People read the papers not in the hopes of learning something new, but in the expectation of being told what they already know. This is a form of living death. Its apotheosis is the daily poll in USA Today, which informs 'us' what percentage of a small number of unscientifically selected people called a toll number to vote on questions that cannot possibly be responded to with a 'yes' or 'no.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People read newspapers to hear what they already know, making it a form of living death; polls like USA Today’s are meaningless.
- In plain terms
- Reading news often reinforces existing beliefs and offers little new insight.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek information that challenges your assumptions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you verify the news you read?
- When does a poll become useful?
Another view
Some readers genuinely learn new facts from newspapers.
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