John Stewart: Enemy of the State?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
...I don't suppose the cynicism among young people just might come from stolen elections, an illegal war started by people who care not about their lives, loss of privacy, lies and more lies, sending their future overseas and ruining the environment that these kids were hoping to live in is making them cynical. No... it must be that little comedian who's on 4 nights a week. Yeah, that's it! That's the ticket! He's singlehandedly poisoning democracy!

Neither the Daily Show nor the abuses of the current administration can truly explain the cynicism of American voters, especially if the only real measure is voter turnout. I mean, turnout has been very low for a very long time, long before Jon Stewart or George W. Bush showed up on the scene.

That being said, I watch every broadcast of the Daily Show - even the reruns. And I consider myself quite cynical, but I have been so for much longer than the lifetime of the Daily Show!

Harte

In the cloud of media and disinformation, with tv shows having pundits on 24/7 yelling at eachother, telling you what to think and why your wrong otherwise, Jon Stewart is an ironically refreshing and informative look upon the TRUTHS of the idiocy in our government and media. Infact, in a recent survey (Link pending) it was found that 60% of those surveyed who watched the Daily Show regularlly knew more about national and global politics and news then those watching the O'rielly factor. That should say something, shouldnt it?

Jon Stewert isnt destroying democracy, he's keeping it alive and aware in the minds of the new generation whos damn well fed up (and justly) with the circular crap thats going on in our government, and the errenous ways our media lies to us.

BH ur right i should have put Liberal instead of democrat...shame on me....im not even a dem....and im trying to force people into only two parties...my bad....anyways thanks to all who made great comments.

The Daily Show is the only news show on television that has any relevance to the real world. Fox News is propaganda plain and simple, and I don't think anybody can seriously try to deny that. CNN is the same propaganda with a liberal bias.

The only two news programs I watch are The Daily Show and The O'Reilly Factor. I watch The O'Reilly Factor because you can see the truth Bill O'Reilly is trying to obfuscate by watching his propaganda. I watch The Daily Show because the reason satire is funny is because it's true.

I have a feeling that the Jon Stewart detractors in this thread have never even watched the show. If they had they would have stopped watching Fox or CNN a long time ago.

I love the daily show. The thing is, the daily show cant make up its material. It merely gets it from the major news channels. I love it for the fact that it points out how retarded some of the news media are.I recall many a time where im watching the pres. give a speech and thinking," hmm,i wonder if jon is gonna point out that bush said nucular".The colbert report is great also,i say keep it up.We need more shows like these.

Originally posted by ShakyaHeir
I have a feeling that the Jon Stewart detractors in this thread have never even watched the show. If they had they would have stopped watching Fox or CNN a long time ago.

I dont recall reading any one being critical of John Stewart in this thread

Originally posted by spanishcaravan
I love the daily show. The thing is, the daily show cant make up its material. It merely gets it from the major news channels.

It's fine to believe that, as long as you realize that the Daily Show is not above taking videoclips out of context, and out of order, in order to be funny. That istheir job, after all.

Originally posted by spanishcaravan...The colbert report is great also,i say keep it up.We need more shows like these.

Yeah, Colbert's okay, but not as good. I usually whip it over to Cartoon Network for Adult Swim when Colbert comes on. Adult Swim shows Family Guy in that timeslot.

Harte

After some thought, I've decided it's not amusing at all that the Washington Post would devote an entire article to obscuring the issues of voter turn-out by accusing a comedian who vents a nation's frustration with humour of encouraging cynicism.

It's indicative of a media that cares little for the needs of its readers and kowtows to those with whom Stewart is unpopular. I guess they learnt their lesson well with the Valerie Plume fiasco. Perhaps an administration that engages in treason is more the cause of voter frustration.

"Nothing can be more abhorrent to democracy than to imprison a person or keep him in prison because he is unpopular. This is really the test of civilization." - Winston Churchill

America is becoming a highly censored and censured society.

Anybody Here, Seen My Old Friend Jon

Originally posted by subz
I dont recall reading any one being critical of John Stewart in this thread

Yeah, I'm not seeing a lot of hatred for Jon in this thread either.

Not that there's anything wrong with that! :shk:

Originally posted by clearwater
After some thought, I've decided it's not amusing at all that the Washington Post would devote an entire article to obscuring the issues of voter turn-out by accusing a comedian who vents a nation's frustration with humour of encouraging cynicism.

It's indicative of a media that cares little for the needs of its readers and kowtows to those with whom Stewart is unpopular. I guess they learnt their lesson well with the Valerie Plume fiasco. Perhaps an administration that engages in treason is more the cause of voter frustration.

"Nothing can be more abhorrent to democracy than to imprison a person or keep him in prison because he is unpopular. This is really the test of civilization." - Winston Churchill

America is becoming a highly censored and censured society.

Excellent comments. I am completing a dissertation on this very subject matter and look forward to seeing it in print in the future. The manipulation of the media and public opinion has been a very carefully crafted operation that started 40 years ago. The plethora of disinformation and lies in the media that we have been subjected to has placed the general population in an intellectual malaise, causing breakdowns in democracy and a complete lack of general interest in the actions of our government. The zeitgeist has been managed. The dumbing down of the average American has been staged. Even though we supposedly have more information at our finger tips, it is tightly controlled and designed to tell us what is needed to control us. When people begin to question the motives of those in control (notice I did not say government) the media is unwittingly used to move the public discourse in the direction of something other than that subject that should be scrutinized. Ironically, it is shows like The Daily Show that keep the regular media honest and on the straight and narrow. Jon Stewart is a patriot IMO, not an enemy.

A I have a college age son who watches the Daily show religiously. I thank Jon Stewart for doing something I couldn't, convince him of the posers in DC.

B I think peoples cynical views are beginning to trump the propanganda machine. We know we can't believe a thing our government says but to give Jon Stewart all the credit misses the point.

"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."

Originally posted by polanksi
"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."

I thought the White House ammeded that saying?

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... uh... I can't get fooled again."

It's hard not to be cynical about democracy, because the government we end up with is so far from anything people actually want it's absurd. I frankly don't see anyone in national politics I can honestly admire, and usually when I vote it's done holding my nose as I try to pick the lesser evil.

Both sides of the political "divide" have devolved into self-parody.

The right thinks the marketplace is somehow magically going to solve all our problems - the left, in contrast (?!), thinks the state is magically going to solve all our problems.

The right thinks if we go around bombing the stuffing out of everyone, we'll have peace, the left thinks that if we somehow guarantee the entire planet a free lunch, no one will ever want to do us any harm.

The right has become a bunch of militaristic racist authoritarian goons, and the left a collection of fuzzy headed academics preaching the benefits of the benevolent and all-powerful nanny state.

In short, they each position theirselves as substitute parents (not surprising considering the divorce rate), with the right as a faux daddy figure and the left as everyone's overprotective mommy.

It's no wonder no-one has any faith in the system - our political culture is fundamentally broken - perhaps our culture in general is.




[edit on 6/25/06 by xmotex]

If you watch the comedy channel for political commentary you are already cynical.
I liked the Daily Show better when that other guy hosted it, Kilborne or whoever it was.
I'm personally tired of "studies". Too many "experts" trying to make a name for themselves.

No way! I don't agree with most of his viewpoints but John Stewart's show will cancel in distant future (hopefully) and knowbody will remember him. He is no threat to the state. Nobody follows him like he is a real reporter. He is a political cartoon who happens to bring up political viewpoints and puts a funny into it.

John Stewart is an enemy of the state?

Talk about killing the messanger!

Yes lets blame John Stewart. Lets NOT blame the politricksters who are actually the people making the messed up policies and deciscions. Yes, lets blame a comedian.... these two "scientists" need to wake up and pull their heads ut of thier butts. Blame John for the lack of young interested voters.. Maybe if the system wasnt so screwed up in the first place there wouldnt be a need for people like John to point out all the crap that our leadership does on a daily basis.



put the blame where it belongs; the people in our govt... not the entertainers making fun of them!!!!!!!

I stopped watching Stewart when he had Kissinger on and practically bowed and attempted to kiss his ring. He is clearly not what he appears to be. Stewart walks the edge of the allowable critcism or satire. Too bad, because he is funny!

Jon Stewart is like journalism's Mary Poppins. He knows that the media and government are feeding us horrible crap that we have to swallow everyday, and that sometimes a spoonful of sugar makes it go down easier.

Too Cynical? Are you serious? Are we supposed to put or fists on our hips and say "Now GW! You screwed up the intelligence that supported your war effort, but thats ok. You'll do better next time. Oh and why don't you run along and wiretap someone, no need for permission".

With every day that passes we are subject to new infringements to our rights and evidence of corruption in the government. What rational person ISN'T somewhat cynical about politics. I learned politicians were cheats and liars when I was 6 or 7, well before i knew what a politician was. This was because of jokes and stereotypes i picked up from my family early on. Not that I believe all that now, but it shows a certain tone in America.

Wanna know what made us cynical? Does Iran Contra, Watergate or Monica Lewinsky ring a bell?

Before everyone gets worked up over this, firstly, its a column, ie, an opinion peice, not a news article. Its not the Washington Post reporting that stewart is an actual enemy of the state.

The author of the peice is doing some tongue in cheek humour....precisely like the Daily Show.

It is rather sad if the Daily Show makes people more apathetic and less involved.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Before everyone gets worked up over this, firstly, its a column, ie, an opinion peice, not a news article. Its not the Washington Post reporting that stewart is an actual enemy of the state.

The author of the peice is doing some tongue in cheek humour....precisely like the Daily Show.

It is rather sad if the Daily Show makes people more apathetic and less involved.

no doubt Nygdan. I was not getting annoyed at the author; but rather the people who did the "study"

Still a good find though