Thread by @DoozyTrader

1/ There's a lot of talk surrounding the validity of the media and how they carry out their roles. Here's my take.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the…

2/ …press."- the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

By one of the most sacred documents in national history, the media has been privileged with the right to speak freely, free from content intervention or oversight from the government.

3/ Unfortunately, in a frighteningly high number of cases, this privilege is abused. Political opponents' actions are treated with a sense of overwhelming abnormality. Political opponents are demonized and stripped of their morality. Everyone has their own bias.

4/ I would argue this to be a strength; party systems were formed on the idea that individuals would counter each other cooperatively on nuanced topics to find balance and suitable compromise.

5/ However, when public and social outlook is almost entirely defined by the media, individuality and the ability to consider issues for one's self is lost. Suddenly, there is a right answer. Suddenly, anyone who disagrees is wrong. Anyone who disagrees is immoral. A racist.

6/ Dare I say, a bigot. Unfortunately, the highly politicized corners of the media have reached a point of blatant hypocrisy, and herd social behaviorism plays right into their agenda.

My views may be contrarian. That said, I believe strongly in the media.

7/ Private reporting institutions and supporters of journalism help evolve our world into one of information; we are privileged to have access to data, research, news, and stories at the click of a button.

8/ The financial media and streams of data have spurred retail trading and mainstream access to the financial markets; something I argue is a huge benefit to society.

9/ That said, what can be done to address or curb the extremely detrimental social externalities caused by the issues I presented?

First, a recognition of the fact that propositions lie on a spectrum.

10/ Unfortunately, as the holder of a certain viewpoint, the media does not have the right to assign morality and correctness, or to demonize opponents in an effort to save themselves from opposing views. These views must be challenged in a healthy environment, created by the…

11/ …mutual understanding that parties debate on the basis of an argument's validity, and solely their argument, not ideas from authority or ideas based on the vilification of those who dare offer a counterpoint.

12/ This allows for healthy discussion; it is okay to be wrong or to change your viewpoints.

Second, an understanding of motive. What are the institutionalized goals of a journalism piece?

13/ Some are intentionally provocative, some are designed to inspire critical thinking, and others are created to share fact-based, evidence-filled news.

14/ Sometimes, it is just not a reporter's job to decide for their readers what a speaker feels or wishes towards others, and use this as a political tool.

15/ Maybe it is not the job of the media to filter news and share only what serves to benefit their political agendas (which arguably should be nonexistent).

16/ For example, the Chinese government state-run operations instructed millions of their people and wrote in state-led news that the coronavirus was spread by U.S. soldiers in China. Following this, Donald Trump and associates began using the term "Chinese virus."

17/ This reminds me of the Spanish flu. MERS (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome). West-Nile virus. Zika. Ebola. All of which are origins of viral outbreaks, a group in which China has a multiplied membership.

18/ Now consider media coverage of these events, particularly the connotations associated with each.

19/ Moving on.

Countless studies conducted have indicated that when offered the same legal propositions from different political parties, respondents have reacted in drastically different ways.

20/ For example, giving a group of 100 diverse people a tax plan from the right and telling them it's from the left (particular people of importance from the right and from the left).

21/ No, the results weren't because said respondents were on-the-spot factoring in historical ideals of the parties, what they stand for, what their agendas are, and how this policy plays into that. They are victims, like all of us are, of the institutionalized spreading of…

22/ …political agendas, intentional social intervention, and the spurring of group-think--all of which different corners of the media are proponents of.

Unpopular opinion: challenging protective gun legislature does not exhibit a lack of sympathy or care for victims of…

23/ …violence.

Unpopular opinion: opposing arguments aren't hate speech.

Unpopular opinion: advocacy of legal immigration and lobbying the centralized abolishment of its illegal counterpart is not immoral.

24/

Unpopular opinion: the United States, what I consider to be one of the greatest countries in history, was founded upon ideals of liberty, celebration, social cooperation, the pursuit of happiness, and freedom. Not slavery.

25/ As a 6-year Latin student, I've read plenty about the gruesome, horrific, and tragic nature of Roman slavery. Yet, Rome has gone down as one of the strongest, most prosperous, and most successful empires in history; founded on revolutionary technological advancements,…

26/ …social innovations, the creation of infrastructure that has lasted into the modern-day, formation of political framework that has served countries into the present, and countless more.

27/ One may argue that morality is a social construct, to which I'd say: look at the demographics of people who advocated for the abolishment of slavery in the first place. My point: we're often all fighting the same general battle.

28/

There are a few things I'd like to mention: No single group of people is to be blamed for the issues I have presented. The media is a wonderful thing, and we are privileged to have access to it.

29/ Calling reporters names on live national TV and shouting "fake news' at stations when under pressure is petulant behavior. Ideas presented in all major political parties have merit, should be explored, and should be debated. Racists do exist. Racism is real. Sexism is real.

30/ What isn't real is the idea that major political parties inherently deny this, support their underlying actions, or support them via "compliance."

31/ The vast majority of people, regardless of their political affinities, will tell you that if you show them the racist, the sexist, the misogynist, the "institutionalized discrimination" of the modern-day, they will be shocked (or not) but fight it alongside you.

32/ Right; "I" statements. I will fight it with you.

In the world we live in right now, we are the ones who must learn how to interpret the boundless information we have access to, and we are the ones who must decide how to use this information to benefit the social and…

33/ …political welfare of the future of not just our great country, but of the world.

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