Do Your Parents/Elders Believe Everything On TV?

[AGRP]

I repeatedly keep telling them what's going on, but they keep on believing the TV. I overheard them the other day talking about how they agreed with the Luntz (fake/propaganda) focus group.

Incredible.

[Nate-ForLiberty]

yes. yes. yes. Thinks that Obama keeps to his word because he just killed Osama. . .

recent email though....


I disagree that Paul was ignored. I thought he got good air time and presented himself well. Pawlenty looked puppetish. Cain was strong and so was Santorum. Johnson I would probably most like to "have a beer with." Loved how physically active he is and that he's climbed Mt. Everest. Of all, I probably "appreciated' more of what Paul and Johnson had to say. I may not agree with them, but I can understand why they have the positions they have.

I do beleive that Paul is looking too "old" now to really be effective as a legitimate presidential candidate. He will do well to get his ideas across to more of the general American public during this campaign, but realistically, Rand would have a much better chance of becoming CIC.

This person is a left winger Obama worshiper.

[Humanae Libertas]

I don't really know if my parent's watch tv anymore since I don't live with them, but I know for sure my mom rarely watches TV for news information.

However, my gf's parents are complete tv zombies, believe everything that is spewed in the mainstream media and local tv news.

[AGRP]

I think it's a generational thing.

From my observations, the people on the internet who are typically pro-palin/neocon are old enough to be my parents. They watch TV (fox news) and translate their brainwashing to the internet. They lack critical thought and can hardly log onto the computer.

[Nate-ForLiberty]

What kills me, what REALLY kills me, is that growing up I was always told, "Don't watch too much TV! Don't sit too close to the TV! You can't watch TV until your homework is done!"


you know what previous generation? FUCK YOU!

[KramerDSP]

I converted my mom to Ron about a month ago. She was the world's biggest Barack Obama supporter. She promised me she would watch the debate, and she thought Ron answered some questions very well. She LOVED his response to the heroin question and Israel. She also loved the "first amendment is not there for us to talk about the weather line" and his stance on gay marriage being a state issue. She thought Cain was vague and confusing, Pawlenty was too smooth and politcial, that Santorum was constantly angry, and that Gary Johnson was a little "weird-ish".

Then she said she was shocked that 25 of the 28 people in the focus group thought Cain won the election. Dumbfounded almost. I went on to reply that this is what I was telling her about in 2007. This video has helped me convince her and others of the bias.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoeoc-E9DXk

Now it's like she took the red pill (or is it the blue pill?) and she was furious that the media would try and push "the status quo" candidates onto the viewers. I told her there were 3 to 6 companies that owned all of the mainsteam media sources and that the broadcasters were basically actors with earpieces.

[ForLibertyFight]

This is why America is the way it is

[KramerDSP]

My late grandmother, bless her heart, was so terrified by the evening news she was hearing daily that every time I went out, she would be afraid that I was going to get mugged or killed. "Be careful, Danny!". Every single time. When I saw "Farenheight 9-11" and they showed Michael Moore in a Canadian bar with relatively happy and positive news, along with Canadian people not locking their front doors, I was dumbfounded. Fear is what Americans are exposed to hourly, and increases consumption. I did not agree with all of the movie, but did like quite a few things.

[QueenB4Liberty]

My parents think we killed Osama Sunday.

My dad was pissed at the amount of questions Ron Paul was asked last night.

My mom donated to Ron Paul today! Better late than never? lol She didn't want to watch the debate with us!

[KramerDSP]

My parents think we killed Osama Sunday.

My dad was pissed at the amount of questions Ron Paul was asked last night.

My mom donated to Ron Paul today! Better late than never? lol She didn't want to watch the debate with us!

Pissed at the low number or thought Ron was getting too much attention?

[Batman]

My parents taught me that all the news outlets lie.

[QueenB4Liberty]

Pissed at the low number of course.

[KramerDSP]

Pissed at the low number of course.

That's great. Your first line made me think it could be the opposite.

[oyarde]

My Mother is very skeptical of media and govt. , if she really wants to know something , she asks me to research it for her.

[Churchill2004]

Ive had a lot of luck getting my stepdad to come around to liking Paul on abortion- he didnt like my federalist answer, but seeing RP talk about seeing am abortion in med school convinced him Paul was the most sincerely pro-life!

And hes a birther and a big fan of bush. It does always surprise me how many friends i know have birther parents, but then again the prevalence of birthers is always inexplicable to me, including around here.

[R3volutionJedi]

My grandparents, and family do believe the TV. except my dad and my brother and I.

[JCF]

Yes they do; but they're more interested in soap operas and watching re-runs of 90210.

As far as everyone else in the family... They're apolitical, vote D primarily, and discussing issues in depth goes nowhere; it's either annoyance or simple nodding of the head while they switch to their favorite sitcom or reality TV show.

Girlfriend? I don't know what the hell is wrong with her, she's confused and confusing so I just avoid politics altogether, that's no fun. :D

[JohnGalt1225]

Both my parents are usually skeptical of the government and news. My parents are big fans of Jesse Ventura, especially since he's from Minnesota. (My home state, where my parents still live)

[AGRP]

They believe everything that comes out of that box :mad:

[ghengis86]

What kills me, what REALLY kills me, is that growing up I was always told, "Don't watch too much TV! Don't sit too close to the TV! You can't watch TV until your homework is done!"


you know what previous generation? FUCK YOU!

Lol. That was in my house too. Now I'm the one telling them to turn off the idiot box.

[kill the banks]

guess they're too young to remember ike's warning of military industrial complex and just how they could do what they have done ... maybe they should read an old book ~ " a nation of sheep " by lederer !

[Luciconsort]

it's funny but yes... my mom and grandparents do actually believe everything they see on tv. my grandfather believes everything he hears on msnbc and when I tried to explain the devaluation of the dollar he said I've been watching too much Fox news lol. I hate Fox news, and all the other ones for that matter.

[BuddyRey]

My grandmas are like that, but my parents, who are both pushing 60, don't believe a doggone word they hear on the news, and are both RP supporters as well.

[trey4sports]

If your grandparents get to talkin' some serious shit and repeating Bill O'Reilly verbatim I recommend you give it to 'em.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBk7xENvS-I

[Imaginos]

My parent think anything that is outside of MSM standard talking point is untrue/conspiracy.

[TruckinMike]

My mother knows whats up. Our family, for the most part, has been self-employed since the 40's. Not so for my 86 yo Ranch neighbor (retired factory worker). He is a good (for the little guy) conservative, goes to church every Sunday, great work ethic, Pro-second Am, honest, a good man, but he's voting for Obama. I kid you not. Simply conditioned, controlled, and owned. Sad. He's voting for everything he's against.

TMike

[moostraks]

My parents are in their 70's and they are Ron Paul supporters and don't trust the msm one bit. I credit them for bringing me up with a healthy scepticism of the gov't and contempt for the media. Dan Rather was definitely one of her least favorite reporters through the years.

[Kelly.]

I think it's a generational thing.

this ^^^^

anyone remember when Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in america? (i dont i was to young, but my parents still love/believe the news)

it is hard to change things that people consider normal. similar to people here trusting govt ;)

[Fredom101]

I repeatedly keep telling them what's going on, but they keep on believing the TV. I overheard them the other day talking about how they agreed with the Luntz (fake/propaganda) focus group.

Incredible.

Yes I gave up trying to tell them anything because the TV is the gospel truth to them. I even had an argument with them at one point, and my mom said "well everything on the internet isn't true either!". They get irrational. As if we don't choose what sites we go to on the net! TV consists of just a few networks, and they all say almost the same thing.

I gave up arguing with my parents on this stuff back in 2009 because I think if we keep discussing it we would have just stopped talking. There is no convincing them of the truth so either I have to live with their irrationality or cut ties.

[Fredom101]

Yes they do; but they're more interested in soap operas and watching re-runs of 90210.

As far as everyone else in the family... They're apolitical, vote D primarily, and discussing issues in depth goes nowhere; it's either annoyance or simple nodding of the head while they switch to their favorite sitcom or reality TV show.

Girlfriend? I don't know what the hell is wrong with her, she's confused and confusing so I just avoid politics altogether, that's no fun. :D

Re: the girlfriend thing. I've had this situation exactly. The last girl I dated was fantastic, and we are still in touch, but we only talked politics 1 time because I wanted to know what her views were, the conversation went nowhere! It was really strange and I tried to talk through it an ask her more questions but she seemed uncomfortable, so I let it go. I'm still not sure where I stand in terms of politics with a girlfriend/significant other, because so many women have such a hard time getting this stuff. Right now my mode is of empathy- just empathize with where they are right now, they are not right or wrong, they came to this conclusion for a reason that made sense to them. If they have at least a somewhat open mind, in time, these discussions can improve- but don't go into them like you are going to "convert" this person, or it will fail.

[Jerkface]

My Aunt and Uncle fall asleep every night to Fox News. They'll agree that CNN and MSNBC and ABC are unfair, but God forbid I tell them that Fox News, while on the other side of the spectrum, is also unfair.

[TheBlackPeterSchiff]

Yes. My mom believes everything she sees on 60 minutes and NBC news. It really is sickening.

[fisharmor]

My mother always has the local NBC affiliate news running with their bullshit "cat stuck in tree" stories, and ignores it, until the commercials come on, at which point she becomes suddenly fixated. Though I know she believes some of it because she's defended the pornoscanners to me in the past. (Poorly.)

My dad watches whatever channel is showing WWII documentaries. He is a great public school product: great at memorizing trivia, but generally incapable of piecing things together into a big picture, so that the facts aren't trivial anymore.

I think they both agree that the first part of me to come out of my mother was my middle finger, which is both how I got here, and why I don't think I'll make much headway with them.

[Romulus]

My Mom takes the Today show as gospel. They are baby boomers and it is a generational thing. The TV spoils them, like their parents did.

When you go try to tell them the truth, they get their ego bruised, or simply don't want to hear anything unpleasant because most of them were never told 'No'.

[rawful]

Yep. Mom watches all the morning news banter. She is afraid of the internet because the TV tells her to be. Dad thinks Obama is a "cool guy".

I should add my mom hates "bad news". Anything about people dying or being arrested and she changes the channel.

[oyarde]

I have my Mom watching Stossel .

[kahless]

It all depends on how your approach it. Take Foxnews for example. Their hosts are very personable, middle America seeming folk that the older viewer relates to. So when you attack them it is like you are attacking their friends. They will dig in and try to debate you like you are an Obama supporter or bring up MSNBC (since if you attacked Foxnews you must be on the (D) MSNBC Obama team).

If you speak about Conservative values in a way they recognize from watching Foxnews while planting the seeds how they are disingenuous to those beliefs subtly, there is good probability you can find some common ground. Typically I have found that the viewer has in fact heard something that was contradictory that stayed in the back of their mind and all it takes is for you to wake them up a bit to it.

[AGRP]

Hopefully, as internet tv becomes more prevalent we can program what they watch.

I wouldn't mind scheduling some programs for them :D

[trey4sports]

I told my Grandma that if she doesn't stop watching O'Reilly I was going to put her ass in a home.