of objectively wrong.

This and the preceding post you made on this topic are interesting. It suggest to me that psychological analyses of political/social opinions and debates is at least partially dependent upon the particular political/social views of the psychologist.

 

[Sebastian]

So you're saying you believe cognitive inflexibility is genetic rather than their political positions?

The latter assumes people don't reason into their beliefs or aren't pandered to and don't base their world view off of their life experiences. I juts don't think determinism precedes those things.

Also, if people are genetically predetermined, why worry about propaganda at all?

In some yes.

Propoganda harnesses the physical reactions people have toward fear and other stresses. It is very useful. And amazingly effective on those types of folks. It is a human physiological response to feel before thinking. Some feel more than others.

 

[Sebastian]

This and the preceding post you made on this topic are interesting. It suggest to me that psychological analyses of political/social opinions and debates is at least partially dependent upon the particular political/social views of the psychologist.

There is no such thing as a completely objective human.

And, what I wrote, applies to any political ideology. There is little value in trying to change the minds of some people. No matter what they believe.

 

[David.]

In some yes.

Propoganda harnesses the physical reactions people have toward fear and other stresses. It is very useful. And amazingly effective on those types of folks. It is a human physiological response to feel before thinking.

That sounds a little more reeled in. But I think in respect to the current topic, you could say that's more racially motivated propaganda and people are going to disagree but it's done plenty on the left too. How many people are worried about Nazis and evil white conspiracies?

So I think everyone is vulnerable to being manipulated based on their identity and fear (which is something we're all susceptible to).

 

[TyGuy]

There is no such thing as a completely objective human.

And, what I wrote, applies to any political ideology. There is little value in trying to change the minds of some people. No matter what they believe.

You certainly don't change opinions by telling people how dumb and racist they are.

 

[gourimoko]

There is no such thing as a completely objective human.

And, what I wrote, applies to any political ideology. There is little value in trying to change the minds of some people. No matter what they believe.

I think the confusion comes in because you're saying "some people" and others are interpreting that as a general case. But I totally get what you're saying...

There is definitely a biological component to it; and that constrains the ability of some people to engage in higher levels of abstract reasoning necessary to evaluate many of these topics without falling back on preconceived notions, prejudice, and tribal impulse.

 

[David.]

You certainly don't change opinions by telling people how dumb and racist they are.

Yea it's the tone that generally gets in the way. Them they blame it on anti intellectualism or stupidy or I guess genetics now

 

[TyGuy]

Yea it's the tone that generally gets in the way. Them they blame it on anti intellectualism or stupidy or I guess genetics now

#FakeScience

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

There is no such thing as a completely objective human.

And, what I wrote, applies to any political ideology. There is little value in trying to change the minds of some people. No matter what they believe.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but you seemed to be making your remarks in the specific context of Breitbart:

Or did I misinterpret your meaning?

Because I have to say that there are serious problems with judging mental flexibility and openness to different ideas based on message board posts.

 

[Sebastian]

That sounds a little more reeled in. But I think in respect to the current topic, you could say that's more racially motivated propaganda and people are going to disagree but it's done plenty on the left too. How many people are worried about Nazis and evil white conspiracies?

So I think everyone is vulnerable to being manipulated based on their identity and fear (which is something we're all susceptible to).