Monday, July 20, 2009

Understanding the FOX News Mob Think

Briseadh na Faire, an author over at TheZoo blog, posted the following as a comment to a ThinkProgress blog post and then posted it on TheZoo as an Op-Ed:

FOX has millions of viewers who agree with whatever it broadcasts. They display a lynch-mob mentality: trial by media, then hanging. Their group-think gives them comfort in that “majority rules” absolves each individual from individual responsibility.

If you don’t understand the enemy, you cannot defeat it. The mob will always need a leader; one who feeds its fears and provides weak victims as sacrifices. Notice how often its spokespersons portray their opponents as weak?

Those who negotiate are weak. Those who compromise are weak. Those who resort to violence first and ask questions later are strong. This is primal. This is mob-think. This is what is left of the Republican Party. This is Fox’s viewing audience.
That's it. That is the perfect description of what they do and who they are. I've never been able to put it into proper words but in three short paragraphs, this author nailed it.

3 comments:

Michael Boh said...

Kudos to Briseadh na Faire! That was a great description. Btw, I have a theory. IF Obama and the Democrats succeed and the Republicans are kept out of power, then FOX "News" may become an asset. How? Because at least with FOX that horrible herd otherwise known as the 30% is out in the open. They are "plottable." Their echo chamber makes them stand out. Without the network, they go underground. We have to ask ourselves which scenario is worse - openess or secrecy. Of course, my theory relies on them remaining incompetent and staying out of power. :)

Anonymous said...

No this is a true concern of many people worried about osing their present coverage and falling into a Canadian style rationed heathlcare system. You know the one Obama wouldn't use for his own family and the the ones the democrats reused to sign on to.

Oh my an objective opinion. How dare we don't all go along with whatever Obama proposes and further spirals us into an economy with huge deficits and high interest rates .
Why are you threatened by one news outlet when you have about 10 who support anything Obama says or does?

Anonymous said...

Talk about fear Obama's entire campaign was all fear tactics.
let's see who else used fear tactics during a campaign? Iw on't write it but I am sure you already know.
Good thing there are other soureces to get info from other hen the media who is invested in all of Obama's policies. After all they can't go back on all they did to get him elected. They have their reputations to consider.
As long as we still have free speech and aren't spoon fed whatever dear leader wants then we still have a constitution.
He wants to pas a bill that he is not familiar with? What a joke. Your media would be all over a republican if they made that statement. I mean we ahve already seen how they operate.