Can American Idol Teach Us About (Conservative) Human Nature?

[JABBS]

Can the singers auditioning for Fox's American Idol teach us about (conservative) human nature?

Watch the auditions, and undoubtedly you will see earnest twentysomethings who really, truly believe that they can be the show's next big star. And they really, truly cannot sing. Notes flat as a pancake or sharp as an elbow to the eye. No rhthym.

They plead with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson: I know I can sing!

Their proof? They've been told by biased sources. Their mother says so. Their friends say so. The drunks at the local bar's karaoke contest say so. They've seen today's popular singers, and they know that they have just as good a voice, are just as attractive, can dance just as well, have just as much stage presence.

Except they're wrong.

What can this teach us about (conservative) human nature?

Listen to conservative talk radio, or read most of the conservative blogosphere, and you'll find political opinion built not on objective facts, but on more opinion.

On conservative talk radio, you are rarely presented with a basic set of objective facts, on which to build an opinion. Maybe the hosts don't trust their listeners?

What do you hear? Rants. Misinformation. Opinion based on opinion. Callers are echo chambers, saying how much they love the host and agree with everything they say. Callers who don't agree are shut out, or hung up on in mid-thought and then lambasted.

For example, on Monday's edition of Mark Levin's radio show, a liberal caller tried to ask a question about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, President Bush's circumvension of it, and Levin's defense of Bush's action.

"Don't give me your talking points!" Levin yelled, then started a rant about how liberals don't "get it." How sad that Levin's argument is so weak that it can't withstand testing from a caller's question. Facts? Who needs facts when you have opinion?

It reminds me of the Billy Joel song, Everybody Loves You Now.

Close your eyes when you don't want to see
Stay at home when you don't want to go
Only speak to those who will agree
Yeah, and close your mind when you don't want to know

Maybe someone should sing that on American Idol!

Similarly, you find unattributed opinion on most conservative blogs -- comments such as "We all know how (fill in the name of a hated liberal) thinks." Sweeping false statements about how liberals are "un-American," "anti-troop," or "hate Bush." When there is attribution, it most often is to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity or other conservative talk radio hosts, Charles Krauthammer, Byron York or Bill Kristol editorials, something written in a conservative magazine, the Washington Times or New York Post, or transcripts of what President Bush, Vice President Cheney or their spokesmen say.

Conservatives no doubt will respond: Isn't that what JABBS does? But it's not.

Yes, JABBS posts are opinionated, but they are based on what should be accepted as objective facts. JABBS posts --- to use a phrase coined by a commenter -- are "link happy," meaning that they provide access to original newspaper articles, television transcripts, congressional testimony, government reports and other sources of objective information.

You don't see JABBS repeating comments from Air America Radio or The Nation ad nauseum. It would just be JABBS' opinion of their opinion. In fact, look at JABBS' archives, and you'll find negative comments directed at Air America's Randi Rhodes and Janeane Garofalo, liberal columnist Tina Brown and Wonkette, to name a few.

In other words, you may not agree with JABBS, but accept that you have been given a chance to study the objective information leading to JABBS' opinion.

JABBS trusts its readers to decide whether to agree. The conservative "media"? Not so much. They'd rather be like those dreadful American Idol rejects -- in a bubble of agreement, free of objective fact.

***

This item first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[MsUnderstood]

1. It can certainly teach us that hate speech is acceptable

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10994783/?GT1=7538

Making fun of someone by demasculing them is hate speech--it equates being gay with being bad yet when the idol judges make these degrading comments to contestants (who I'll bet defend themselves by saying "My best friend is a fagg. . .I mean homosexual") Americans respond with those Civil rights groups are so over the top--it was just harmless fun.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10995123/

So yea, we can learn a lot about American Idol and how they reflect the views of society.

[JABBS]

2. A valuable point

Not what I was writing about, but nonetheless worth discussing.

[rman]

3. I suppose that means liberals don't apply for American Idol,

or perhaps are not accepted by FOX? Not that it would surprise me.
Either way, you make an interesting point.

[Yollam]

4. I Think Idol helps disprove another false GOP notion.

Idol makes it clear that we are not all equal in talent or looks. And none of us should begrudge the beautiful and talented folks who "make it" via Idol - bully for them. But in a way, this show is a microcosm for our society. In much the same way as in America, no matter hard some of these people work at their dream, they JUST DON'T HAVE 'it', and they WILL NOT MAKE IT.

And despite the insistence of conservatives to the contrary, there are NOT enough jobs for everyone in this country, and there sure as hell are not enough jobs with decent living wages. But just because a person is not the best of the best does not mean they should be consigned to a life of debt slavery, food insecurity, poverty, substandard housing. As far as I'm concerned, ANYONE who is willing to work a 40-hr week and put in a decent effort, ought to have a decent place to stay (like a one BR apartment), enough food to eat, and health care. PERIOD. If we are the richest country in the world, our zillionaires can afford to make it happen, but they won't.

America should NOT be like an "Idol" audition, but in far too many ways, it is.

[JABBS]

5. fascinating

Who knew there were so many political philosophy discussions that could be borne from American Idol?

[Yollam]

8. The bad singers who think they are about to be stars...

... are EXACTLY like the dittoheads who think they will be millionaires because 'anyone can make it in America', and they make Dave Del Dotto & other "cash flow seminar" scammers rich beyond the dreams of avarice. By the time they realize that it's never going to happen for them, it's too late, and they are stuck in a house and a lifestyle they can't afford, clinging Rush's words, no matter how hollow they ring. Rush is exactly like the folks at karaoke telling their friends they can sing. He puffs up these people's egos and tells them the world is their oyster, and anyone not making 6 figures in this country must be "lazy".

[FreedomAngel82]

6. Good comparison

I love watching on "American Idol" when the bad singers come up and they think they're all that and then get a serious hit of reality. Some of the singers who are bad are graceful and nice about it but that's very rare.

[JABBS]

7. more often

the bad ones are adamant about being great, and start swearing about the judges.

sort of like mark levin.

[underpants]

9. If they come to your house for "background footage"

you are probably going to get to the next round

[JABBS]

10. ???