Why Are American Voters So Uninformed?

.zerohedge ^ | January 29, 2013 | Tyler Durden

[Mozilla]

The sad fact is that it appears completely rational to be ignorant about politics. The cost of being an 'informed' voter - as opposed to a bigotted closed-minded ignoramus - is high, from the time spent following (and interpreting) the news in the paper, online, and on the television. As the following clip notes, "becoming an informed voter is competing with a lot of other needs in your life," from American Idol watching to eating Cheetos in the bath. Of course, the sad truth is that it has never been more important to be 'informed' and so the 'bread-and-circuses' will continue lest we stumble upon the truth - but perhaps this brief clip will sway a few more to the dark side of 'the informed' - though just because 'you' are better-informed does not mean politicians will do a better job - as the probability of your vote changing the outcome of an election is for all practical purposes, zero!

Video

[New Jersey Realist]

It takes no more time to be politically aware than to be aware in anything else! People spend a lot of time on knowing their movie and sports celebs for sure. Put Justin Bieber’s picture next to Paul Ryan and 90% wouldn’t even know who Ryan was.

If all people are interested in is sports, etc., and don’t give a hoot about politics, they they should not be allowed to vote.

Just sayin’.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

I'm inclined to laugh at what you wrote, but it's a sad kinda laughter. I am with you, I allowed my very bright and ambitious child to go the route of International Studies/sustainability. Every conversation is painful and it hurts my heart where she is being led. I could just spit I'm so frustrated!

Your previous comment about being informed leading to hopelessness vs. feeling optimistic in the years gone by, is so very very true. At times I feel like a hamster on a wheel, going over the same crap day after day.

[blueunicorn6]

I think we’re off the mark if we assume that the inner city Democrat voters desire the life they have. We have lost their votes because we can’t inspire them. The “Julia” campaign by the Democrats was brilliant. We need to torpedo it. Maybe I’m just totally whitebread, but the inner city lifestyle I’ve seen looks like an enslavement more cruel than the old plantations. They’ve “settled” for that lifestyle. Why? The best they can hope and dream for is a small apartment in the middle of the city with a bunch of kids and barely surviving? The Democrats are happy and satisfied with providing that? I think that’s the fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats scare the crap out of people and then tell them that they (the Democrats) will provide them with a barely adequate life. Why is it that the inner city Democrats don’t understand that we want more than that for them? It’s because we haven’t told them! Good God, we’ve put Reince Whatshisface back in charge of the Republican Party. Based on what? His tremendous success in the 2012 elections? We are about 12% of the way from the 2012 elections to the 2014 elections, and what have the Republicans accomplished?

[bmwcyle]

Piss poor media control by liberals. Too many people only get local channels still. The liberals control free TV and PBS.

[bicyclerepair]

1) Who in the #311 knows what GOP means? And why is democrat ALWAYS spelled out? Scrap the stupid moniker GOP and spell out REPUBLICAN for pete’s sake.

2) We have NO great communicator.

[donna]

Obama likes gun - I saw the photo.

[Vaduz]

Some people don’t think they like being told what to think.Note last four years.

[discostu]

Because the government eats 1/3 of their income, forcing them to spend more time working to afford their life, then after all that work they still have to live their life, take care of the kids, the home, and get some sleep.

[hawaiianninja]

Actually, that sounds like RINOs than D’RATs. From my estimation D’RATs don’t even really give voters what they want. They just talk the talk and provide a just a little bit of that sweet stuff to those “low information voters” to get them addicted to Big Gub’mint and Big Daddy O.

[DaveA37]

The answer is simple...Media Bias!

Nothing more needs to be said. You get what they want you to know and nothing more.

[ronnie raygun]

They are uninformed because they choose to be. I get this all the time, “ oh I don’t watch the news its so depressing, oh I get all my information by watching CNN for about 2 minutes a day, politics is boring, why get involved they are going to do what ever they want to anyway, they’re all criminals. People leave it up to the network scumedia to tell them how to feel, what to think, and how to act to events. If you engage them in a discussion about any one subject in detail it’s like a deer in the headlights moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDTJN4j9-EI
the young are the most uninformed

[COBOL2Java]

The sad fact is that it appears completely rational to be ignorant about politics. The cost of being an 'informed' voter - as opposed to a bigotted closed-minded ignoramus - is high, from the time spent following (and interpreting) the news in the paper, online, and on the television. As the following clip notes, "becoming an informed voter is competing with a lot of other needs in your life," from American Idol watching to eating Cheetos in the bath. Of course, the sad truth is that it has never been more important to be 'informed' and so the 'bread-and-circuses' will continue lest we stumble upon the truth - but perhaps this brief clip will sway a few more to the dark side of 'the informed' - though just because 'you' are better-informed does not mean politicians will do a better job - as the probability of your vote changing the outcome of an election is for all practical purposes, zero!

---

You see the little smirk on Soledad? It tells you all you need to know about liberal ignorance. It's not that they're stupid (although stupidity is not proscribed - see Vice President Biden). It's that they are willfully ignorant.

Only their leaders have the correct ideology. Anything outside of their little bubble is suspect and must be met with derision. No mental effort is needed, no hard thinking required; the central bureaucracy will feed all with the required ideology. Just stay within the bubble, and make fun of the "stupid" conservatives.

[Newtoidaho]

Anti-reality lifestyles.

Facebook
Video Games
American Idol
Professional and college sports
Internet

I think more than half Americans have just given up hope and don’t even care about the future anymore.

[Kenny Bunk]

Both not the best but logic would tell one the lesser evil of the two and that was Romney. Economy is the biggest problem.

Gee, LM, maybe that Mormon Milquetoast shoulda like said something about it?

[Kenny Bunk]

The Low Information Voter thinks that the High Information Voter is just not cool. Nice to see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya. Nerd.

Those on the Left simply think the High Information Voter, particularly in regard to Obama, is just wrong and wrong-headed.

[Gene Eric]

Because Public Education needs to survive.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Why Are American Voters So Uninformed?

Stupid TV shows
Football
The Lying RATagandists (So-called news outlets)
The Socialist Indoctrination Centers ("education")
Hollywood
Unfunny and vulgar Marxist "comedians"