America’s Tragedy
“. . . whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right.”
~ Thomas Jefferson
A true democracy cannot exist without a well-informed and educated population. Why? Because the existence of a true democratic society operates under a contract between the people and their government. The government is charged with governing: making laws for the betterment of its citizens and leading the country the best it can towards prosperity. The citizens, in turn, are charged with remaining educated, for the government is checked by its citizens. Without a well-informed population, citizens are vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation. The government becomes free to operate as it pleases, free from oversight. The true democracy as a whole falls apart as the government not only governs the people, but begins to control them. And so I say, a true democracy cannot exist without a well-informed and educated population.
America’s Tragedy
American citizens have a problem. We are failing to uphold our end of the contract. We are more interested in voting for celebrities than presidents. For example, Americans cast more votes in the 11th season finale of American Idol than in the 2008 presidential election. Furthermore, according to Pew Research Forum, four years into Obama’s presidency, 17% still think he is Muslim and 31% don’t even know his religion. While we are not in danger of our democracy collapsing, this is a serious concern that needs to be addressed. Why are so many Americans uneducated about their own leadership? We have more knowledge available at our fingertips than any previous generation and we have the unprecedented ability to share thoughts and seek opinions at lightening speeds.Why do we not take advantage of these technological gifts? I believe it is because we do not have a desire to. America’s tragedy is its preference of entertainment over information.
Our desire for entertainment is no secret. We can see it in the political campaign ads or cable news shows that are filled with ominous or upbeat music, scary or celebratory visuals and fear-inducing or hopeful messaging. Most political media sits at one extreme or the other to keep Americans on the edge of their seats. The politicos have zoned in on our obsession for drama and have given us exactly what we want. At the same time, these emotion-packed pieces contain fewer and fewer facts and less useful information in order to make room for the other content that is better in line with our interests. This is most evident in the cable news industry.
Dangerous Territory
The cable news industry is a for-profit institution. Their goal is not the betterment of citizens through the dissemination of information but rather to make money. The big three, FOX News, MSNBC and CNN, routinely exaggerate and dramatize stories to attract a larger audience. If Americans showed a true interest in investigative journalism and furthering detailed knowledge, cable news would follow as commanded. Yet today, precious airtime is filled by talking-heads bickering over a juicy story rather than by investigative reporting. Shows come closer to resembling reality TV then journalism. But that is what sells. That is what Americans want. The more cable news talks and the more outlandish the comments become, the more Facebook shares and Twitter retweets they receive. The ratings go up and the money comes in. Our ignorance is our own fault, not that of the news channels. As Americans, we must demand more. We must desire to be educated and settle only for the path that takes us there.
It is not only our lack of education but also our lack of desire to be educated that leaves us so vulnerable. Without the knowledge to defend ourselves, campaign ads, presidential debates, and other seemingly informational pieces manipulate us and tease us into voting a certain way. Our ignorance is a poison that we happily drink. The American people have no internal yearning to confirm that the actual actions of the government are reasonable, responsible and in our best interest.
Americans must undergo a cultural shift. It is up to us to relearn the meaning of “knowledge is power” and understand that we hold our future in our hands. But, as long as Americans are content voting for an American Idol contestant over a president we remain in dangerous territory.