How do you know what you know?

[AreaCode707]

Links to sources would be very much appreciated in responses.

How do you gather the information upon which you create your political views? My confidence in the media to produce relevant, accurate and complete reports is nil. I can't make myself rely on the hearsay from either real life or online individuals as far as facts because it doesn't seem to me that they have access to any better information than I do myself.

Where do you go for your news, and how do you know/why do you believe that your news source is a good one?

[edit] If you realize that your news source has tendencies towards certain views, please state that in your post too, and note either how you negate that or why you go along with it. I can't imagine that there is an entirely unbiased news source out there.

 

[Stunt]

The Economist
CBC - Canadian news outlet like BBC
Reuters
Globe and Mail - National Canadian Newspaper

That's about it.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Stunt
The Economist
CBC - Canadian news outlet like BBC
Reuters
Globe and Mail - National Canadian Newspaper

That's about it.

Do you have confidence in these as solid factual sources that give you the whole picture when they present information? If so, what gives you that confidence, and how do you tell if they aren't presenting things accurately or completely?

 

[Stunt]

How I know the sources are good?...no idea. The ones above seem reasonable, never illogical, proffessional and always producing quality material and content.

I have no complaints. Bias is all individual perception.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Stunt
How I know the sources are good?...no idea. The ones above seem reasonable, never illogical, proffessional and always producing quality material and content.

I have no complaints. Bias is all individual perception.

Is it all individual perception? I feel like the news is like this.

Actual fact: President (of either party) pets a kitten in China.
News from source supporting president: President cements bond with non-foreign national
News from source opposing president: President has pussy fixation

I don't feel like I get any good information from either source because neither is really addressing the fact. In that way, I don't agree with you that bias is all individual perception. Maybe it's not as big an issue in Canada?

 

[sandorski]

Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

 

[Rainsford]

I get my news from as many sources as I can, as often as I can. From sources I believe to be pretty unbiased and trusted, like the Washington Post, to highly biased and untrusted like blogs. It's not a perfect system, but I think it helps filter about the BS, either from bias or lack of proper research.

But that's not enough to form an opinion, I base of a lot of my opinion on a filter of my own knowledge, experience and intelligence.

 

[Proletariat]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

You're thinking way too much into things and going in circles.

The sources we trust - such as the Washington Post and the New York Times are the best out there. Thats all we have to go on. They have many editors and checks and balances to go through. Just as in everything in life we trust our best sources. If a Harvard professor says something, we trust him, because he is one of the best at what he does.

If you look at everything from a completely questioning standpoint we really don't know anything. Thats a pretty dumb way too look at life and doesn't get anything accomplished, it just gets you depressed.

Personally I derive my views from what I see in the world with a dash of news thrown in. I think the best way to get a grip on the world is to travel see different places and talk to a lot of different people.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Proletariat

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

You're thinking way too much into things and going in circles.

The sources we trust - such as the Washington Post and the New York Times are the best out there. Thats all we have to go on. They have many editors and checks and balances to go through. Just as in everything in life we trust our best sources. If a Harvard professor says something, we trust him, because he is one of the best at what he does.

If you look at everything from a completely questioning standpoint we really don't know anything. Thats a pretty dumb way too look at life and doesn't get anything accomplished, it just gets you depressed.

Personally I derive my views from what I see in the world with a dash of news thrown in. I think the best way to get a grip on the world is to travel see different places and talk to a lot of different people.

Reasonable view. I guess I don't have much confidence that the best out there are truly all that good. Top of the dunghill, if you will.

The media covers aspects of politics that are so large and difficult to get a good take on under the best of circumstances. Since the media is, at the core, all about making money, their first incentive is to sell their product. I think several media channels do this by earning their reputation as the most solid purveyors of news, but it also means that if they can't necessarily get an accurate take on something that is large and vague, they have to still make it look concrete and simple. The perception of accuracy becomes more important than the fact of accuracy?

Your point: "If you look at everything from a completely questioning standpoint we really don't know anything," is true, but that still doesn't mean that deciding we know something means we actually know it, right?

 

[CaptnKirk]

Some people do use thier colon as a knowledge repository, you know . . .

 

[Stunt]

Try the sources I have mentioned HotChic...I think you may like them.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Some people do use thier colon as a knowledge repository, you know . . .

I had neck surgery recently. I'll have to wait a few months before I'll be able to get my spine to bend at that angle.

 

[IdaGno]

"Everything you know is wrong."

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

Just accept it as reality that I'll never know if I know. Judge the sources upon whether they show different opinions and how they show different opinions. What do they focus on? Do they question themselves or do they maintain a false sense of confidence? Admit their mistakes or deny them?

At the end of the day though, we only think we know what Others have decided to let us know. Which may be the Truth or a Lie.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

Just accept it as reality that I'll never know if I know. Judge the sources upon whether they show different opinions and how they show different opinions. What do they focus on? Do they question themselves or do they maintain a false sense of confidence? Admit their mistakes or deny them?

At the end of the day though, we only think we know what Others have decided to let us know. Which may be the Truth or a Lie.

Okay. So why then have political opinions? I'm asking this not as a challenge to you but in seeking an explanation for myself. I've been a bit lazy about following the news and having educated opinions in the past, but I can't find any inspiration for change when following the news doesn't add to the education of an opinion.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

Just accept it as reality that I'll never know if I know. Judge the sources upon whether they show different opinions and how they show different opinions. What do they focus on? Do they question themselves or do they maintain a false sense of confidence? Admit their mistakes or deny them?

At the end of the day though, we only think we know what Others have decided to let us know. Which may be the Truth or a Lie.

Okay. So why then have political opinions? I'm asking this not as a challenge to you but in seeking an explanation for myself. I've been a bit lazy about following the news and having educated opinions in the past, but I can't find any inspiration for change when following the news doesn't add to the education of an opinion.

Just because you can't be 100% sure doesn't mean you should turn yourself off.

Basically I believe it is natural to seek the Truth of matters and as such the ability to outright lie/deceive is rather difficult in a diverse society. There are too many people/voices seeking Truth for Liars/Deceivers to succeed. Which is why it is vitally important to prevent the Monopolization of the Media. Too few People/Voices brings the very real possibility that Lies/Deceipts can succeed.

 

[Tab]

God.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Some people do use thier colon as a knowledge repository, you know . . .

I had neck surgery recently. I'll have to wait a few months before I'll be able to get my spine to bend at that angle.

Aye, and there's the rub, flexibility does have it's benefits.

Knowledge is a combination of collecting life experiences, gathering all the new input you can, then assesing your
viewpoint of that data filtered through the lens of your personal experience.
I then to study many resources for reference before making a decision or forming an opinion.
Additional input through more knowledge may soften or harden my impressions of any event or perceived fact.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

Just accept it as reality that I'll never know if I know. Judge the sources upon whether they show different opinions and how they show different opinions. What do they focus on? Do they question themselves or do they maintain a false sense of confidence? Admit their mistakes or deny them?

At the end of the day though, we only think we know what Others have decided to let us know. Which may be the Truth or a Lie.

Okay. So why then have political opinions? I'm asking this not as a challenge to you but in seeking an explanation for myself. I've been a bit lazy about following the news and having educated opinions in the past, but I can't find any inspiration for change when following the news doesn't add to the education of an opinion.

Just because you can't be 100% sure doesn't mean you should turn yourself off.

Basically I believe it is natural to seek the Truth of matters and as such the ability to outright lie/deceive is rather difficult in a diverse society. There are too many people/voices seeking Truth for Liars/Deceivers to succeed. Which is why it is vitally important to prevent the Monopolization of the Media. Too few People/Voices brings the very real possibility that Lies/Deceipts can succeed.

Bolded statement is very true. But if you're 0% sure and your only source of information is controlled by other interests, to follow based on that information makes you a puppet, does it not? Then you can be doing more harm than good.

I think the shift key ghost is haunting your computer.

 

[jhu]

prove to me that you aren't just a figment of my imagination

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: sandorski
Basically, we can't know. Everyone gets their info from others, it is unavoidable. Are those Others reliable sources, I hope so.

How do you ever feel confident in forming a political opinion with such shifting sands as a foundation then?

Just accept it as reality that I'll never know if I know. Judge the sources upon whether they show different opinions and how they show different opinions. What do they focus on? Do they question themselves or do they maintain a false sense of confidence? Admit their mistakes or deny them?

At the end of the day though, we only think we know what Others have decided to let us know. Which may be the Truth or a Lie.

Okay. So why then have political opinions? I'm asking this not as a challenge to you but in seeking an explanation for myself. I've been a bit lazy about following the news and having educated opinions in the past, but I can't find any inspiration for change when following the news doesn't add to the education of an opinion.

Just because you can't be 100% sure doesn't mean you should turn yourself off.

Basically I believe it is natural to seek the Truth of matters and as such the ability to outright lie/deceive is rather difficult in a diverse society. There are too many people/voices seeking Truth for Liars/Deceivers to succeed. Which is why it is vitally important to prevent the Monopolization of the Media. Too few People/Voices brings the very real possibility that Lies/Deceipts can succeed.

Bolded statement is very true. But if you're 0% sure and your only source of information is controlled by other interests, to follow based on that information makes you a puppet, does it not? Then you can be doing more harm than good.

I think the shift key ghost is haunting your computer.

iT mIghT and iF it iS, That"s jUst tHe waY it IS>

There"S No SucH tHIngS aS GHosTS1

 

[Meuge]

Originally posted by: HotChic
Links to sources would be very much appreciated in responses.

How do you gather the information upon which you create your political views? My confidence in the media to produce relevant, accurate and complete reports is nil. I can't make myself rely on the hearsay from either real life or online individuals as far as facts because it doesn't seem to me that they have access to any better information than I do myself.

Where do you go for your news, and how do you know/why do you believe that your news source is a good one?

[edit] If you realize that your news source has tendencies towards certain views, please state that in your post too, and note either how you negate that or why you go along with it. I can't imagine that there is an entirely unbiased news source out there.

News: Google News (I try to read the same story in news sources on at least 3 continents.

Other: Scientific journals and logical deduction.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Meuge

Originally posted by: HotChic
Links to sources would be very much appreciated in responses.

How do you gather the information upon which you create your political views? My confidence in the media to produce relevant, accurate and complete reports is nil. I can't make myself rely on the hearsay from either real life or online individuals as far as facts because it doesn't seem to me that they have access to any better information than I do myself.

Where do you go for your news, and how do you know/why do you believe that your news source is a good one?

[edit] If you realize that your news source has tendencies towards certain views, please state that in your post too, and note either how you negate that or why you go along with it. I can't imagine that there is an entirely unbiased news source out there.

News: Google News (I try to read the same story in news sources on at least 3 continents.

Other: Scientific journals and logical deduction.

Huh, that's a pretty good diversification method. Did I make up the word diversification?

 

[Uhtrinity]

First my political views are my own, I don't follow any party blindly, it just happens that the democrats are the closest viable party atm for me. I get most of my news online from CNN, FOX, Yahoo, Google News, and right here in the forums (good place to get extremes from both sides). I also listen to Air America on occasion (webcast) as well as a little Bit of Rush (to hear the extreme right side).
I know where my moral / ethical compass points on most issues and as long as I stay true to that I can pick my own path.