It's interesting

It's interesting to me how people view things so differently. The same facts and information yet a different outcome. It's part of why I'm so fascinated with psychology and what makes people tick. Naturally, when politics get as heated up as they currently are, it's much easier to see these differences. Especially for me when I compare my father and myself, politically speaking.

I was raised in a Republican household. Yep. As a pre-teen/teen I was even part of a Young Republicans group. (I know. Shocker.) It was when I went to college that I started to move away from that belief system, and by the time I returned from the Peace Corps I was a solid independent.

Nowadays that really only leaves me the Democratic party as a source for viable candidates. Sad, but true. Especially since the Republican party has moved ever more rightward on both social AND economic issues. In my opinion, of course. :) It used to be that there were Republicans I could vote for, especially on local and state levels, because their positions were more moderate, and fiscal matters ruled over social matters. But now...those lines are blurred, and social matters are taking over when it actually comes down to implementation (especially on the state level for me, where campaigning on the economy equaled legislating histrionically - and ludicrously, in some cases - on social policy and mores once in office. To a lesser extent on the national level.)

And the spin is unbelievable. (Both sides.) I'm constantly checking news stories against Politifact and FactCheck, and others, although those are my main sources. Especially the first as it tends to update more often. Not as often when I read NPR news, but definitely on the others. I've stopped even trying to look at Fox News. My blood pressure couldn't deal with it. I don't check MSNBC either. It's almost as bad as Fox for partisanship.

Which brings me to an interesting survey I came across: "What You Know Depends on What You Watch"  (http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2012/confirmed/final.pdf) My favorite quote is this one:

"We expect that watching the news should help people learn, but the most popular of the national media sources – Fox, CNN, MSNBC – seem to be the least informative."

Interestingly, people who watched only NPR news, tended to answer more questions (domestic and international) correctly than people who only watched Fox or CNN or MSNBC. Heh.

I really liked the part where it showed the effect of ideologically biased media on listeners/viewers of a different ideology. Liberal watching Fox, Conservative watching MSNBC.

No poll/survey can be 100% perfect, etc, and you have to look at the methodology. I thought this one was interesting and (only based on what I know) done well.

In case anyone is interested, these are my main sources: NPR radio/online; PBS; BBC International online/via PBS; ABC/CBS/NBC tv news; ABC news online; CNN online; the Economist online (sometimes print); WSJ online - limited access, and Brookings.edu. I used to watch the Sunday morning news shows, but the last 4 months or so can't seem to get up early enough (on at 6 & 7am for me!) Politifact.com and Factcheck.org are my main verification websites.

Too Much To Think About

I suppose that's why I haven't blogged in awhile. That, and Facebook takes up so much of my "spare" time. LOL. Pathetic, I know. But it's just so easy. Unfortunately, I can't really ramble on there. Although I do try!

My mind has been puzzling over multiple topics as usual. I can't seem to fix on any one area. Here's a list of books I currently have checked out of the library:

• Founding Faith: Providence, Politics and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America
• Man's Search for Meaning
• No Bone Unturned: The adventures of a top Smithsonian Forensic Scientist
• The Night Circus: A Novel
• Deadly Decisions

Those last two are fiction. The first three are not! I've also recently finished "Pity the Billionaire" by Thomas Frank, also non-fiction. That was a good read. If you could get past the side trip into a discussion of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" which I thought was too detailed, and a bit bizarre...