The Meme Is the Message
“If George Bush had done [this] or said [that], do you know how the media would have reported it?”
Well, yes, I do, and you do, too.
But we’re now over two years into the presidency of Barack Obama and I think it’s time to retire this particular meme.
Of course, the media doesn’t play fair—it never has and it never will. Part of Media Criticism 101 that every schoolchild should be taught is that everyone, and I mean everyone, comes to an event with their own worldview, and that worldview affects how they perceive and react to the event. There is an objective Truth—we just each see a very small part of it at any one time (and some of us miss it completely).
U.S. journalists as a whole are predominantly progressive: for whatever reason (and there are several theories out there), that’s a fact.
So, how to handle the frustration when you see the mainstream media once again glossing over something President Obama is supporting, something they pilloried former President Bush for? Remember, the meme is the message. Moderates and conservatives should want the message to be forceful, straight-forward, and effective, not whiny, petulant, or weak.
So, no matter how hard it is, resist the urge to compare and contrast. Concentrate on facts, not feelings, and push back as hard as you can against the media machine. With "kinetic military action" if necessary.
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Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
What kinda comment can I make when the author is so obviously right. Ann, there is nothing left for me to do than to go out and find a dog to kick.
Feb '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Let's also remember to continue supporting the things we think are worth supporting - even when our opponents do a 180 and begin praising that which they used to criticize. A well-placed "I'm glad you've finally seen the light" is certainly excusable.
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Yep. Whining is never a winner.
Mar '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I'll be a contrarian and put in a good word for the whining. ;-)
My journey from left to right started with the hapless editors of my small town paper. When I was but a teen, they loved, loved, loved writing headlines like "Rocklanders Love [Leftist Policy X]" or "Rocklanders Fear [Sensible Policy Y]"
I was a a Rocklander and disagreed completely. So did most of my friends.
If we didn't wave those headlines at each other, we would have likely internalized the paper's false message: we were an insignificant minority.
Jun '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
When conservatives do it, it may also create the false impression that conservatives have some special admiration for the politically-gun-shy big-spending George W. Bush, and that's certainly not the case.
Aug '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
But it isn't just that they have a point of view that isn't ours, it is that they have no credibility, where credibility is their business.
It is not that it is unfair, but that their objections to Bush's actions were mendacious and insincere.
Is it whining to point out that they our self-professed judges of the national scene have no judgement?
Dec '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
To defend is to worship. I have it on high authority.
Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I disagree. I don't think it's a choice simply between whining and shutting up. Amongst ourselves, sure, because we're preaching to the choir. But as for my Lib friends and family, they don't know there's a contrast because they only get their news and information (and I use those terms loosely) from the state-controlled media.
I cannot count the times I've shared something with these Libs and asked them, "did you know this?" or "has PMSNBC reported this yet?" and the answer was "no" (most recently with the Kill Team story). Or even better, when they tell me something they think is damning to the Right, and in less than 5 minutes I refute it and reveal their ignorance of the issue, and they change the subject.
It's up to me to enlighten them - not in a whiny fashion, but in a documented matter-of-fact fashion. I think it's up to us to do this.
This approach has already changed an Obama voter into an "anyone but Obama" voter.
Don't whine. Educate. Educate those who need to be educated. And do it with a smile (that really irks them).
Mar '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Mark Woodworth: But it isn't just that they have a point of view that isn't ours, it is that they have no credibility, where credibility is their business.
It is not that it is unfair, but that their objections to Bush's actions were mendacious and insincere.
Is it whining to point out that they our self-professed judges of the national scene have no judgement? · Mar 31 at 7:00am
I don't think it's whining to point out the inconsistencies but it's in how it's done. I think the "compare and contrast" approach to Bush vs. Obama is past its due date - I just get tired hearing it. It reminds me of children bickering - "But Billy got to do it, why can't I?" I think we need to be much stronger in our approach and in our language to point out what's happening now, not what happened three years ago. If we disagree with Pres. Obama on action in Libya, we need to say so and say why, not complain that Bush was pilloried for his military actions.
Feb '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Mark Woodworth: But it isn't just that they have a point of view that isn't ours, it is that they have no credibility, where credibility is their business.
It is not that it is unfair, but that their objections to Bush's actions were mendacious and insincere.
Is it whining to point out that they our self-professed judges of the national scene have no judgement? · Mar 31 at 7:00am
Depends how you do it Mark. But yes, it is probably whining.
Mar '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I agree - that's why I mentioned "pushing back" - we need to speak up forcefully with facts. It sounds like that's what you're already doing.
Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Not if we were equally critical of W when he did things with which we disagreed...and we were. Immigration, Harriet Miers, spending, etc. It's a matter of credibility - if we criticize issues on principle (which we do, largely, because that's endemic to conservatism), then no one can say "well, you gave Bush a pass on his spending" because we didn't give him a pass on his spending. Or whatever.
I have credibility with my Lib family members on this score, and they know it, because I have been steadfast in my defense of certain principles regardless of whom I had to criticize. I suspect most of us can say the same thing.
So get out there and just do it.
Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Jerry Broaddus
To defend is to worship. I have it on high authority. · Mar 31 at 7:15am
So you've been on that thread, too? :-)
Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I disagree. Great coaches always “work the refs” from the sidelines. The media is perceived as “the refs” to the general public. Also, the general public has very short memories.
We should call them on hypocrisy in a constructive, fact-based manner. I do agree that the manner in which these criticisms does turn into whining frequently on TV talking heads roulette, but that is a style criticism, not a content criticism.
Oct '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Anne Coletta
I agree - that's why I mentioned "pushing back" - we need to speak up forcefully with facts. It sounds like that's what you're already doing. · Mar 31 at 7:23am
Y'know what, Anne? I think your overall point is correct, and I misunderstood it. Here's the part that I missed, from your response to Mark, above: "I think the "compare and contrast" approach to Bush vs. Obama is past its due date - I just get tired hearing it."
Obama's been in office for 2+ years. We don't need to compare-and-contrast him to Bush anymore. There's a wealth of information and data to use to compare-and-contrast Obama to...Obama. His Libyan adventure and his incoherent rationale compared to his words as an IL and US Senator is but the latest example.
If we must compare-and-contrast (and we must), then let's take him down with his own words and actions from over the years.
May '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I don't think we should whine, but Bush let the Media paint him and did not fight back. We cannot simply say "well, that is just the way it is". We have to fight this at every turn.Pointing out the double standard has to be done. Otherwise, people don't even know it is happening.
Democrats would not get elected to POTUS without the MSM carrying their water. Period. I am not willing to sit back and let it go. Double standards are immoral and wrong, and I will bring it up over and over until it changes.
Feb '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
I understand the point about pushing back, but it's extremely difficult to do in most situations without coming off as a whiner. People with limited time and patience want to hear about issues, and they get terribly irritated when someone wants to start arguing arcane points of credibility - especially when one man's credibility failure is another man's reasonable distinction.
Sep '10
Re: The Meme Is the Message
My experience exactly! (And it doesn't' matter how calmly you interact.) As for the media, for me it's not that I think they're unfair. That could be fought against, dealt a stunning blow. No, what I see are propagandists posing as journalists when they're actually court jesters of our decadent elite, and that really really scares me.
Feb '11
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Bryan G. Stephens: I don't think we should whine, but Bush let the Media paint him and did not fight back. We cannot simply say "well, that is just the way it is". We have to fight this at every turn.Pointing out the double standard has to be done. Otherwise, people don't even know it is happening.
Democrats would not get elected to POTUS without the MSM carrying their water. Period. I am not willing to sit back and let it go. Double standards are immoral and wrong, and I will bring it up over and over until it changes. · Mar 31 at 7:35am
I completely agree that President Bush should have countered the arguments made against him. But he should have responded by arguing the facts, not by attacking the credibility and hypocrisy of his critics. People have a low tolerance for that sort of argument.
Re: The Meme Is the Message
Although I understand what Anne's saying here, in general, I strongly disagree. Okay, Bush/Obama comparisons are weak because they lack proof - though occasionally they are so apt, they shouldn't be ignored. On the broader subject, however, the media's bias should be attacked relentlessly, ceaselessly. We should never, ever throw up our hands and say, to coin a phrase, that's the way it is, but cut them off at every dishonest, skewed and perfidious pass. To say we all bring our worldview to a subject is beside the point. To shrug off the bias is fatal. To say, "Hey, the press is lefty, what can you do?" is like saying, "Oh well, it's a white man's world!" No, it needs to change and it won't change unless we attack it relentlessly, show the public how unfair and corrupt it is, and bring it crashing to the ground.