I think polls have a lot to do with intent

If for example,

1) If I am an organisation wanting to gage the views of people on specific issues, products, concerns

2) I am 'in power' and thru a 'tame' or predominantly 'r/l wing' press am feeding propaganda/hysteria to the 'people' prior to wanting to carry out an action many might choke on, I would be very interested in a 'litmus test' of how much my propganda was being sucked in by the populace. Do I need to refine the message, do I need to focus on specific hot buttons, do I need to create a more bogeymen etc:, etc:. I could of course request distorted polls & use these to feed the mood I seek to create.

A well known history professor has written tomes on modern media and the ability of governemnts to 'manufacture opinion'. Many people believe that this art is reaching a new zenith. In recent history we had Herr gobbels cited as the penultimate manipulator of public opinion.

If we agree that polls in politics are barely worth the ink on the paper, I would tend to agree. Reason is that on matters of politics, the polls themselves unless conducted by a third party with no identifiable bias, can still at best only provide a 'litmus test' of the current emotional climate on the hot political issue dujour.

Cheers

Doug Marker

Post #82,127 by dmarker 2/16/03 9:25:01 PM Reply	I think polls have a lot to do with intent If for example, 1) If I am an organisation wanting to gage the views of people on specific issues, products, concerns 2) I am 'in power' and thru a 'tame' or predominantly 'r/l wing' press am feeding propaganda/hysteria to the 'people' prior to wanting to carry out an action many might choke on, I would be very interested in a 'litmus test' of how much my propganda was being sucked in by the populace. Do I need to refine the message, do I need to focus on specific hot buttons, do I need to create a more bogeymen etc:, etc:. I could of course request distorted polls & use these to feed the mood I seek to create. A well known history professor has written tomes on modern media and the ability of governemnts to 'manufacture opinion'. Many people believe that this art is reaching a new zenith. In recent history we had Herr gobbels cited as the penultimate manipulator of public opinion. If we agree that polls in politics are barely worth the ink on the paper, I would tend to agree. Reason is that on matters of politics, the polls themselves unless conducted by a third party with no identifiable bias, can still at best only provide a 'litmus test' of the current emotional climate on the hot political issue dujour. Cheers Doug Marker
Post #82,377 by rcareaga 2/18/03 10:21:02 AM Reply	penultima thule In recent history we had Herr gobbels cited as the penultimate manipulator of public opinion. Would that it were true. You will almost always muddy your meaning by using "penultimate" as though it carried the meaning of "ultimate" on steroids, since it actually means "next-to-last." cordially, "Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist."
Post #82,550 by dmarker 2/18/03 10:48:19 PM Reply	Merci mon ami - will note that <g>

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