In April, two political science scholars, professors David Broockman at UC Berkeley and Joshua Kalla at Yale, put up a working paper online for comment. It’s entitled, “Consuming cross-cutting media causes learning and moderates attitudes: A field experiment with Fox News viewers.”
I approach the topic by asking two easy questions and providing context. First I ask, are you looking forward to or appreciating the benefits of Social Security? Do you know that Democrats legislated it into existence (FDR in the 1930s). Are you looking forward to or already appreciating the benefits of Medicare? Again, Democrats legislated into law (LBJ) in the 1960s. And do you realize that it is Democrats that are defending Social Security and Medicare in the face of Republicans wanting to reduce or possibly hinting at eliminating it? So which party do you think is looking out for the average American worker (retiree)?
Twenty years ago, or there about, my group of workers were upset about something in government. We had Kinko print 1000 post cards with 4 hand written questions. Today the questions would have been something like: Would you
1. let your children play at a friends house where the father grab young girls but the crotch?
2. eat in a restaurant where the owner yelled "soldiers are losers and suckers?"
3. attend a church where the priest had security guards force a mother out because her baby cried?
We bought a random conservative mailing list. While we were in meetings, on planes, we hand addressed then sent out the cards. It's not all we did... but funny thing is, we all thought it was great... just faith in the receivers... no confirmation.
I loved this "Civil Discourse" this evening. If there are any of you in this group that do not read "Letters From an American", authored by Professor Heather Cox Richardson, right here on Substack, Google her name and check it out. It is a terrific follow up of Joyce Vance's words of wisdom penned today/evening. Or visa versa on which you read first. There is Hope, always hope.
Thank you for that pep talk, Joyce. For more than a year, I have been going online to discussion groups to fight the good fight with our MAGA friends online. I have found hat the best way to change hearts is to stay with facts, and quickly and strongly correct lies and inaccuracies and to say what is true. Some folks will not change their minds. They are too far gone. There are many of them. But I keep myself encouraged by remembering that I only have to change a few hearts and minds to change the outcome of an election. At least that's what I'm hoping. Bless you for sharing your ideas and strategies for making a difference. Your encouragement helps a lot!
Very interesting results. After years of biting my tongue, I am starting to say what I think in a straightforward but reasonable way (just sayin’ kind of way) with people I have been skirting around. I’m a bit skittish around strangers who may have a gun, but so far, so good. Thanks, Coach!
I read recently that if you are talking to someone with an opposing position or belief, it will increase your effectiveness in communicating your position if you first ask them “Would you be open to hearing another perspective or point of view?” Most people will answer yes, and in doing so they subtly commit to actually listening, and being open to hearing your viewpoint, rather than opposing it.
Thank you for the encouragement Joyce. I, too, have someone in mind. Over the past year or so I have printed several of Heather Cox Richardsons' Letters to hand this fellow. Clear and to the point. If I can get through to him, a once friend, I should be able to at least open others eyes too. Seventeen months is a very short time. You would be a great guest on her "Now and Then" podcast. Only this afternoon,Andrew Weissmann Tweeted "Joyce is so right, as always. I would take him at his word.
The only flaw in your argument, Joyce, is the question it poses re: finances. Where do we get the $15/hour to pay each of the 74,000,000+ FOX-loving, Trump-voting MAGA dimwits for watching a few hours a week of CNN? Do you really think they'll watch because we lovingly request that they do so? By the way, the study was undoubtedly undertaken prior to Chris Licht's arrival as head of CNN and his subsequent purge of reasonable folks who might have provided the MAGAts with the exposure you think might be helpful (think: the disappearing Brian Stelter, Jeffrey Toobin, John Harwood, and others . . . and the hard-to-ignore "change in tone" of others who have not (yet) departed‑‑-think: a noticeably more muted "balanced" approach [balance in the sense of FOX's use of the term] from Jake Tapper and the recent stern remonstrations from the avuncular Anderson Cooper getting all righteous & school-marmy about those of us living in our little protective "bubbles" and CNN's misunderstood teaching moment: allowing a fraudulent, morally depraved democracy destroyer to usurp hours of CNN airtime to get those 74,000,000+ dimwits to do it all over again. Nah. Think I'll take that heartwarming but wishful thinking study with a mountain-size grain of salt.
Follow-up: Excerpt from Steve Schmidt's excellent The Warning substack:
"One thing is for certain: the Trump era wrecked CNN. What survived was further smashed to bits by the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger, and the absurdist world view of its plutocrat, the billionaire John Malone, whose sensibilities tell him that “balance” requires more television based on the ethics framework that drives Fox News. That’s what he wants — more Fox. It flows from there. He doesn’t get it. David Zaslav doesn’t get it, and Chris Licht doesn’t get it.
The greatest and most fertile television market that has ever existed is the untapped exhausted majority of Americans who have been marginalized, disenfranchised and expelled from the public square by freak show media, politics and business elites who live completely apart from them in every way imaginable. People want the truth. They want reality, normalcy and explanation. The American public is dying for someone —and something — to measure up when it comes to maintaining trust.
There is an astonishing paragraph in the Alberta story where Licht advises Kaitlin Collins and the team that produced the CNN-Trump campaign rally that “the way to deal with a bully like Trump was to confront him with facts.” Of course, this isn’t just a naive view, it is a dangerously foolish one. It is the philosophy of Édouard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain at Munich. There is a tried and true approach to dealing with bullies, which involves knocking them on their a$$. This is far from the only scenario or situation where Mr. Licht seems to have a tenuous grip on reality."
I'm confused. The sentence that stuck with me is: "But the endline survey two months later found these results 'largely receded as treated participants primarily returned to their prior viewing habits.' ”
So this conclusion seems to undercut the theory that there is any permanence to the "change of minds" theme. And paying people to watch CNN is a different dynamic than arguing with your uncle.
Joyce, a bit off subject, but your reference to this study makes me believe that America needs a charismatic centrist to lead us back to thinking as one country. Just get us off the broken record message of Trumpism so democracy can breathe.
I pine for the days of the Fairness Doctrine. Having no enforced requirements for telling the truth has opened the floodgates to FOX, Newsmax, etc. Morality is clearly no longer a check box for joining the executive suite, setting programming guidelines, or show running. We're the worse for that.
The only real answer to Fox News (not news) is to kick Murdoch and his son out of the country and forbid them to do any kind of business here in the USA (yes, I know he is a naturalize citizens, too bad, revoke it). New Zealand was smart enough to keep him out of their country because of the poison he spreads. Murdoch mantra is they are not a news organization so why have them at the WH news briefings or anywhere near the president? I'm sorry Joyce I do not trust this study. I don't remember if you said when it was done but it must be before the change of leadership, because wasn't much better before, but now it is becoming just like Fox.
What remains crystal clear is that Fox News has been pumping poison into American minds for a long time. Some people retain enough critical thinking to recognize some of the falsehoods. I believe the damage is done, and all we can do is nibble at the margins.
I approach the topic by asking two easy questions and providing context. First I ask, are you looking forward to or appreciating the benefits of Social Security? Do you know that Democrats legislated it into existence (FDR in the 1930s). Are you looking forward to or already appreciating the benefits of Medicare? Again, Democrats legislated into law (LBJ) in the 1960s. And do you realize that it is Democrats that are defending Social Security and Medicare in the face of Republicans wanting to reduce or possibly hinting at eliminating it? So which party do you think is looking out for the average American worker (retiree)?
Twenty years ago, or there about, my group of workers were upset about something in government. We had Kinko print 1000 post cards with 4 hand written questions. Today the questions would have been something like: Would you
1. let your children play at a friends house where the father grab young girls but the crotch?
2. eat in a restaurant where the owner yelled "soldiers are losers and suckers?"
3. attend a church where the priest had security guards force a mother out because her baby cried?
We bought a random conservative mailing list. While we were in meetings, on planes, we hand addressed then sent out the cards. It's not all we did... but funny thing is, we all thought it was great... just faith in the receivers... no confirmation.
I loved this "Civil Discourse" this evening. If there are any of you in this group that do not read "Letters From an American", authored by Professor Heather Cox Richardson, right here on Substack, Google her name and check it out. It is a terrific follow up of Joyce Vance's words of wisdom penned today/evening. Or visa versa on which you read first. There is Hope, always hope.
Thank you for that pep talk, Joyce. For more than a year, I have been going online to discussion groups to fight the good fight with our MAGA friends online. I have found hat the best way to change hearts is to stay with facts, and quickly and strongly correct lies and inaccuracies and to say what is true. Some folks will not change their minds. They are too far gone. There are many of them. But I keep myself encouraged by remembering that I only have to change a few hearts and minds to change the outcome of an election. At least that's what I'm hoping. Bless you for sharing your ideas and strategies for making a difference. Your encouragement helps a lot!
We ARE in this together!
Steve
Very interesting results. After years of biting my tongue, I am starting to say what I think in a straightforward but reasonable way (just sayin’ kind of way) with people I have been skirting around. I’m a bit skittish around strangers who may have a gun, but so far, so good. Thanks, Coach!
I read recently that if you are talking to someone with an opposing position or belief, it will increase your effectiveness in communicating your position if you first ask them “Would you be open to hearing another perspective or point of view?” Most people will answer yes, and in doing so they subtly commit to actually listening, and being open to hearing your viewpoint, rather than opposing it.
Thank you for the encouragement Joyce. I, too, have someone in mind. Over the past year or so I have printed several of Heather Cox Richardsons' Letters to hand this fellow. Clear and to the point. If I can get through to him, a once friend, I should be able to at least open others eyes too. Seventeen months is a very short time. You would be a great guest on her "Now and Then" podcast. Only this afternoon,Andrew Weissmann Tweeted "Joyce is so right, as always. I would take him at his word.
The only flaw in your argument, Joyce, is the question it poses re: finances. Where do we get the $15/hour to pay each of the 74,000,000+ FOX-loving, Trump-voting MAGA dimwits for watching a few hours a week of CNN? Do you really think they'll watch because we lovingly request that they do so? By the way, the study was undoubtedly undertaken prior to Chris Licht's arrival as head of CNN and his subsequent purge of reasonable folks who might have provided the MAGAts with the exposure you think might be helpful (think: the disappearing Brian Stelter, Jeffrey Toobin, John Harwood, and others . . . and the hard-to-ignore "change in tone" of others who have not (yet) departed‑‑-think: a noticeably more muted "balanced" approach [balance in the sense of FOX's use of the term] from Jake Tapper and the recent stern remonstrations from the avuncular Anderson Cooper getting all righteous & school-marmy about those of us living in our little protective "bubbles" and CNN's misunderstood teaching moment: allowing a fraudulent, morally depraved democracy destroyer to usurp hours of CNN airtime to get those 74,000,000+ dimwits to do it all over again. Nah. Think I'll take that heartwarming but wishful thinking study with a mountain-size grain of salt.
Follow-up: Excerpt from Steve Schmidt's excellent The Warning substack:
"One thing is for certain: the Trump era wrecked CNN. What survived was further smashed to bits by the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger, and the absurdist world view of its plutocrat, the billionaire John Malone, whose sensibilities tell him that “balance” requires more television based on the ethics framework that drives Fox News. That’s what he wants — more Fox. It flows from there. He doesn’t get it. David Zaslav doesn’t get it, and Chris Licht doesn’t get it.
The greatest and most fertile television market that has ever existed is the untapped exhausted majority of Americans who have been marginalized, disenfranchised and expelled from the public square by freak show media, politics and business elites who live completely apart from them in every way imaginable. People want the truth. They want reality, normalcy and explanation. The American public is dying for someone —and something — to measure up when it comes to maintaining trust.
There is an astonishing paragraph in the Alberta story where Licht advises Kaitlin Collins and the team that produced the CNN-Trump campaign rally that “the way to deal with a bully like Trump was to confront him with facts.” Of course, this isn’t just a naive view, it is a dangerously foolish one. It is the philosophy of Édouard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain at Munich. There is a tried and true approach to dealing with bullies, which involves knocking them on their a$$. This is far from the only scenario or situation where Mr. Licht seems to have a tenuous grip on reality."
This is a big ask, Joyce. I try to interact effectively w/ my friends on the right, but it always comes out, "Are you f#*^ing nuts?"
I'm confused. The sentence that stuck with me is: "But the endline survey two months later found these results 'largely receded as treated participants primarily returned to their prior viewing habits.' ”
So this conclusion seems to undercut the theory that there is any permanence to the "change of minds" theme. And paying people to watch CNN is a different dynamic than arguing with your uncle.
Joyce, a bit off subject, but your reference to this study makes me believe that America needs a charismatic centrist to lead us back to thinking as one country. Just get us off the broken record message of Trumpism so democracy can breathe.
I was struck by your second paragraph, Joyce. You read the study because you teach a seminar in democratic institutions. Your students are fortunate.
Thank goodness you don’t teach in Florida…
I pine for the days of the Fairness Doctrine. Having no enforced requirements for telling the truth has opened the floodgates to FOX, Newsmax, etc. Morality is clearly no longer a check box for joining the executive suite, setting programming guidelines, or show running. We're the worse for that.
The only real answer to Fox News (not news) is to kick Murdoch and his son out of the country and forbid them to do any kind of business here in the USA (yes, I know he is a naturalize citizens, too bad, revoke it). New Zealand was smart enough to keep him out of their country because of the poison he spreads. Murdoch mantra is they are not a news organization so why have them at the WH news briefings or anywhere near the president? I'm sorry Joyce I do not trust this study. I don't remember if you said when it was done but it must be before the change of leadership, because wasn't much better before, but now it is becoming just like Fox.
What remains crystal clear is that Fox News has been pumping poison into American minds for a long time. Some people retain enough critical thinking to recognize some of the falsehoods. I believe the damage is done, and all we can do is nibble at the margins.
Perseverance & positivity! Thanks, Joyce!