Can talk radio change you?

[QC]

Something jtex recently said about being afraid of those who simply repeat what they hear on talk-radio struck me. Anyway, I have always wondered who I would be if I was bombarded with nothing but extreme leftist stuff or extreme right wing stuff. Would I believe a different right and wrong? Could I have been a Nazi guard in a concentration camp? A guard in the Soviet Gulag? Frankly, it really scares me.<br /><br />Soooooo . . . . I did the unbelievable, I vowed to only listen to Air America (in LA, 1150 AM) for one week and even though I feel more like puking, I have the following to report:<br /><br />1) I still have no idea what they have been trying to tell me. No real points, no real message, (I am trying very hard NOT to simply repeat conservative talking points, just honest observations)<br /><br />2) Their snippets between adds etc. are childish, mean, insensitive, disrespectful and just plain wrong. Example: "overstuffed, hearing-impaired, pill-popping, wind-bag" I assume referring to you-know-who<br /><br />3) The name calling is unbelievable. One of their hosts (late evening guy) referred to Cheney as a "murdering, stealing pig" repeatedly. Not to mention what they continually call Bush.<br /><br />4) Their main dude, Ed Shultz, keeps referring to the voters that the Dems need to reach as "Joe Beer Can". I am trying to determine who this is. Me? Zmoz? JB? Spinner? LadyFish (Josephine Beer Can)? txswinner? PW2? God forbid, Technopolitico?<br /><br />I know we can all guess who Joe is, but it would seem to me it is exactly who they need to appeal to and I wouldn’t start by insulting him/me . . .<br /><br />I am going to keep listening (I need a good puke), but my one week reaction is there is no flippin' way that I could get sucked into this stuff. Thoughts?

 

[JB]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Well said, QC. You got my vote.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

I am not masochistic but why do I like the pain? <br />OOOps wrong thread again.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

QC: this experience will stay with you the rest of your life.<br />Techno: You'll grow out of it.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Please, call me TS.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Originally posted by RubberFrog:<br /> QC: this experience will stay with you the rest of your life.<br />

What's left of it.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

QC,<br /> Your past impressionable age, (way past ) you developed your ideals and opinions and core values through your life’s experiences. It would take a life changing event to modify your general beliefs. Anyway, that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it. Thanks for asking.

 

[OLDSPUD]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

My point exactly, everything is negative and degrading. <br /><br />So why do I listen to you-know-who, because he is inspiring, and positive about life, the economy, and the Country. He makes me feel good<br /><br />I had listened for years to the likes of King, Matthews, ect.<br /><br />Spud

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Rock & Roll (or a reasonable facsimilie there-of), 24/7/365, please....

<br /><br />Just say no to talk radio... (keep it on the AM channels, where talk belongs)<br />

 

[QC]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Originally posted by Limited-Time:<br /> Your past impressionable age

See, I don't think so. I feel like I am always learning, but I do think I steer clear of garbage. When somebody I know says something that just doesn't sound right, I know it. Not because I am old, but because it ain't right. Am I naive? Not sure how I could be naive and too old to learn at the same time . . . Here is an example:<br /><br />"Chain doesn't matter on an anchor." Now, there is one that is debated a lot, but I believe strongly that chain helps me get a good hook with limited scope out. Somebody can repeat that to me over and over and it won't change my mind, not because I am too old to learn something new, but because it doesn't make sense to me. Now if they say "with 20 to 1 scope, chain doesn't make a difference" I will stop and reconsider. This exact thing happened to me on this here forum and I now believe I have learned something new. Why would that not be true politically?

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

QC,<br /> I used the term "impressionable" as it relates to your core values, yours are set IMO. Learning is a life long endeavor. Your core values allow you to filter out the "garbage" you encounter. I see ones beliefs and ability to learn as two different functions, if you will. Your ability to reason as in the anchor chain example allows you to modify the scope of your value for a given situation, if you will. It does not diametrically alter your beliefs. Does that make sense to ya.

 

[chugger]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Originally posted by Quietcat:<br /> <br />2) Their snippets between adds etc. are childish, mean, insensitive, disrespectful and just plain wrong. Example: "overstuffed, hearing-impaired, pill-popping, wind-bag" I assume referring to you-know-who<br /><br />3) The name calling is unbelievable. <br /><br />I am going to keep listening (I need a good puke), but my one week reaction is there is no flippin' way that I could get sucked into this stuff. <br />Thoughts?

I get the same feeling when I listen to Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Bill O'riely. I listen pretty much every day because I enjoy the way they challenge my views. Sometimes though I'm too exhausted from work to deal with the anger they project so I either turn off the radio or slip in a CD.

 

[QC]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Yeah, makes sense LT, and I generally agree with you about core values. That is why impressionable aged people are always targets of ideologues.<br /><br />I could imagine considering higher taxation to help out this, that and the other. This is basically against my current beliefs as it creates dependence, but I could imagine being wrong. Or txswinner's suggestion that we should cap CEO pay. With a reasonable argument, maybe I could consider that, but I haven't heard one yet. It is these lesser than core value things that probably led me to the personal test. Can listening to intelligent, but opposite opinions, sway me on "the issues". Ya know, stuff like the war in Iraq, hatred for GW, belief that our government is corrupt, fuel prices are being manipulated by Cheney and his oil buddies.<br /><br />I don't see those as necessarily core values, but many on the left do believe those things. Somebody taught them that. Can I be taught that and believe it?

 

[QC]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Originally posted by chugger:<br /> I get the same feeling when I listen to Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Bill O'riely.

I respect that you look at the other side and that was what I was trying to do. I am not real big on those three, but I don't think they resort to the same level of name calling and garbage that I am hearing on Air America. I hear hatred AND sillines. Very little to ponder and take seriously.

 

[jimonica]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Chugger, <br /><br />You took the words right out of my mouth!<br /><br />When the righty talkers call liberals names is witty, funny, and cute. When liberal talkers get into the name calling its hateful and over-the-top.<br /><br />The level of one's outrage depends on who's ox is being gored.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

QC, you thread asks, "can talk radio change you?". To that I say, no. Talk radio doesn't tell me much more than I already knew. And it would never change what I thought was right and wrong (that's what some refer to as "values"). I haven't listened to the radio since late August, and I haven't really missed anything.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

As far as name calling goes, it is a little ridiculous. I don't like it when Rush or Sean calls a "liberal" an insulting name. It actually hurts any point that they are trying to make. If you have a truly valid point, overt, mean name calling should not be necessary. Your ideas and opinions should stand on their own merit.

 

[QC]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

Originally posted by jimonica:<br /> When the righty talkers call liberals names is witty, funny, and cute.

I don't believe that, quite the contrary. I discount name callers. Yes, I know I came close, if not all the way, to calling you a name previously. I was VERY angry at something you posted. We've been through that, but wanted to make sure I dealt with the possible contradiction above. I also am not paid to try and deliver a message to viewers.<br /><br />I want info. Plain and simple. I have not heard much in the way of compelling reasoning or info on Air America that would make me rethink any positions. I honestly believe that I would take intelligent discussion seriously, if I heard any.<br /><br />Here are some issues that I would listen to, ponder and reconsider if I had information that would help that process:<br /><br />Gay Marriage (I currently see no benefit to society)<br />Higher taxes (I currently see no ultimate benefit to society, only increased dependence and a lack of personal responsibility and waste)<br />Gov't regulation of fuel prices (I see higher fuel prices, not lower as a result)<br />The Death Penalty (I see no reason to keep murderers alive, and I believe there is a serious difference between murder and killing)<br />The War in Iraq (I currently believe we are fighting evil, why or how we got there is of no concern to me at this time unless there was something illegal done and that is still not a reason to leave, only a reason to prosecute those who broke the law)<br />The Environment (I currently put people first, especially children)<br />Open borders (I currently believe that there should be some hoops to jump though before you are allowed to enter this country)

 

[QC]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

You are right TilliamWe, "change you" does sound more like core values. But I refer back to my original comments about Nazi's. I have always wondered how you get ordinary people to do what they did to their fellow man. I am tempted to change the title of the thread, but I think I'll leave it alone as I believe core values can be changed in some when tempted with things that they want to believe. An example is "you are better than they are".

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Can talk radio change you?

"QC" You are scarin' me....I agree with every position you posted above....Not clear on the "Environment" though....Are you saying that you think our enviromental laws should be relaxed? Am I a conservative & don't know it? You missed a few of the real controversial ones.....Probably the ones where we would disagree.....But it's a start.....JK