The Media and Internet Ratings Rush is Killing Civility

I come from a right wing conservative family and environent......

And its impossible to have any kind of discussion with them on politics, they have intermingled their fundamentalist christian views with politics to the point that the two are indistinguishable. The only form of media they ever expose themselves to is the bible, fox news, Rush, Hagee and so forth. They never bother to dig deeper into issues. All I ever hear is how this is the end of America, Obamas a commie, a secret muslim, Blah blah blah.. and now there are even movements forming now calling Obama the AntiChrist!? I thought the attitudes towards the Clinton's were Irrational, I thought the Irrationality couldn't get worse, but with Obama its a hundred times worse. The illogical anger and hatred is unbelievably strong , and I sincerely hope the Obama Team recognizes the dire need for heavy HEAVY security.

Really?

Perhaps moral equivalence (as opposed to patriotism) is the last refuge of the scoundrel. I don't recall anyone on the left calling for the Bush administration to fail (as opposed to calling it a failure). I am unaware of any armed and organized Black or Hispanic supremacist groups spewing the kind of hate that motivated the Holocaust Museum killer. Where are the pro-choice voices spreading the kind of venom that encouraged the killing of Dr. Tiller? In short, any extreme rhetoric on the left is overwhelmed both in volume and vehemence by that on the right. Comparing Bush to a chimp may have been tasteless, but it was a novelty. Comparing Mrs. Obama to a gorilla is only the latest example of the racist meme that has been pushed for centuries by the type of people who now find refuge in the Republican party. Calling for both kids to play nice if fine. Don't try to ignore the fact that while one is a petty delinquent, the other is a thug whose gang has a long history of actually freaking killing people they don't like. It is at best disingenuous to compare the excesses of the left wing blogosphere to the statements of the defacto heads of the Republican party.

Hypocrisy, Delayed; Very few 'news' outlets

You're right, but about six years late. The hate mongering started after Y2K and permeates our entertainment, sports, and 'news' programs. I quoted NEWS because we have very little true reporting in this country (the best news program here is the BBC). We have talking heads, info-mercials, interpretation(s), nuances, announcers (note, not reporters) giving their opinions. Many are not reporters. Add bloggers, face-book, and other emotional eye/ear-catchers and the probability of hate/conflict rises. Without norms and respect it will continue to get worse. Look at the attacks on the last President > I couldn't believe what was said on national 'news' programs against a standing President. Rolling Stone, Michael Moore, Rush Limbaugh, others all are covered as 'reporting'. Fox, CNN, NPR > all skewed and I scan them all suspiciously. We of the middle have to keep mentally blocking the 10% on the far right and 10% on the far left. The vocal minorities have learned they can affect opinions by outrageous claims or statements. Because facts are not demanded. Hollywood has made it even worse. I am very hopeful with Obama, but the swing where no real reporting is being done, and the very apparent bias towards him keeps people from analyzing facts.

The sad part is how few Americans have the ability to analyze cause and affect, to assess symptoms versus problems; to truly maintain a balanced discussion point. So maybe the loss of real reporting is not that big a deal. This should be our measure: if a viewer can tell the political party or leanings of a reporter - that reporter should not cover that topic. Unless its on the opinion page.

Just the facts - no opinions, no family attacks, no interpretations... gotta go read the BBC current news...bye.

Late to the party?

"Over the last few months I've found the level of meanness and anger on the Internet—both from bloggers and their readers who comment—to be disturbing"

You noticed this just in the last few months? I saw it happening with Clinton. It's just ramped up even more since.

It's far too late to change anything about it. You have a generation that has grown up polarized. They have nothing in common with those who don't agree.

It can only end one way. People think I'm nuts when I say we're heading for another civil war - but it is precisely the reckless and intensifying polarity that will be the root cause.

I understand where you are coming from

but as much as it sounds good in theory to apply the fairness doctrine and give equal time to all sides of the issue, it seems equivalent to requiring music stations to play all types of music just so that every taste is represented. There is a reason we have country muisc stations or hip-hop or blues or whatever. If you don't like one, change to the other station. Maybe this might be a very simplistic way of looking at things but I am hoping that people will take initiative themselves and ask the hard questions - is what I am hearing really the truth? Are there multiple ways of looking at this issue? Can I put myself in my opponents shoes? What does the other side think? We are never going to agree on every thing. That is what makes us unique as people but I would hope that we can be civil for civility's sake rather than because the govt required us to treat each other with respect.

Hey, we threw away the preventing factor

Once upon a time, we had something called the fairness doctrine which required media to give equal time to opposite sides of issues.

There is no reason THAT SERVES CITIZENS for Fox to be all conservative (to keep up its audience and ratings) or for MSNBC to be all liberal (to keep up its audience and ratings). Same with "conservative" talk radio vs. Air America.

Get your fairness doctrine back and require your media to STOP POLARIZING OUR SOCIETY.