Bullshit is in the tool box of every politician and political news source, and it is readily used. Regardless of party affiliation, bullshit is spewed from the mouths of politically-tied individuals with ease and eloquence. However, this ritual is generally viewed as partisan, with hands being pointed across the aisle, eager to identify the bullshit of the other party, while ignoring its existence within one’s own. This fervor to call out the bullshit of an opposing political party and reluctance to hold your own to the same standard is contributing to the great divide we see in the American political system today.
Philosopher Harry Frankfurt wrote about the distinction between bullshit and lies, and how bullshit affects out world today. He writes that for bullshitters, the truth is not the end game; rather, they may elect to use it as a means to their end. They misrepresent their true intentions, and this is overtly recognizable in the sources we rely upon to deliver factual news. Let’s explore two of the most widely consumed news distributers in our country today: Fox News and MSNBC. Both report political happenings to millions every day. Both use facts to convey their own messages. However, there is a difference in the news that they present and/or the way they present the news. For example, how Fox covers the impeachment is very different from how MSNBC covers the same issue. Both are presenting on the same topic, but in a much different way. Their biases are apparent. They both misrepresent their intentions of providing ideas that confirm one’s own political beliefs under the guise of facts. 
Ask friends/colleagues/family, where do they get their news? Ask to give an example of political bullshit. The answers of these questions will likely give you a pretty good idea of their party affiliation and their recognition of the other party’s bullshit. The fact that Republicans are more likely to get their news from Fox and that Democrats are more likely to get theirs from MSNBC (or CNN, etc.) give credence to the idea that some people are more likely to ignore— or worse yet, not recognize— bullshit from their own party. When people are unable to realize misrepresentation of news sources, constructive political discussions lose while division, hostility, and bullshitters win.
Hi Nicolas, interesting read! While I'm sure you were just working under word cpunt restraints, I wish you had went a little more in depth on Fox vs MSNBC coverage of impeachment. And/or made the pictures bigger, I'm a little blind and a little lazy so writing about exactly why these news sources are an example of bullshit would've served your point better I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm also wondering where the statement came from in your last paragraph: "some people are more likely to ignore— or worse yet, not recognize— bullshit from their own party" I guess this must be because partisan news tends to only criticize the other party? But again, because you didn't really flesh that idea out too well it's left a bit blurry.
Overall, an interesting and relevant read.