Citizen Ignorance
The backbone of democracy
Ideology makes men predisposed
To reject facts that counter
Their political beliefs
If a fact is worth thinking about
It is probably worth disputing
But arguing the facts
Just strengthens the misperceptions
Of the most strongly committed subjects
Trapped by the ping-pong format
Of the modern pundit media
Exposure to information
Running counter to tightly held
Political preference
Just makes the believers
Support their original opinion
With more fire and anger
So much for facts
So much for informed participants
Reasoning moderated by hidden motivations
The broken backbone of democracy
Self-imposed ignorance
Subjects not citizens
The psychology of politics
The backbone of democracy
Ideology makes men predisposed
To reject facts that counter
Their political beliefs
If a fact is worth thinking about
It is probably worth disputing
But arguing the facts
Just strengthens the misperceptions
Of the most strongly committed subjects
Trapped by the ping-pong format
Of the modern pundit media
Exposure to information
Running counter to tightly held
Political preference
Just makes the believers
Support their original opinion
With more fire and anger
So much for facts
So much for informed participants
Reasoning moderated by hidden motivations
The broken backbone of democracy
Self-imposed ignorance
Subjects not citizens
The psychology of politics
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Credits: Words and Collage by Jay Larsen
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