Comments on: Study of what attracts readers to political blogs wins Broadcast Educ. Assn. top prize

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:03:03 +0000

I agree with you both. It's what's such a shame at times about the Internet and takes the gleam off of the shine that things could be different.

How do we get it to be different? I know that TMV works very very hard at that.

By: pacatrue

pacatrue — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:40:20 +0000

It certainly seems clear that people prefer to hear voices similar to their own. That's basic socialization and is evidence by the fact that sites with distinct agendas / views are the biggest ones, while the middle grounds are typically smaller.

More people might like genuine debate, but genuine debate that's enjoyable is rare and difficult in huge anonymous forums. Even here, about half the comments are designed to beat one another down as opposed to just talk about disagreements and solutions, and this is one of the best sites.

Debate on emotional issues, as politics is for many, takes trust and a willingness to be wrong. Trust is absent online and only a few don't mind being publically an idiot. (We like to be idiots in private.)

By: runasim

runasim — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:38:06 +0000

I found the 'like-minded' part absolutely alarming. That just reinforces very narrow minded opinions.

Even when there is diverse commentary, people seem to talk past one another, without acknowledging what the opposing opinions are.
A civil argument, acknowleding the other's thinking, at least does that., and even if agreement isn't reached, understanding is expanded. Blogs are at their best whaen that happens.