Dear Editor,
John Sabo’s Opinion piece “Let Beck Shine A Light” (Source, 10-1) leaves me no choice but to congratulate him for having the stomach to listen to the Fox News “talk jocks” (David Brooks quote) and no doubt Rush too – his stomach must be cast iron! Sabo criticizes the Source writers who, “continue to bash these guys and this network,” justifiably so. If he’s looking for sympathy I doubt that he’ll get it. He ends with, “Ah, ignorance is bliss.” “Ignorance is bliss” is taken out of context from Thomas Gray’s, “On a Distant Prospect of Eton College.” What Gray said was “… where (not if) ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise.” Sabo, perhaps?
This article appears in Oct 8-14, 2009.
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Pointing out a reality is not looking for sympathy. However, since that was your comment one would hardly expect such from this forum unless one was being criticized by a Conservative.
Having said that, of the 100+ programs followed by Nielson, the top 13 news programs are all on Fox. O’reilly has been No. 1 for 8 years.
The same is true of the book market. Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, Bill O’Reilly, Glen Beck, just to name a few, consistently rank as the number one book according to the NY Times listings.
On the leftwing side of the aisle, books by Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, Al Gore, Al Franken, etc., generally sell in the thousands as compared to the hundreds of thousands, and even over a million, that books by Conservatives sell.
So, while your denigration of the facts is not supported by any evidence, it is obvious that Conservative newscasters, and writers, still outshine the lefties.
Methinks that the main reason for this phenomena is the hunger for truth, and real facts, rather then the lies, and rewriting of history that lefties are known for.
I mean really, it would take a real stomach of iron to swallow anything Al Gore has to say.
Lest we take too simplistic a view of ratings and mistakenly confuse pure truth (or even worth) and vulgar popularity, we should remember that, amongst the cognoscenti at least, the strength of one’s argument is not determined by the size of one’s audience. Were this true then the religious denomination with the greatest number of adherents would of necessity be the “true” faith and so not a single one of the thousands of distinct splinters from Protestantism in the panoply of American Christianity would feature anywhere near the top!!! What a terrible predicament!!!
Also, hasn’t history repeatedly shown us that demagogues, thinkers and writers with enormous followings frequently produce works that, though popular at the time and persuasive to the unschooled or terrified; when put under the blinding lights of intellectual and historical analysis they failed to meet the standard and were subsequently rejected or just forgotten: Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Marx (no not one of the brothers!! haha) Reagan (his Reaganomics/”Free(for all!)Market-ism recently having been shown to be nothing but greedy boys taking risks with other people’s money having first of course secured their disgusting golden parachutes) all had smashing ratings in their period…. but now…. their arguments are not quite so convincing – except perhaps to a core group of zealots. So too it is with Fox’s Harrumphing Heads and hacks like Coulter.
But how to explain the high ratings of the ranting right reichfuhrers? I believe it is because they appeal not only to the lowest common denominator but also to the lowest and crudest impulses in all of us: they appeal to our fear most of all, but also to our xenophobia, racism, sexism, aggressive drives, our ignorance and our greed. They are our “dirty little entertainments”. And though I always feel soiled and in dire need of some hand disinfectant (and half an hour listening to Beethoven’s 9th to cleanse my soul) after inadvertently watching these creatures on TV I have to admit, they are very, very good dirty little entertainers indeed.
So, that’s why the little Fox Fuhrers get such high ratings – by appealing to our worst qualities.
LOL Shortall,
Guess your hatred of the truth has blinded you to all other facts. In fact, if you were to do some studies on the matter you would discover that some of the most intellectual, and well educated, people watch Fox, and ignore the ignorance presented by the likes of Olberman, Maddow, Schultz, etc. Try reading this if you can stomach the truth:
http://books.google.com/books?id=QwbM6Z5BaEEC&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=studies+show+conservatives+are+better+informed&source=bl&ots=4H90sHc51q&sig=J0N6sejExxMM-Gz_y9vazII9-UE&hl=en&ei=vivQSv23KpDQtgPozuDvCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=studies show conservatives are better informed&f=false
Or, you could google “studies show conservatives are better informed”
If one has to discuss the “lower quality” viewership, might I suggest that those who do watch the likes of Olberman and co. are the same types that attack Conservative speakers on their campuses, start riots at G20 meetings, or bite off the finger of those protesting “big government”. In fact, they are the same ones that wish Cheneey to be dead. Beyond that, I would bet you most anything that the increase in death threats to Obama, and Pelosi, are coming from the leftwing crowd, and not the Conservatives. In fact, Conservatives look upon Obama, Pelosi, etc., as a blessing since the more they screw up the country the better chance they have to regain the country, and return it to its true traditional roots.
Another word for “Fuehrer” is “totalitarian” which is defined as “Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed:”
As one could easily see if they had “eyes to see with”, it is not the Conservative branch of politics, or life, that is attempting to do any of the above. The actions, and the legislation, of the leftwing loonie bin prove that such is their desire, and their goal.
That is why they have to place themselves in positions of control, and denigrate anyone that attempts to expose them.
Another word for “Fuehrer” is “totalitarian” which is defined as “Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed:”
Incorrect spelling of “Fuhrer”
Incorrect usage of dictionary
Argument grounded in logical non-sequitur
Argument perfectly describes Neo-Con philosophy
I would suggest you check the dictionary. Both spellings are correct.
Again you present nothing of value.
Since the conclusion is logical you cannot accept it.
Leftwing loonies exhibit the need for total control as demonstrated above, and you have given no evidence to the contrary.
I would suggest you check the dictionary. Both spellings are correct.
Again you present nothing of value.
Since the conclusion is logical you cannot accept it.
Leftwing loonies exhibit the need for total control as demonstrated above, and you have given no evidence to the contrary.