Why do most of us beleive whatever the media says?

Question

Like:

John Kerry was against the Vietnam War. Who knows? He might be, but he SERVED in that war. I read (on a NON-Partistan) website that Geroge W. Bush didn't even SHOW UP FOR TRAINING.

A Jim Davis bashing commercial says that he has the 2nd worst attendance record in Congress history. He has the 2nd worst record THIS YEAR, not through the 10 years he was in Congress. AND his attendance was still 93%.

So why do we chose to beleive all the adds, when there is an amazing tool [computer & internet] that can tell you ALL THE FACTS?!?!

Answer 1

for some reason society has taught us to believe it. There are alot of smart people out there that dont believe everything they hear, but I think everyone should be smart enough to listen to the facts they hear and either look it up somewhere else to find if it is a fact, or use common sense.

Answer 2

First you are wrong in your premise that all the facts are available on the internet. Those stories too are created by writers and just as fallible as the rest of the media. Each writer wants his byline, and to keep his job, he has to produce and with the pressure of competition, facts are overlooked, or simply ignored and the sensational sides glorified. I live in China and I laugh at some of the ridiculous stories built on very tenuous threads of information. One story was printed in the Manchester Guardian that China was selling the skins of executed convicts to a cosmetic manufacturer in France and England and the story was based on a rumor. Another good one was from Australia where scientists discovered that atmospheric pollution was caused by cows. During digestion cows do produce methane (a type of combustible gas) and so our current pollution level is due to cows! What about the vast herds of bison and the antelopes of Africa that existed before man even discovered oil? Science is no better in misleading than the press. Each statement will be couched with words like "may", "possibly" or "could" and reflects both the craving for publicity and grubbing for funds. The press is in the back pocket of the politicians. Remember that Hearst virtually created the Spanish American War, and in the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, we crucified our men, but the South Koreans were not mentioned and they committed as many or more atrocities, but we didn't want to offend an ally (though we were paying for their help). News is sometimes sanitized, that means the reporters are told what happened...not necessarily the truth. I doubt that we shall ever really know the true numbers of casualties in Iraq or other combat zones, as the number of enemy dead is enlarged, and our own casualties are classified by enemy action or non-combatant injuries (word play to side-step the real figures) and played down. So much for truth.

Answer 3

To be straight forward, I read everything that supposedly relates to "facts" on the Internet. You do not have to be skeptical, just wary that maybe a fact is not a fact unless you can back it up with proof. As for people believing any and all propaganda put forth through the media, well here is the answer. You may not like it, and it may not be as concise as you want it, but it is a relative good reason. People believ what the want to believe because on the average humans are still just basic animals. Sure we have the ability to reason and form complex thoughts, but how often do we really rely on our own consciousness to stay informed. The news is biased in one way or another, whether it be political, religious, or personal that has to be accepted. In the final product you as the individual have to filter out the rhetoric and search for the exact truth. Like Mulder from the X-Files, it is out there. Then it is your responsibility to pass the truth onto your fellow friends, co-workers and or congregation. Think for your self, do not let others think for you. I hypothesis that that is the underlying problem with our current political government. Personally, if we got rid of the Electoral College, what would politicians think then.

Answer 4

Sounds like YOU believe whatever the media tells you so long as it against the Republicans. Remember Dan Rather who got fired for the lies he told about Bush "not showing up for training?" As for Kerry the fighting man's hater, I watched the unbotched insult to the troops more than once and he meant every bit of it! He got one of those "amazing" three Purple Hearts by shooting himself in the foot. OOOH Big hero! I'm suspect of the others as well since he didn't spend very much time in Nam and refuses to release his service record of which he claims to be so proud! And when he got back from the war, he betrayed the guys he fought with and the guys still over there by testifying before Congress that they were "baby killers' among many other horrible things! But you don't know? You don't know because you don't want to believe it! The same reason you still believe the lies Dan Rather told about Bush even after he was fired! I find it hard to believe that you go to "non-partisan" sites. Why not post a link and let us see it for ourselves or is this another "Kerry?"

Answer 5

The media is a huge piece of America, and that includes newspapers and magazines, television, the internet, radio, etc. People will watch a television program or ad which gives a certain slant on a person or topic and then call themselves informed, when television is the most limited in terms of information. Think about it - the average news program is one half hour or hour. Take out the commercials and chit chat and you are down to 20 or 40 minutes respectively.

Also some media that are partisan and that wish to make a name for themselves by making certain issues "their" issues use the big lie theory - tell a big lie, tell it often enough, and people will start to believe it. (J. Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda, used this tool very well to turn Germans against Jews.)

Basically most people do not take the time to find out the facts; they're lazy, busy or apathetic. They're also easily manipulated.

Answer 6

I think there are two reasons.

First, because it's easier than actually thinking. Let's face it - sitting down in front of the TV news or the internet and having it spoon-fed to you is way easier than actually reading up on the facts. That takes effort, and most people just don't want to expend the energy.

Second, because it's viral - with the internet, news spreads so fast that by the time it's proven not to be true, it's legend. Remember the rumors about the massive rapes and murders going on at the Superdome in New Orleans during Katrina? Not true. Not a single one reported. But the media heard the rumor, spread it around, and it became fact to most people.

Answer 7

Everyone is Bias and think there truth is "THE" truth but to you it may not be it's your choice to use your head to sort out the real news/media from the fake news/media........JUST LIKE ON HERE where people believe your answers...... In life everyone wants answer but who's answers are correct and incorrect..... I think it's safe to say you'll never know what's real and what's not.....because we are humans and we lie and when you have a world full of liers.......HOW WOULD ANYONE get the honest truth? I guess it's all a matter of believing and disbelieving what you hear................ABOUT EVERYTHING

Answer 8

The millitary sucks at keeping track of whos who and where everyone went to school drill or teach. my dad was in for 56 years and half of his teaching jobs and two of his MOSs(job's that you get training for, many of which can take 3-16 months) weren't listed. in his disharge papers and they couldnt find the info any where. Thank god he had copies of everything since the day he was drafted.

Answer 9

Because that's where we get most of our facts from.

Answer 10

my god...ever heard of SWIFTBOAT...its called the liberal media bias and in your case its very very real