The Media: Why Do Some People Find It Hard to Back Up Their Arguments When They Listen To The Mainstream Media?

When it comes to what someone believes about what is taking place in the world, they can be heavily influenced by the mainstream media. Alternatively, they may have a different approach.

One might be in a position where they rarely pay attention to this source of information, or they could listen to the alternative media instead. If this is the case, it is likely to be a sign that they are happy to think for themselves.

The Easy Option

Going along with the mainstream media is similar to ordering a takeaway, and this is because it won’t take a lot of effort. What they want is provided for them and they won’t have to do anything.

The time and energy that they save through doing this can then be used in another way. And if other people are being paid to cover what is taking place in the world, there is going to be no reason for one to exert themselves.

One Outlook

If someone is happy to go along with what other people provide, it is likely to show that they trust them. It is then not that they can’t think for themselves; it is that they don’t need to do so.

They are bound to have plenty of other things to do in life without having to question what they hear about on the news or in the paper, for instance. This doesn’t mean that they just woke up one day and started to trust what they saw or read about, as it probably would have been developed over time.

The Norm

There is a strong chance that one is surrounded by people who have the same approach as them, and it might have always been this way. Due to having people around them who have the same outlook, it can cause them to believe that they are doing the right thing.

Perhaps one was also brought up in a family who also accepted just about everything the mainstream media came out with. It is then something that has become a habit, and unless their perception changes, their behaviour will stay the same.

A Step Back

However, there are going to be others who are not willing to just accept everything they are sold by the mainstream media. Now, this is not to say that they were always this was, as there is likely to be a time when this didn’t take place.

One may have accepted everything or they might have moments when they question what they heard. Therefore, there is the chance that one has always had the ability to think critically.

A Deeper Look

As the year passed, one would have gradually honed this ability, and this is going to allow them to come to their own conclusions. And while they may still listen to the mainstream media, they might have turned their back on it.

One could then look towards the alternative media in order to be informed about what is taking place in the world. The information that they come across here is not going to be as biased, but that doesn’t mean that one will swallow everything whole.

Imperfect

This might come down to the fact that one will realise that human beings are imperfect, and so it is not going to be possible for this source to get everything right. In the same way, one is not going to be able to always come to the right conclusions; there are going to be times when they are wrong.

Yet, as they are able to question what they hear and they want to find out the truth, there is always going to be the chance that they will be able correct themselves. After all, finding the truth is a lifelong pursuit and not something that will ever come to an end.

Prepared

When one is willing to question what they hear and to look towards alternative news sources, it can allow them to have a greater understanding of what is going on. For one thing, their understating of something won’t be defined by what the mainstream media wants them to know.

Thus, if someone was to ask them what their views are on a certain topic, they should be able to stand their ground. What they come out with will have been thought out and they might have the facts to back up what they say.

Unprepared

On the other hand, if someone only listens to what the mainstream media sells them, they might find it hard to explain why they have a certain view. This could be a time when they will make out that their outlook is the truth, and they may try to shut people down if their views are different.

If they do try to back up what they believe, it could relate to what the media has told them.  As a result of this, they might soon find that their argument begins to crumble, and it could be said that this is to be expected.

One Purpose

What this comes down to is that the mainstream media is there to control people, and they do this through getting them to react in a certain way. And this is not something that generally takes place by focusing on facts and presenting information in a balanced manner.

It will typically occur by making sure that peoples thinking brains are offline, and this can happen by targeting their emotional brain (and their survival brain). This then causes people to react to what they see, but it won’t allow them to be informed.

Conclusion

So if one is told what to believe or if they react to what they see, it is not going to be a surprise if they can’t back up their arguments. One is then going to be nothing more than a programmed machine, as opposed to a human being who has the ability to think for themselves.

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/