Polarized Media and Critical Thinking

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Polarized Media and Critical Thinking

Since our first President George Washington we have been warned as a society about the perils associated with partisanship in our government. The main point which I have drawn from an excerpt of George Washington’s Sept. 19, 1796 farewell address is one urging against this practice, this excerpt goes on to warn about our nature as Human beings as one which at its core may be the most vengeful and dominating forces on the planet. The following quote summarizes the ideas with regard to partisanship in government which I hope to link to polar media through this essay.

“…It serves always to distract the Public Councils and enfeeble the Public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

- George Washington, Farewell Address September 19, 1796

As if a thorn in his side our country today has heeded no warning against this partisanship practice, throughout our economic and social system we have in fact done just the opposite (Fiorina). Media is in particular the most blatant example of this practice in which parties have afforded no hindrance to our history and the warnings it provides. Partisan media or ‘polarized media’ has showcased our human ability to find vengeance and animosity in practically any situation or circumstance, I believe that it is the charge of every American to continuously question news its...

... middle of paper ...

... we may as well pronounce a king.

While some of the points which I have made throughout this essay may be exaggerated they are exaggerated with good reason. Media in today’s society has become reckless and uncontrolled; while I oppose any block or attack on free speech I believe that morals and societal ideals should be restored throughout our social economic and media system. These travesties are in part our fault as citizens as well we should require our media to present unbiased, unleaning ideas which actually draw attention to matters which are relevant to our overall well being. We should not be distracted by ‘Octomom’ and her erroneous sexual desires, we as a society should be focusing on the betterment of ourselves and the Human race not bickering over in the grand scheme of things a ‘dime in the bucket’ to help millions of unemployed and uninsured.

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