YES! There is bias! Get over it!
As of late, with my overwhelming amount of free time that comes with summer, I have decided to research both major sides of politics, so that I may fairly decide with which political group I should associate myself. I think this would be a wise endeavor, since soon (alas, not soon enough, since I will miss the presidential election by several months), I will be old enough to vote. So, I think, no problem. I'll just pick up political books from both sides so that I can figure out exactly what the beliefs of both sides are, and why. Sounds easy enough.
Ha. Yeah. No dice.
Turns out, political books have nothing to do with politics, or, if they do, politics have nothing to do with government. I'm sure that there are some of you more wise and intelligent than I, who had come to this conclusion years ago. The primary goals of political books are as follows:
- Emphasize that there is bias in the media of the other side's views.
- Provide examples proving that the other side is full of liars and scumbags.
- Prove that the other side is stupid.
- Portray the other side as a group of either relgious atheists or zealots, and give an impression that the group the writer belongs to could never commit any act that would land them in this category.
So then, we, as soon-to be voters, who are sometimes encouraged by parents or peers to read this political book, watch this political show, eat these political cookies, whatever, determine our political standing based on a few things far less important than, oh I don't know, national issues? Here are some examples:
- Who's face looks the least like a horse's rear end.
- Which group gets more media coverage, and whether or not this is fair.
- Who can spew fallacies more articulately.
- Who can or cannot check their facts when writing a book.
There are many things that both republicans and democrats are guilty of. Both groups occasionally make mistakes, stretch the truth, downplay mistakes, or just blatantly lie. Both groups have media coverage that leans in their direction. They have dirtbags, idiots, adulterors, atheists, zealots, vegans, baby-eaters, homosexuals, feminists, Yale graduates, and high school dropouts. But, over all, there are hypocrites. And trust me, it's not just the one black sheep that ruins a group's reputation for being this or that. It's usually a nice big chunk.
My current advice to those in my position: don't base your position on political books. You will end up choosing based not on your beliefs, ethics, morals, or values, but on whether or not the person who wrote that book that you pick up is good at convincing you that the other side is guilty, and they are not. In all likelihood, their evidence will be based on another writer, whom you will probably never have the opportunity to vote for or against.
This, my friends, is why, when asked, I cannot truly say with certainty that I belong to a certain political party. I must read more.
~l33t1-1
