TED Conversations

Kyle Baker

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Does the media choose our presidential candidates for us?

The first result that comes up on Google when you search for Ron Paul is Mitt Romney's website. Upon opening Yahoo's main page, the headline reads as if no other candidate other than Mitt Romney is in the running. Trying to keep opinion aside and sticking to the hard facts, how drastically does the media sway the votes of the people? Lets back up our responses with real evidence!

Topics: social media
+3
Share:

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

  • thumb

    Kyle Baker

    • +1
    Feb 4 2012: Of course not Krisztian. I was merely using "our choice" speaking of the country as a whole, and simply pointing out how easily most humans take in whatever they read as gospel. The format of advertising, televised media and the use of images has a pretty profound impact on the mind, and thinking critically to get around those parameters is not quite the common trend...But yes, we can find the right sources of media and research the candidates and form a legitimate opinion of those we put into public office
    • thumb

      Krisztián Pintér 200+

      • 0
      TED Translator
      Feb 5 2012: so you believe that media can tell other people how to vote, but not you. why? what is the difference?
      • thumb

        russell lester

        • 0
        Feb 9 2012: We are all told who we can vote for. The Media can remove any candidate from running, so while perhaps they cannot pick who will win they can certainly choose who will run and then they can choose who will lose. I voted for my choice, and ive voted for the candidate i thought was best of who would win

        The media can destroy or choose not to destroy a political figure. If Reagan or Bush I and Bush II were to be as harshly investigated and chastized by the media, then there fates might have been more like Nixions, is it un clear to you that the presidents (with the exception of Cartte, and Clinton) have been as Guilty of crimes as Nixon was most of much worse crimes that Nixion, Carter withthe daily front page box count of the days the hostages had been held was ruined by the media.... where were the box scores for Iraq? Afganistan? The Impeachment of Bill Clinton was over the charge of lying to congress, which was done by Reagan and Bush the I about Iran and the wepons deals and the contras, Bush the II stood in front of a joint seesion of Congress and lie during his state of the union address, he violated the united states constitutions supremacy clause that makes all ratified treaties the highest law of the land. Not to mention the united states war crimes act, as laid out in UCS 18 2448 so these past years the Teflon President Bush the I and Shrub have all gotten virtual free rides from the media. While the press coverage that was negative and antagonistic against Carter Clinton and now Obahma has been crushing. I will be surprised to see Obama win this election and that is without even guessing who he'll run against.
        • thumb

          Krisztián Pintér 200+

          • 0
          TED Translator
          Feb 9 2012: "he Media can remove any candidate from running"

          really? how?
        • thumb

          Edward Hicks

          • +1
          Feb 9 2012: Krisztián, you have underestimated the power of gossips and slanders. Don't you have magazines such as 'Hello!' in your country? There are enough people in this world who care not about the truth but sensational and scandalous material.
        • thumb

          Krisztián Pintér 200+

          • 0
          TED Translator
          Feb 9 2012: no, edward, i'm very much clear on that. but i say the problem is not media, they just serve the demand of people. the problem is people.

    • hyunguk CHOI

      • 0
      Feb 9 2012: We deceive ourselves . We think we make a choice , but we select a choice that has already been manufactured in terms of reason(intention) behindit.

      Krisztian , PEOPLE ARE THE CENTER OF THE MEDIA , SO WHAT HUMAN BEING SHOULD DO?
      As a buddhist , I would like to ask? Can emptiness apply to the medida.
      Everything is empty , where is emptiness in the world wide web (or media)
      • thumb

        Krisztián Pintér 200+

        • 0
        TED Translator
        Feb 9 2012: about emptiness. one must understand that the nature of *everything* around us is emptiness. it is not an argument against or for anything. your body is illusion. a log of wood is illusion. so yes, media is exactly as real as a piece of rock is. it is pretty much real for your senses. dwelling on that does not help to understand its behavior and place inside the samsara.

        as a metaphor, it is like your friends talk about whether deckard was a replicant or not, and you reply that no, he is just a role in a movie. it is not a correct answer, the question was asked within the framework of the movie, not in the outside world.
      • thumb

        Edward Hicks

        • 0
        Feb 11 2012: As much as I'd like to think that the Buddha might have been a cool dude, "emptiness" is not solving our problems at the moment, or is it?

        Of course, we can't deny the possibility that one day if everybody starts blending into a tree or a lamp post next to him/her, stop doing anything, and most importantly, stop pretending whatever it is that they're doing is in any way meaningful, a radically different world may emerge.

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.