That’s enough. Really. I have grown really sick of the trumped up (no pun intended) divide between republicans and democrats. It is very stupid to divide ourselves this way considering it isn’t a real divide. I will submit that there are legit differences–especially when it comes to whether or not the role of the government should be to restrict or to create space to allow X,Y, or Z. This is especially true in terms of the role of government in monitoring and regulating financial institutions. However, this larger social divide being conjured by modern politicians is just nonsense. Moreover, these fabricated battles and conspiracies are born on a bed of logical fallacy so thick and fluffy that the truth is reduced to a pea that, only to a few, gums up the works.
When I teach composition I spend a quite a bit of time helping students distinguishing between fact and fallacy. I find the distinction to be extremely helpful, especially in a media age where the lines between the two are so smudged. It is extremely important to understand that if you watch 24 hr news, there are actually two distinct types of shows that exist on the networks. There are the straight news casts and then there are the opinion or news shows. The news casts are tasked with delivering facts, which most do to the best of their ability and allowance (remember, news stations are almost all privately held companies that answer to a central figure who decides what is and isn’t allowed to be placed on the air and in what fashion).
Everything is an argument. What I see in the media cycle is an effort to allow individuals to present their own version of the truth, which is almost entirely layered in fallacy–no matter the political party. Remember, these people speaking out loud are making an argument to you to listen to them and believe what they are saying so they can do what it is they want to do–by any means necessary. That last part is key, because the assumption that these pundits are being honest with you because 1) they say so (2) any religious connection they have (3) your manufactured perception of what type of person they are is all about layers of fallacy.
Recently I found this wonderful site that offers ‘reason’ posters listing fallacies. Everyone should get one. Once you have it in hand, read it. A lot. Read about the Strawman Fallacy. That is a good a place as any to start deprogramming. Make a game of it. Everytime someone on a news network commits a fallacy, take a drink. I say this because I am exhausted by this new truth. The idea that we can make our own truth and, if enough people go with it then it is made real is a fallacy in of itself. Until it isn’t.
We cannot effectively survive in a world where we allow the truth to be based entirely on point of view.