Why is that ?

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by dixonmassey, Aug 24, 2004.

  1. dixonmassey Valued Senior Member

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    Opportunities for self-development, self-education, "growing" independent mind are abundant in the USA (I can claim that with certainty. I've tasted several worlds in that regard). However, the average American Joe takes the minimum out of them. Instead, he prefers to be close-minded, to have minimum knowledge of surrounding world, to create simple illusion of the certain black-white world where USA is #1 do gooder, and #1 period.... Add there incessant flag waving, ribbon buying (? instead of helping to the children of KIA), goose stepping, blindly following. I think having such an average citizen is a dream of every totalitarian government. However, Soviets did not manage to brainwash populace that much. The only thing soviets "achieved" was that nobody took a single government word seriously. Democratic, free (relatively) USA, did brainwashing (intentional or not) with flying colors. Is it just common lazy human nature or there are some other powers at work?
     
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  3. Dreamwalker Whatever Valued Senior Member

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    Well, I would blame it on lazyness. The people in the former Soviet Union were not really happy, they had to work hard and did not get much for it. They were hungry and the only thing they could trust was their vodka. But there you see the USA, a country filled with decadence and luxury. As long as you have a job and decent sourroundings there is nothing to worry about. So you ignore everything that you dislike or that shows flaws in your lifestyle. (for example caring for a child of a soldier that was KIA might show you your mortality or the risks that exist in life)
    As a result, people tend to look at themself for advice, they will create their own "perfect" world and will keep everything unwanted from intruding. And they live their life contend hereafter...
     
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  5. Closet Philosopher Off to Laurentian University Registered Senior Member

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    I think it is partly the media's fault. I had to stay in a hotel that had cable (I get satelite at home with some American channels, but I watch HBO shows and such on Canadian channels). I decided to watch the Olympics on NBC. The coverage was so biased. I was watching diving. They only showed the American athletes dive and they made it sound like they were the best in the competition. The divers didn't even come close to a medal! NBC was brainwashing Americans to think that they had the BEST athletes in the world and no other country can surpass them, they supposedly just lost be chance.

    American media makes me sick, according to them, the USA is paradise, Bush is God, the USA is the absolute best country in the world far above all the others, the suburbs is the American dream. They also show a biased point of view on the war, how there was enough danger to kill a bunch of brown people and their children.

    I think lazyness has a lto to do with the problem too. To break what you have been taught, you must investigate and find new sources of information.

    My uncle lives in New York City (He has a very important job at the United Nations and he si originally from Canada), he says that the more educated, internationally aware people who aren't pro oil do see the American situation. He says that the people in the suburbs and the projects really don't care about what is going on in the world so they aren't aware of happenings and opinions on the world stage.
     
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  7. Dreamwalker Whatever Valued Senior Member

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    Now that you mention it, yes, it is quite possible that medial propaganda is a cause. I cannot really judge about that because I do not get any American channels here in Germany, only some British ones.
    But if they only show one side, then the population is bound to think only one dimensional.
     
  8. SkippingStones splunk! Registered Senior Member

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    Unlike most americans, I grew up here without a television. When I watch TV now, it's sickening. I often joke with my friends that for every minute you watch TV you get two minutes dumber.
     
  9. Closet Philosopher Off to Laurentian University Registered Senior Member

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    My friends and I joke about American TV a lot. "American TV kills more brain cells than drugs do, so toke away and you'll still be smarter than the American that ferments in front of their TV, soaking all the government's feed".
     

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