Outrage culture - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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By MB.
#14841578
If PoFo is any example to go by, the political discourse is currently toxified by what I call "outrage culture". This is hardly a new phenomenon and was probably first identified by George Orwell:



Today it seems to be exemplified by the screaming antics of outrage pundits, most notable was Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck but evolving to include Alex Jones, the Young Turks, thousands of YouTube personalities and so on.

I'd like to have a frank discussion about this state of affairs and how it came about. Also if our user base sees any possible solutions.
By Finfinder
#14841582
MB. wrote:If PoFo is any example to go by, the political discourse is currently toxified by what I call "outrage culture". This is hardly a new phenomenon and was probably first identified by George Orwell:


Today it seems to exemplified by the screaming antics of outrage pundits, most notable was Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck but evolving to include Alex Jones, the Young Turks, thousands of YouTube personalities and so on.

I'd like to have a frank discussion about this state of affairs and how it came about. Also if our user base sees any possible solutions.


I'm not sure how frank your discussion is when its obviously partisan.
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By One Degree
#14841599
As I have mentioned elsewhere, my theory is our getting our information from video is at least part of the reason. The emotion attached to the video is carried over when we repeat the views we have seen. Our ability to be objective is tainted by the emotions which are forever attached to the information.
The only solution I can think of is reminding ourselves these emotions are a memory of emotions that were intentionally inflicted upon us. Unfortunately, that is a very ineffective defense for most.
We are being turned into less rational beings by our expert use of our technology.

Edit: Just consider every media source now picks the video segment with the most emotional impact to prove their view. Add to this the use of memes as arguments. It is all emotions and little to no substance.
Last edited by One Degree on 07 Sep 2017 20:06, edited 1 time in total.
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By The Sabbaticus
#14841601
Where is the mention of CNN? Even other left-leaning media outlets are calling them out. In fact, you've failed to mention the entire mainstream media.
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By MB.
#14841603
The explanation for that is innocent enough, since i don't watch "main stream media". Since you're an expert on this, The Sabbaticus, could you help us explain how outrage culture is manifested in said media?

That said, TYT have been on MSNBC and I mentioned two Fox news shows all of which are "mainstream" outlets so I disagree with the premise that I'm ignoring the mainstream.

I tend to agree with One Degree in that the emotional content of video seems to be isomorphicaly projected onto the viewers.
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By The Sabbaticus
#14841628
MB. wrote:The explanation for that is innocent enough, since i don't watch "main stream media". Since you're an expert on this, The Sabbaticus, could you help us explain how outrage culture is manifested in said media?

That said, TYT have been on MSNBC and I mentioned two Fox news shows all of which are "mainstream" outlets so I disagree with the premise that I'm ignoring the mainstream.

I tend to agree with One Degree in that the emotional content of video seems to be isomorphicaly projected onto the viewers.


You mentioned a couple of pundits, both of whom have left their respective television stations. And if you're still unaware of the conflict between CNN and Trump, well you might consider drilling another hole in that cave of yours to let in some fresh air.
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By MB.
#14841632
I'm not seeing any point here, The Sabbaticus. Like Finfinder, you seem to be content to imply but not contribute. If you're not capable of addressing the topic, why are you posting here at all? A rhetorical question.
By SolarCross
#14841675
MB. wrote:Partisan how?


From the title I was expecting this to be about the crazy outrage "culture" of the SJWs, "people" that are outraged by all kinds of bizarre and often innocuous things like the normal use of pronouns, men with penises, women who aren't lesbians, "micro-aggressions" and the preponderance of "dead white men" noted in history from Shakespeare to Isaac Newton to Charles Darwin.

Instead I find in the OP, with perfect double-think on behalf of @MB, that it is actually aimed at a few people whom have in one way or another commented unsympathetically on the outrage culture of the SJW snowflakes.

I'm almost triggered. :p
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By MB.
#14841683
I'm extraordinary (apparently) hesitant about singling out a particular group or movement since the outrage seems to permeate the discourse regardless of politics. I certainly reject the notion this is a new phenomenon as I say in the title post.

In this thread I'm hoping to move beyond superficial outrage and counter-outrage, as has been reflected in other threads on PoFo. I'd like to get to the bottom of the issue, which seems to me to have to do with the a series of complex factors.

1) boredom. I've said this many times before, but without a purpose (and modernity has no purpose beyond reproducing itself) there's no real reason for people to be alive. This manifests itself in an overwhelming boredom, partially due to lack of struggle but more specifically because it is widely known the struggle has no meaning.

2) death of certainty. This has been identified by neoconservative and postmodern critics for many decades now but is particularly manifest now. The social institutions that were meant to solidify cultural cohesion were revealed, over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, to be empty constructs. Nihilism was the result of this process of deconstruction of meaning.

3) the fear of others. Combined with the preceding concepts the end if the cold war and the globalization of the economy abolished the fear of the other, an important concept used to solidify social values.

With these developments in mind, I'm interested in how society has nevertheless reinvented these concepts in other forms to perpetuate their existence. Today, simply being angry about something appears to be an essential pillar in people's identity no matter how ridiculous.
By ness31
#14841693
The thread title should be changed to Outrageous Culture. Then again, that might expose me as an Outrage Culture shill.

Yep. See what I did there? 8)
By Finfinder
#14841700
MB. wrote:I'm not seeing any point here, The Sabbaticus. Like Finfinder, you seem to be content to imply but not contribute. If you're not capable of addressing the topic, why are you posting here at all? A rhetorical question.


Very confusing you want a "frank" discussion, when you are deliberately obtuse by referencing one side of an argument (Glen Beck) and then double down with this being "a rhetorical" question , how is anybody to believe your motives?
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By MB.
#14841706
Sounds good Finfinder. Thanks for your invaluable input. I expect you won't be posting in this thread anymore. Cheers.
By Finfinder
#14841710
MB. wrote:Sounds good Finfinder. Thanks for your invaluable input. I expect you won't be posting in this thread anymore. Cheers.


Sure just being open, sincere, blunt, direct, straight, scrupulous, and frank.
#14841726
How dare you besmirch the name of Glenn Beck, a sincere and scrupulous pundit.

I can not engage you in an earnest discussion of outrage media when you have outraged me so.
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By One Degree
#14841776
I see people are more concerned with expressing their outrage than discussing why it exists. Whether or not the OP was one sided does not have any affect on having the discussion. It should not in any way prevent a discussion. So, can we move beyond that?
By ness31
#14841787
Well firstly, I think the comaparison between 1984 and the modern day pundits is misguided. One is a fictional narrative which we should all hope never crosses over into non fiction.

Outrage culture as it has been ever so quaintly labelled, is a way vilifying people who see sense in what controversial personages espouse, and here we are, having a

"frank discussion about this state of affairs and how it came about. Also if our user base sees any possible solutions."

As though people who watch that stuff are in some way..broken? :?:

Now I am fairly certain a magic pill that stops people from getting pissed doesn't exist, so I'm not a huge subscriber to the idea of mocking their means of peaceful venting, be it through a Mormon crusader or a colourful character like Jones.

What not pick on Ellen? Or Kimmel? Or Letterman when he dominated? Letterman was the snobbiest SOB on telly but we all loved him.
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By One Degree
#14841790
Well, I think it is pretty clear we are 'broken'. Pofo supposedly represents those with higher than average intelligence, yet 90% of the posts show only emotion. This is broken. Most posters have areas where they can be somewhat objective, but overall come off as irrational. I honestly believe this is why many posters severely limit their contributions. They know the response will be emotional nonsense.
Posting a picture of dead people is not a rational argument, so why do we do it? Insulting people is not a rational argument. Labeling people is not a rational argument. We are less rational than we use to be. Why?
Our political leaders give us emotional arguments instead of substance, and we vehemently defend these emotional positions without any regard to actual reality. Why?
By B0ycey
#14841792
One Degree wrote:Well, I think it is pretty clear we are 'broken'. Pofo supposedly represents those with higher than average intelligence, yet 90% of the posts show only emotion.


True, but only because you write 90% of the posts on PoFo. :lol:

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