As always, an insightful piece. I look forward each week to your column. There are a couple news organizations in SD trying to inform the people as the local print papers are almost non-existent. Even the Argus Leader is short staffed and the RC Journal has only one or two reporters. Coverage of the lady mayoral election suffered. Thanks again for an enlightened look at America today.
While I read the NYT daily, I missed the story you referenced below.
I guess at the end of day, I wish the Media project would discuss more positive journalism stories and less about the death of the print media. Non profits across the county have stepped up and are providing funding for more local journalism. Look at the gift of the LNP to WITF and what that means for journalism in central [and perhaps all ] Pennsylvania.
Has the Media Project gone to ' if it bleeds, it leads'?
I don’t know the psychology research you mention, but I suspect that the cognitive psychologists are too impressed by (the undoubted) limitations on memory and data processing.
For example, Many people have a tendency (knee-jerk reaction or thoughtful heuristic?) to take the opposite position when a claim is made: “But what about…?” This can be annoying, and doesn’t necessarily contribute to a productive inquiry, but it is more useful than believing everything — and can add useful disputation as partial counterweight to too-ready belief.
And for all their failings, the overly partisan who reject all evidence disputing their beliefs are not total losses: they at least have a form of protection against some types of new gullibilities, both as individuals and in social life more generally. They repeat old errors, of course, and may add embellishments that fit into pre-existing thoughtways; but under certain circumstances narrow partisanship by a person or subset can be a drag on misguided new enthusiasms by others. If, for example, those who were closed-minded refuseniks about digital technology had been more esteemed and better organized, they might usefully have slowed the Silicon Valley juggernaut. This could have been helpful even if the tech advocates were in some senses better informed and better reasoners.
So I’m disinclined to move very directly or quickly from cognitive shortcomings and contemporary intransigences to larger negative inferences. However, I certainly grant that more intelligent social institutions, practices, and outcomes probably would require a lot more people thinking more clearly.
Yes the print media has been lost, BUT you should start giving credit to the non profit news outlets that are now on the ground covering local school boards, city council meetings, etc. Neither you nor the Media Project have given coverage and discussion to this significant shift. Look at what has happened in Lancaster. The family owned LNP is now owned by WITF and expands their local coverage. Plans are in the making to expand this sort of thing state/nation wide.
As always, an insightful piece. I look forward each week to your column. There are a couple news organizations in SD trying to inform the people as the local print papers are almost non-existent. Even the Argus Leader is short staffed and the RC Journal has only one or two reporters. Coverage of the lady mayoral election suffered. Thanks again for an enlightened look at America today.
While I read the NYT daily, I missed the story you referenced below.
I guess at the end of day, I wish the Media project would discuss more positive journalism stories and less about the death of the print media. Non profits across the county have stepped up and are providing funding for more local journalism. Look at the gift of the LNP to WITF and what that means for journalism in central [and perhaps all ] Pennsylvania.
Has the Media Project gone to ' if it bleeds, it leads'?
I don’t know the psychology research you mention, but I suspect that the cognitive psychologists are too impressed by (the undoubted) limitations on memory and data processing.
For example, Many people have a tendency (knee-jerk reaction or thoughtful heuristic?) to take the opposite position when a claim is made: “But what about…?” This can be annoying, and doesn’t necessarily contribute to a productive inquiry, but it is more useful than believing everything — and can add useful disputation as partial counterweight to too-ready belief.
And for all their failings, the overly partisan who reject all evidence disputing their beliefs are not total losses: they at least have a form of protection against some types of new gullibilities, both as individuals and in social life more generally. They repeat old errors, of course, and may add embellishments that fit into pre-existing thoughtways; but under certain circumstances narrow partisanship by a person or subset can be a drag on misguided new enthusiasms by others. If, for example, those who were closed-minded refuseniks about digital technology had been more esteemed and better organized, they might usefully have slowed the Silicon Valley juggernaut. This could have been helpful even if the tech advocates were in some senses better informed and better reasoners.
So I’m disinclined to move very directly or quickly from cognitive shortcomings and contemporary intransigences to larger negative inferences. However, I certainly grant that more intelligent social institutions, practices, and outcomes probably would require a lot more people thinking more clearly.
Another meaningful essay that really needs more exposure, thank you. Glad your back!
No Rex I have not missed your comments here or on the Media project. I just think the Media Project especially continues to beat the drum for long dead newspaper journalism. Did you see this Sunday Morning Story? https://www.cbsnews.com/video/south-carolina-newspapers-evolve-a-new-paradigm-to-survive/
Bravo, Rex! M
Rex,
Yes the print media has been lost, BUT you should start giving credit to the non profit news outlets that are now on the ground covering local school boards, city council meetings, etc. Neither you nor the Media Project have given coverage and discussion to this significant shift. Look at what has happened in Lancaster. The family owned LNP is now owned by WITF and expands their local coverage. Plans are in the making to expand this sort of thing state/nation wide.
Ed