Comments on: There is Only So Much Cynicism to Go Around http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/06/26/there-is-only-so-much-cynicism-to-go-around/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:15:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: MD http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/06/26/there-is-only-so-much-cynicism-to-go-around/#comment-5914 MD Mon, 26 Jun 2006 16:42:49 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/06/26/there-is-only-so-much-cynicism-to-go-around/#comment-5914 One of the most widely circulated video pieces recently was Jon Stewart on CNN Crossfire telling his hosts they were hacks not debaters, the political equivalent of Pro Wrestling. ("For God's sake, you're 34 and you wear a bowtie!"). The mainstream media has followed politics down the dead-end road of spin over substance. It is no longer relevant. The average citizen does not have time to dig into this manure pile, but is not fooled by superficial spin. Hence the popularity of "news" like The Daily Show, which cut through the pretence on both sides of the political debate - righteousness and political correctness are both hypocrisy in the eyes of the average voter because issues are never black-and-white. Perhaps the biggest enemy of democracy, north and south of the border, is not so much cynicism as despair - the feeling that the same ship of fools will run the place no matter who you vote for. If voting for Nader gives you Bush, what's the point of voting? One of the most widely circulated video pieces recently was Jon Stewart on CNN Crossfire telling his hosts they were hacks not debaters, the political equivalent of Pro Wrestling. (”For God’s sake, you’re 34 and you wear a bowtie!”).

The mainstream media has followed politics down the dead-end road of spin over substance. It is no longer relevant. The average citizen does not have time to dig into this manure pile, but is not fooled by superficial spin. Hence the popularity of “news” like The Daily Show, which cut through the pretence on both sides of the political debate - righteousness and political correctness are both hypocrisy in the eyes of the average voter because issues are never black-and-white.

Perhaps the biggest enemy of democracy, north and south of the border, is not so much cynicism as despair - the feeling that the same ship of fools will run the place no matter who you vote for. If voting for Nader gives you Bush, what’s the point of voting?

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