Comments on: Warblogger Credibility, RIP? http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/01/09/warblogger-credibility-rip/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:48:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Anon http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/01/09/warblogger-credibility-rip/#comment-43682 Anon Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:15:24 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2007/01/09/warblogger-credibility-rip/#comment-43682 It doesn't really have anything to do with war. Right-wing bloggers lie about everything - everything. And not just some of them, but basically all of them, all of the time. The discrepancy is between two views of one's mission as a blogger. As a liberal blogger, one generally approaches the situation in terms of finding the truth and pushing one's agenda in terms of it. It's important for people to get the truth because, the blogger believes, once they are shown the truth then the reader won't be able to help but to think like the blogger does. Show them the truth and belief will follow. Thus is persuasion accomplished. As a right-winger, one approaches the situation by trying to figure out what would be best for one's team. The team being right-wingers, or Republicans, or whatever the blogger identifies with. Once the blogger has figured out what would be best for his team, he says it. Truth never enters into the discussion. It's a propaganda, public relations war, and winning it is far more important than telling the truth. It's important that people believe the way you believe; it's not important that they get the truth. The ends justify the means. Credibility is a non-issue with conservative partisans. They don't grade each other based on it; lying is not an offense against their code. What matters is staying on-message. Watch Stephen Colbert for a time. His coined words "truthiness" and now, "factiness" are right on target. It doesn’t really have anything to do with war. Right-wing bloggers lie about everything - everything. And not just some of them, but basically all of them, all of the time.

The discrepancy is between two views of one’s mission as a blogger.

As a liberal blogger, one generally approaches the situation in terms of finding the truth and pushing one’s agenda in terms of it. It’s important for people to get the truth because, the blogger believes, once they are shown the truth then the reader won’t be able to help but to think like the blogger does. Show them the truth and belief will follow. Thus is persuasion accomplished.

As a right-winger, one approaches the situation by trying to figure out what would be best for one’s team. The team being right-wingers, or Republicans, or whatever the blogger identifies with. Once the blogger has figured out what would be best for his team, he says it. Truth never enters into the discussion. It’s a propaganda, public relations war, and winning it is far more important than telling the truth. It’s important that people believe the way you believe; it’s not important that they get the truth. The ends justify the means.

Credibility is a non-issue with conservative partisans. They don’t grade each other based on it; lying is not an offense against their code. What matters is staying on-message.

Watch Stephen Colbert for a time. His coined words “truthiness” and now, “factiness” are right on target.

]]>