Fri Nov 19, 2021, 08:49 PM

Question for you politics and history buffs.

We've been hearing all about the bullshit in Washington for several years now, and many of us agree that the media is pushing bad news and controversy because it sells.

So... are these times really a new chapter in the decline of democracy? IOW, are these repuke assholes really the worst ever, or has this happened before and we just hear more about it now because of technology? I remember the police brutality problems in the mid-sixties, and the stories about Watergate, and reading about Joe McCarthy in history books, and such, but I don't remember being as inundated with bad news previously as we are now.

What made me think of this was a news clip about Kevin McAsshole doing the longest speech ever to delay the BBB vote. That clip reminded me of a football commentator: "THAT WAS THE LONGEST PASS EVER!"

So, are we being treated to a bunch of media hype because history is repeating itself, or are we really in trouble?

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5 replies	Author	Time	Post
Question for you politics and history buffs. (Original post)	grumpyduck	Nov 2021	OP
There's so much focus on the worst of everything.	TwilightZone	Nov 2021	#1
History and politics tend to move in waves	Philosophizing Fool	Nov 2021	#2
that is one hell of a quote....	bahboo	Nov 2021	#5
We're having media hype at the level of WR Hurst's empire days...	haele	Nov 2021	#3
I am unaware of any President that has constituted such	Tomconroy	Nov 2021	#4

Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Fri Nov 19, 2021, 08:55 PM

TwilightZone (21,589 posts)

1. There's so much focus on the worst of everything.

In reality, times like these are recurrent throughout history. With 24 hour news coverage on dozens of outlets, plus social media, there's just a lot more attention on it now and much of the focus is on the extremes.

That being said, things aren't great thanks to Trump and his minions and the effects of his reign of terror will be felt for decades. We are in a bad patch and what we can do about it largely remains to be seen. His influence on the GOP and the judiciary certainly doesn't help.

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Fri Nov 19, 2021, 09:15 PM

Philosophizing Fool (73 posts)

2. History and politics tend to move in waves

The best summary I have heard comes from G. Michael Hopf and the book "Those Who Remain"

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”

We have been in good times, relatively so, and weak people may be sending us into the hard times.

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Response to Philosophizing Fool (Reply #2)

Fri Nov 19, 2021, 10:52 PM

bahboo (15,318 posts)

5. that is one hell of a quote....

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Fri Nov 19, 2021, 09:17 PM

haele (11,822 posts)

3. We're having media hype at the level of WR Hurst's empire days...

Politics are pretty bad, but I'm not sure if it's that much worse than, say, the 1850's.

However-

Social and "regular" media are pretty much single-handedly pushing the limits of democracy; without Fox, without the profit-seeking outrage Wurlitzers of OAN, Newscorp, Facebook, etc., We wouldn't be as politically radicalized as we're are today.

The wanna-be oligarchs and robber barons would have to work much harder and would possibly not be able to buy an entire political party without the instant media outlets they own and manipulate.

We are facing a historical cycle that has just been yanked hard right using hysterical rhetoric by the media.
When the majority of the population can become inured from the hysteria and reclaim their own brains from the zombie creating Press, I can't say if it's going to be sooner or later.

Haele

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Fri Nov 19, 2021, 09:43 PM

Tomconroy (6,512 posts)

4. I am unaware of any President that has constituted such

A threat to democratic government.

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