Monday, January 18, 2010

Careful What You Wish For

Arnold Kling writes about talk radio and ends with:
Still, I think that the medium is the message. I do not think that radio, TV, or Youtube are going to produce strong intellectual discourse. I believe that the written word is the best medium for that. If conservatives master other media, they may win some political battles, but not any intellectual war.
There follow comments:
On the right, because we're assaulted by the leftist-media complex on a daily basis, we're constantly having our beliefs challenged. You can't escape the left's ideas, they come from the New York Times, all the papers that pick up stories from the Times, Time, Newsweek, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, NPR, etc. etc. etc.
and
Until the residents of those well-educated counties come to be educated by non-left anthropologists, historians, law professors, political scientists, and sociologists--and until, after they graduate, they are daily reminded of the application of what they were taught by MSM personnel who were similarly educated--the GOP will increasingly be the party of the uneducated.
and
"Conservative talk radio is bombastic." That paints in too broad strokes. Not all right-wing talk radio is alike. Bill Bennett, Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager are consistently thoughtful, willing to engage those with differing views, and respectful of others. Mark Levin is smart but screams and rants too much. Limbaugh is smarter than he sometimes gets credit for, but deviates from ideas too much because he loves ridiculing his enemies. Savage is worthless. Can't speak about Hannity or Beck, because I've only seen them on T.V., where they don't come across as subtle thinkers.
and
There is all sorts of good, *smart* conservative talk radio. I agree with Peter - Limbaugh gets sold short.

And to Prager, Medved and Bennett I add Hugh Hewitt; sharp, incisively intellectual, especially on matters of jurisprudence. Dennis Miller is also a treat. Jason Lewis is perhaps too intellectual for his own good.
and
The conservative talk show host don't argue 'intellectual' beliefs. They argue personal freedoms and property rights. What is "careful, reasoned" about that? Simple ideas are usually the best.
The intellectual arguments for conservatism await their champions.

15 comments:

J— said...

non-left anthropologists

These can be counted on one hand. Why? I don't know. It is a mystery.

Smut Clyde said...

because we're assaulted by the leftist-media complex on a daily basis, we're constantly having our beliefs challenged.

Reality must share some of the blame.

Substance McGravitas said...

The leftist media thinks tax cuts for everything all the time will not work. THEY ARE WRONG.

Smut Clyde said...

It may or may not be relevant for this issue of right-leaning media that I'd just been checking Wim Delvoye's site for new stuff, and found his sculpture "Running Ducks".

Substance McGravitas said...

NO NEW DUCKSES!

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

I do not think that radio, TV, or Youtube are going to produce strong intellectual discourse.

I cannot rate for Arnold Kling.
~

J— said...

Running Ducks of Capitalism!

tigris said...

we're constantly having our beliefs challenged

At which point one has the option of either accepting the challenge and testing those beliefs, discarding or altering them if they don't stand up, strengthening them if they do, or crying like a tiny, poopy baby. WHICH WILL THEY CHOOSE?!!

Substance McGravitas said...

Now that Arnold Kling has mastered typing, WHY HAS HE NOT WON ALL ARGUMENTS?

Smut Clyde said...

WHICH WILL THEY CHOOSE?!!

The "crying like a tiny, poopy baby" has always worked for me. Except when I'm trying to publish a paper, when Reviewer 3 is strangely unmoved.

Substance McGravitas said...

Cry tinier and poopier and see what happens.

Smut Clyde said...

Reviewer 3 asked for a number of additional experiments. They thought the conclusions weren't justified by the data.

It's always the third goddamned reviewer who screws us over!

Substance McGravitas said...

Reviewer 3 asked for a number of additional experiments.

Did you notice the winking and the drinky-drinky motion with the hand?

Dan Coyle said...

Hugh Hewitt? Seriously? That overgrown child?

Djur said...

"Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager are consistently thoughtful, willing to engage those with differing views"

As a regular reader of World-O-Crap, I laugh bitterly.