Media Bias

[Sean Hayden]

I'm putting down the crankiness of the pair of you as part of the Covid-19 syndrome. I recommend gin...

Whatever helps you sleep at night Jim.



--//--



Yeah, I'm definitely more thin skinned lately, and Hermit's increasingly on the other side of that.

[pErvinalia]

Shut the fuck up!

[Sean Hayden]

Right, obviously I should have run this bit of drama by you first. You're here now though, what do you think, is it up to your standards?

[Hermit]

I'm putting down the crankiness of the pair of you as part of the Covid-19 syndrome. I recommend gin...

How very dare you!

I demand you retract that insinuation immediately, for you are wrong on two counts.

Firstly, I am NOT cranky. I am a cantankerous grump.

Secondly, my cantankerous grumpiness precedes the advent of Covid-19 by decades. The title of Cantankerous Grump™ was officially bestowed on me by the mods of another forum in 2004. Even that was a belated acknowledgement of what I have been all my life.

[Sean Hayden]

...show off

[Brian Peacock]

But aren't major disruptions part of the normal course of things?

What would you count as major disruptions over the past 100 years or so that have managed to reverse the changing zeitgeist (in terms of rights for gays, women and ethnic minorities, changed attitudes to animal cruelty and child labour etc.)?

I was meaning apocalyptic destruction of society and a collapse into barbarism, not just the minor blip that is Trump. Recent court rulings about the rights of certain minorities have shown that even his army of conservative morons cannot turn back the tide of change...

We've seen progress in the rights of minorities and women etc, but that's only a qualified progress isn't it(?), not total or absolute progress. In many areas where social progress has been made it's also been let slip or rolled back. We've seen recently that while Black and minority groups might have an equality of rights in law they clearly experience derogations of those rights in practice - whether at the whim of some officiate of the state or in a more broadly, perniciously systematic way. Similarly women have been granted full equality in law for some time now (UK sex discrimination Act, 1975) but they are nonetheless still paid less for the same work as men and are routinely overlooked for promotion, their unpaid domestic and emotional labour continues to go unrecognised, prosecutions for domestic violence and sexual abuse/assault are harder to bring than 30 years ago and the conviction rate shows a steady downward trend (in the UK at least), and in many places they still do not have full, autonomous control over their own bodies. The gains brought about by the labour movements of the early 20C have been fundamentally undermined since the mid 1970s, making it harder for employees to unionise and collectively negotiate their terms and conditions, while health, safety, and employment regulations have been consistently abraded by a succession of governments making it harder for employees to seek redress for workplace abuse and exploitation. Since the end of the post-war settlement in the late 1970 the share of GDP going to those working in the Labour Market has been on a downward trajectory while the share returned as investors has gone up; households are in increasing amounts of indebtedness, cost-of-living rises against wage stagnation have seen working people's incomes falling year-on-year at a rate not seen since the Napoleonic wars, and income inequality now sees the top 20% of earners getting 80% of the rewards, and the top 20% of those receiving 80% of that lions share. The tax returned to the public purse from the largest profit-generating businesses is at it's lowest point since the First World War, interest rates are at their lowest point in history, and yet the amount of public money passed to the private sector is at an all time high.

The fact that the zeitgeist has changed with regards to the LGBTQ+ or BAME communities or disabled people is, of course, a positive thing, but given the above there's no guarantee that this kind of 'progress' only travels in one direction, nor that in these other matters we seemed to have reached the peak some time ago and are now appear to be on the other side of the hill and picking up speed as we hurtle towards an environmental catastophe.

[Sean Hayden]

I found this when looking to see if the UN already had something useful for determining the sustainability of the progress we've made.

The SDGs and the necessity of a measurement tool for their success:

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an ambitious commitment by the world’s leaders to
improve the wellbeing of all people and ensure environmental sustainability by 2030. They
represent an unprecedented universal agenda that embraces economic, environmental and social
aspects of the progress of societies – an agenda that is people- and planet-centered and applies to all
countries, irrespective of their level of wealth.

As a complex set of goals and targets, the SDGs intrinsically pose numerous challenges to world
leaders, businesses and civil society organizations alike. While these challenges are perhaps
overshadowed by the historic ambition of the goals, they nevertheless present significant risks for the
implementation – and, consequently, achievement – of the SDGs.

How can the SDGs be translated into specific actions for countries, cities and communities? How will
various actors and initiatives align around 17 different goals? What does success look like? How are
the goals measured and understood in different corners of the world?

While there is no simple answer to these questions, the Social Progress Index tackles many of the
challenges. It is a proven tool that helps countries, regions, cities and communities achieve the goals.
Sitting alongside economic indicators as a core benchmark for national performance, the Index
provides a systematic, empirical foundation that can inform the 2030 Agenda. The Social Progress
Index represents the first comprehensive framework for meassuring social progress that is independent
of, and complimentary to, traditional economic indicators.

https://www.socialprogress.org/assets/d ... Agenda.pdf

https://www.socialprogress.org/?tab=2&code=NOR

[JimC]

Brian, it is absolutely true that economic inequality and environmental degradation (including global warming) are massive problems that are getting worse, if not globally, then certainly in many jurisdictions (for the former). However, the over-all picture over the last 120 years also has many positives, and I cannot see the gains in human rights for a variety of minority groups being wound back, certainly in the developed world. Conservatives in the US have tried, and mostly failed. For example, gay marriage (unthinkable just 20 years ago) ain't going away...

[Brian Peacock]

My comments weren't necessarily directly addressing yours Jim - it was just the starting point for what turned out to be a bit of a rant!

I'd accept that, on the whole, we're in a much better state than we were 120 years ago, but although we have better laws and more democratic institutions in place today I still feel that we're in a worse place socially, politically, and economically than we were before the millennium, and that this hasn't happened by accident. In this regard our social, political, and economic ambitions -- our cultural ambitions -- need to be redrawn and re-articulated and presented as an inclusive alternative to those exclusionary, unbalanced systems that are driving us over the edge of the environmental cliff.

[Seabass]

[Hermit]

Singling out Florida and Texas for "doing it right" makes me wonder what criterion they use.





How the fuck do these people keep getting away with their barefaced lies?

[L'Emmerdeur]

About that ...

'Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus 253 times in five days: study'

A new study finds that Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic 253 times in only five days. The documented instances included claims which undermined science and faith in experts, as well as demands that schools and businesses reopen at the risk of public health.

Primetime host Laura Ingraham, who has no medical or scientific background whatsoever, led the pack with about a quarter of the claims — 63 total, or just more than 12 per show. Additionally, the network's "straight news" programs contributed about 35% of the misinformation.

The study, published Thursday by media watchdog Media Matters for America, was conducted from July 6 to 10 — the week after a Yahoo News report proclaimed that Fox's coronavirus coverage had taken a "remarkable turn" for the better.

[Hermit]

About that ...

'Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus 253 times in five days: study'

A new study finds that Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic 253 times in only five days. The documented instances included claims which undermined science and faith in experts, as well as demands that schools and businesses reopen at the risk of public health.

Primetime host Laura Ingraham, who has no medical or scientific background whatsoever, led the pack with about a quarter of the claims — 63 total, or just more than 12 per show. Additionally, the network's "straight news" programs contributed about 35% of the misinformation.

The study, published Thursday by media watchdog Media Matters for America, was conducted from July 6 to 10 — the week after a Yahoo News report proclaimed that Fox's coronavirus coverage had taken a "remarkable turn" for the better.

Yes, I get that "news" vendors lie their arses off. The question was how do they keep getting away with their barefaced lies? Do their audiences really live in such a bubble that they never get exposed to actual information? Never even talk with people who do? Neighbours? Friends? Work mates? Teachers? Anybody?

[rainbow]

About that ...

'Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus 253 times in five days: study'

A new study finds that Fox News peddled misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic 253 times in only five days. The documented instances included claims which undermined science and faith in experts, as well as demands that schools and businesses reopen at the risk of public health.

Primetime host Laura Ingraham, who has no medical or scientific background whatsoever, led the pack with about a quarter of the claims — 63 total, or just more than 12 per show. Additionally, the network's "straight news" programs contributed about 35% of the misinformation.

The study, published Thursday by media watchdog Media Matters for America, was conducted from July 6 to 10 — the week after a Yahoo News report proclaimed that Fox's coronavirus coverage had taken a "remarkable turn" for the better.

Yes, I get that "news" vendors lie their arses off. The question was how do they keep getting away with their barefaced lies? Do their audiences really live in such a bubble that they never get exposed to actual information? Never even talk with people who do? Neighbours? Friends? Work mates? Teachers? Anybody?

When I was in Merka, I watched Fox news for the comedy value. I thought it was satire, as there wasn't any news at all. Only interviews with some crazies posing as experts.
...this was of course a while before Trump.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Yes, I get that "news" vendors lie their arses off. The question was how do they keep getting away with their barefaced lies? Do their audiences really live in such a bubble that they never get exposed to actual information? Never even talk with people who do? Neighbours? Friends? Work mates? Teachers? Anybody?

For many of them, it is actually a sort of bubble. They listen to right wing talk radio and watch Fox News and/or OAN (One America News), and the rest is 'lamestream.' The 'lamestream media' are worse than completely untrustworthy, they lie ALL THE TIME to cover up the horrible things the Left is doing and to try to make it look like True Americans™ and Republicans are up to no good. It's a crying shame, I tell you. Jon Stewart described the phenomenon as "Bullshit Mountain." If you're on Bullshit Mountain you're clued in, and those who aren't with you are victims (often willing victims) of the leftist elite/media establishment.

As for the people around the Fox News/Rush Limbaugh addled, the response varies, of course. However, they've heard it all before, and know it's pointless to try to deprogram the believers, and will probably result in a rift if pursued.

Speaking of the addled denizens of Bullshit Mountain, on a particularly noxious crag, Alex Jones is telling anybody who'll listen that they should go out and kill 'Maoists' who are going to mount a widespread attack on the US any day now.

'Right-wing conspiracy theorists get (even more) unhinged as Trump's chances fade'

A pandemic is spiraling out of control and Donald Trump's reaction is to roll his eyes and say, "It is what it is." Unsurprisingly, polling data shows that his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, is pulling ahead, not just in national polls, but in a number of battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida, none of which Trump can afford to lose. After all, the incumbent has nothing real to run on. The economy is the worst it's been since the Great Depression of the 1930s, Americans are losing health insurance by the millions, and Republicans are responding by trying to shortchange unemployment benefits for the millions of people who've lost their jobs.

With nothing real to hang on to, it's no surprise that conservatives — already prone to spreading misinformation — are increasingly addicted to conspiracy theories, wallowing in paranoid fantasies to justify the ludicrous notion that there's any reason to keep on supporting Trump and the Republican Party.

Unfortunately, this turn towards even greater conspiratorial thinking on the right is also extremely dangerous. There's already a strong link between right-wing paranoia and right-wing violence. Add the increasing likelihood of Trump's defeat, the rising stress from the coronavirus, and a blitz of violent propaganda, and there's a real chance that right-wing conspiracism will lead to even more domestic terrorism, hate crimes and neofascist goons in the streets.

Alex Jones of Infowars, who still has a sizable audience despite having been de-platformed by many major social media companies, shamelessly encouraged his audience last week to lash out with murderous violence against the left.

Jones claimed to have reports that "Maoists" (which is fringe-right code for anyone to the left of Republicans) are stockpiling "explosives and weapons and trucks loaded with ammonium nitrate and chlorine gas" in the cities in preparation to wage war against all true-believing Americans. So "the best thing to do in a defensive way," Jones said, "is kill as many of them as quickly as possible."