Sarah Palin is hot. Yeah, there, I said it. Any man who prefers women would probably agree with me. But honestly, it shouldn't matter. And yet, a woman no one has heard of, with an unknown record, whose foreign travel consists entirely of Canada, vying for the VP spot, has boosted McCain in the polls. Isn't that completely fucked up?
There are a lot of books that suggest that the Internet is making us stupid (see this excellent essay from Wired that explains why this isn't true), but I completely disagree. I think the sad thing is that we're not getting any smarter. It is easier than ever now to go to the Web sites of the candidates, read their issue sections, and know exactly where they stand on every critical issue. Where something is complex, there are plenty of articles out there that break it down further (like this one regarding the details of both candidates' tax cut proposals).
We don't have an excuse to be ignorant, but we are anyway. I suppose that in a world where reality TV is watched obsessively, ads that make stuff up or stray from issues work because people find that easier to digest than reading about issues. I especially love the current McCain ad that insists Obama will raise taxes (on the super wealthy, it's true), and flashes a bunch of pictures of old white men no one knows. Obviously people are responding to that, and it's sad.
History so far has shown that democracy is one of the best forms of government, and I'm thankful I live in the country that pioneered it. But what happens when the wisdom of crowds is based on sound bites and charged feelings? It's scary to think about.
Calm down, no need to panic yet. McCain is still riding out the post-convention euphoria. Polls will, hopefully, eventually right themselves.
(interesting that a McCain ad appears to the right)
Didn't read the Wired article so I don't know if it touches on or debunks this, but...
I think the internet and the vast amount of information that people now take in every day are what makes us have to rely on sound bites and charged feelings to keep up with it all.
Regardless, I don't think there's anything happening now that hasn't been a staple of politics since day one.
Polls don't mean jack until Election Day. Anything can happen between now and then.
I agree with Gonch's sentiment though that people are trying to keep up with it all. We have 24 hour news networks and the Internet with all kinds of different news organizations out there reporting the stories. Unfortunately, the way to simply is to resort to the use of the talking points and sound bites that are placed in front of us with some explanation to tie it all together.
Wolman's essay in Wired is well written and does support the inherent value in and potential for learning via the internet. His reference to Homophily, the human tendency to seek out information that supports preexisting assumptions, is the deal breaker. Until the majority of humanity can overcome this tendancy and use their greatest tool, the mind, to sort out information I'm afraid we are doomed to the ignorance of conclusions based on selective information. As long as there are those that use Homophily to influence opinion and ultimately positions we will be fighting an uphill battle for truth and commen sense. I suspect Wolman's closing line re the Web, "What's moronic is to assume that it hurts us more than it helps" is a bit more Pollyanna than reality at this time.
"I mean, for fuck's sake, this is important."
See, I hold a lot more apathy towards the whole thing. The picture in Washington (and the machine) is much greater than that single figurehead we'll choose in November. I'm of the midset that the differences between whichever body we put in the seat marked 'president' are minor - relatively speaking - and especially in a 'how does it affect me personally right now' sense. (and I suspect that's how the masses think, in general)
If that makes me one of the moronic masses, then so be it. :)