The Daily Show makes viewers more cynical about politics

noexes89

This isn’t much of a suprice, but the guys in lab cotes have proven that Daily show fans are more cynical about politics than most people. Richard Morin at the Washington Post takes that to mean Jon Stewart is an “Enemy of Democracy”, making people so cynical about politics that they don’t vote. The Huffington Post points out Morin’s bull, mostly reasoning that discontent equals more voting among the Daily Show watching populous. It doesn't mention that calling a product of the free press like the Daily Show an enemy of Democracy is not unlike calling government ownership of property an enemy of Communism, but that goes without saying.

I think that whatever picture Jon Stewart paints of Democracy is fine, because he makes politics interesting. People stop voting not because they think democracy is working or not, but for a multitude of other reasons, and that includes boredom. By making it funny, Jon is putting the spotlight on government, and only when people pay attention to government are they going to participate in it.

What do you think?

The Conspirator

Cause and effect relationships. The question is which is the cause and which is the effect? Remember that the daily show wouldn't be on the air if there wasn't an audience for it. So it could be that the more cancel people watch the Daily Show instead of it making people more cynical. And is it the Daily shows fault? Or is it the fault of the politician who lie seem, play on people prejudices and fears to get elected? Or is it the fault of the new shows and 24 hour news networks who are completely morely bankrupt, care more about celebrity news than real news and thrives on controversy thus reports things focus that cause controversy to increase there ratings. Or is it the fault of the American people who care more about American Idle than politics and who elect morely bankrupt and mentally retarded?

HoboPelican

I was cynical about US politics, no, politics worldwide, way before the Daily Show hit the air Laughing

I saw that same article earlier and was glad to see that it was a repudiation of Richard Morin's goofy logic.

John Stewart rocks and is one of the few interesting "news" people in the media. Makes you want t laugh and cry in the same segment. Laughing

Biodiesel

Most people seem to require some level of discomfort to affect some sort of change. I don't think that is right or wrong, I think thats just the way it is. One of those "if you don't like it, do something about it" sort of things.

cbf-cma

How can you not be cynical? The gross misuse of power is so overwhelming you just have to step back and use laughter as a criticism instead of being serious all the time and stick to party rhetoric. People need to learn more about politics and comedy is a good method when most Americans just aren't interested.

I think the Washington Post guy doesn't understand that democracy isn't something that is represented by mass media. People aren't going to ignore something important because a TV channel has a cynical look at politics. In reality society is driven by stronger influences than the boob tube.