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Media: The Enemy of Skepticism

                Dictatorship is the most efficient form of government.  One person can do anything he wants for any reason at any time.  There is no fight for power because there is no power to be attained, which is ultimately why skepticism has no value in a dictatorship.  America, on the other hand, is a Republic in which the people essentially run the government.  In this type of society, individuals have power over its government.  In contrast, citizens in a Republic attain value in their political beliefs.

                 In this transition of power, suddenly people’s opinions matter, and when something gains value in a society, it becomes something people want to control.  Thus is born the media.  During the implementation of their aggressive strategies, they use the common man as a means to their end.  In politically driven mediated messages, the individual is overwhelmed with information that they lose their skepticism.

                Although it is evident that within the United States there are differing opinions.  That much is obvious.  The more appropriate point of analysis is how people got those opinions to begin with.  There is a slim amount of difference between a business’s goal to get your money and a political party’s goal of getting your vote.  The means to achieving that end are numerous, but they all share a common trait of corruption.  Politics in the realm of America has lost its initial intent of two people presenting their honest views and the citizens electing whom they agree with more.  It has instead evolved into a game in which candidate’s platforms and running mates are strategically chosen.  The media does not, however, expose such ludicrous games, but rather, they act as an outlet that amplifies the result.

                It is not so concerning that politicians whom employ such strategies are applauded, but that politicians who chose a unique platform are dragged down by all media organizations.  These sorts of politicians, also known as members of third parties, have been demonized by the media as illegitimate parties.  While not their intent, they are also planting the idea in the public’s head that it does no good to be a skeptic.

                The examples of this are staggering, but unfortunately not well known due to the lack of media coverage.  Let’s analyze the 2008 Presidential election.  Many people don’t know that in order to get on the ballot in each state, you must get a certain number of petition signatures.  The Libertarian Party struggled to get their petitions in at each state and in many instances they were left off of the ballot entirely.  In Texas, they had their signatures in on time; however, the two main political parties missed the deadline.  It would seem logical that they also be left off of the ballot, but the deadline was specifically waived just for them.  Out of all 24 Presidential candidates, the rule was only waived for two of them.  Even more irresponsibly, the media failed to sufficiently cover this.  If anything should be a check on government it should be the media.