How did this happen

I'm sure I'll get blasted, but here goes.........

Just an observation.

The political landscape in this country, to say the least, is a muddy slope. I see so many posts daily that are so biased, and misleading from both sides. I understand it is human nature to lean towards our own beliefs. I sit and read all of these politically charged posts, Obama @$#%^$#$%^^%*&(&%$#@ ........................................ Trump@#$*&^(^%$&$%#@#&^%&%@#....................................

The Republicans $%#^&%*&%@!#$%, ..................................

The Democrats $%#^&%@#$@%^&$%#......................................

I sit and wonder, how did we get to this place. To be completely honest,

IT TROUBLES ME GREATLY,

To see my friends, and their friends, have such harsh sentiments towards one another, and their beliefs. I sit and try to be logical about the things I read and hear in the media, and social media, that we are exposed to 24/7 in today's society.

I just can't wrap my mind around so much of what is being said. Regardless of whether the views are leaning left, or right. Hundreds of social media, so called news reporting web sights, that never give a balanced view of a topic. . .....................................

The overwhelming majority of these sights are solely intended to push their own agenda, or the agenda of the Democrat, or Republican parties,

AS THEY PERCEIVE THEM!!!!!!!!!..........

100% unbiased political news reporting, is for the most part, nonexistent, and may have never completely existed. However, we are now at an all time low.

However, more troubling than that, to me.

Is how as a society, have we become tolerant of the fact, that many times, the news that is given us, is less than truthful, and respectful.

Shouldn't we demand more?

Editing of videos, to create an untruth. Use of partial sentences or stories to create an untruth.

"Jane received a broken arm, after being thrown to the ground as President Obama, and President Elect Trump fight..........................................

off a massive steel beam swinging towards her head, in an effort to save her life.........

This second part of this sentence is quite important to understand what actually happened to Jane. Our media, so much of the time, excludes that information from us, or embellishes the story to fit it's own agenda . Allowing us to form a false truth, as to why Jane was thrown to the ground..........

As I look at my Facebook page, my Twitter, Instagram, and snapchat accounts. I see the political jargon accounts that show up, I see this through the sharing of my friends. As I choose not to follow the stirring of the pot web sights myself.

Much of the time, although I choose not to comment, I will Google the information shared, and find much of it is not the complete truth, but is shared as such, sometimes it is very true, and sometimes it a complete lie. At least according to Google.

Neither party is innocent!!!!!!! Misinformation is shared by both the right, and left...........

So I guess to summarize my rant......

How did this happen to us?......

Instead of daily looking for things to keep the political pot stirred.

Put forth that same energy to help find a middle ground, work towards solutions, for the enormous divide we have within our own group of friends, family, neighbors, folks we don't even know.

OUR NATION DESERVES BETTER

I think part of it is that our society as a whole is starting to lean more towards the left. Especially the youth. Trump happens and it slapped a lot of people in the face that just wanted to go along with the flow. Now there is a perception that he will change everything they believe in. The youth are also the ones who have been spoiled and are the ones that have social media and use it. Facebook, Twitter and all news going to internet as well allows more people to share their views and to strike a nerve that requires a rebuttal.

Views over the years haven't changed. I just think that we share them more frequently in publicly shared forums which creates the fire that is burning.

I don't take issue with what the author of this thread said. He's right in what should be. But is middle ground really what people want to see or read about? Is it really? In short, "this happened" because this is what people enjoy. People love their gossip, divisiveness, and chaos . We are entertained, not by the bland niceties of life but by the controversial, the vulgar, even the violent. We know we should turn away from it, but we can't. We won't admit it, but it's more fun to watch people slice and dice each other up than it is to watch them bestow compliments on one another. We get off on controversy and insult. We are entertained by carnival barkers, not Phi Beta Kappas.

Trump was must- see TV, especially during the primary. Why? He was controversial, rude, crude, and highly entertaining. Who wanted to see Carly Fiorina talk ? It's a shame our society is this way, but it is. And this is not just a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, we are entertained by the worst that mankind has to offer and we are bored with the best that He has to give. Why do you think we click on to political forums so often? Because people are playing so nice in them? Hardly. That would bore us. We'd quit participating in them. The Religion& Philosophy forum used to be red hot with lots highly-charged, contentious, but highly engaging and very thought-provoking conversation. Fast forward to today. Compared to the days when a certain devils' advocate used to roam those pages , that forum has all but died. Bone dry. Dead. Do an honest assessment and ask yourself what is it that entertains us-- compromise or controversy? " Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun. But mama, that's where the fun is."

I agree with a lot of dd734 posted and what SF followed with. I have made a decision, right for me, not really caring what anyone else thinks, that Uncle Joe Been won and I will pretend he is the POTUS.

There is nothing I believe in the media, nothing on either side. Nor do I believe DJT. So for little old me, I'll just pretend.

I don't take issue with what the author of this thread said. He's right in what should be. But is middle ground really what people want to see or read about? Is it really? In short, "this happened" because this is what people enjoy. People love their gossip, divisiveness, and chaos . We are entertained, not by the bland niceties of life but by the controversial, the vulgar, even the violent. We know we should turn away from it, but we can't. We won't admit it, but it's more fun to watch people slice and dice each other up than it is to watch them bestow compliments on one another. We get off on controversy and insult. We are entertained by carnival barkers, not Phi Beta Kappas.

 

Trump was must- see TV, especially during the primary. Why? He was controversial, rude, crude, and highly entertaining. Who wanted to see Carly Fiorina talk ? It's a shame our society is this way, but it is. And this is not just a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, we are entertained by the worst that mankind has to offer and we are bored with the best that He has to give. Why do you think we click on to political forums so often? Because people are playing so nice in them? Hardly. That would bore us. We'd quit participating in them. The Religion& Philosophy forum used to be red hot with lots highly-charged, contentious, but highly engaging and very thought-provoking conversation. Fast forward to today. Compared to the days when a certain devils' advocate used to roam those pages , that forum has all but died. Bone dry. Dead. Do an honest assessment and ask yourself what is it that entertains us-- compromise or controversy? " Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun. But mama, that's where the fun is."

I agree with you on the Religion/Philosophy Forum. Not much action there nowadays. You and Mayfield used to keep the fires stoked in that forum. Some really good debates. Reminds me of a couple of posters from years back named Fastbreak and Frances Bavier that had some great back and forth discussions in Religion Forum.

The original post here talks about how "truth" is being skewed by those seeking to back up their own interests or beliefs.

The link here is to Ravi Zacharias, a Christian apologist (apologist, here, meaning one who defends the faith.)

There are articles by two different authors and then a video about a "Post-Truth Society."

The Death of Truth and a Postmortem

A Post-Truth Society? Responses from Ravi Zacharias, Abdu Murray, and Vince Vitale | RZIM

I agree with you on the Religion/Philosophy Forum. Not much action there nowadays. You and Mayfield used to keep the fires stoked in that forum. Some really good debates. Reminds me of a couple of posters from years back named Fastbreak and Frances Bavier that had some great back and forth discussions in Religion Forum.

I miss the old days.