Book Report on "Political Disillusionment"

Book Report 4 pages (1139 words) Sources: 6

[EXCERPT] . . . .

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed..." Volgy does present ample reason to demonize and criticize this political movement, however when viewed through the lens of consent and its relationship to democracy, the true strength of the ideal is being tested.

Media Issues

Vogly's arguments about the media and their role are also important in understanding the benefits of disillusionment and how the application of consent is important in the role of government. No one is forced to consume media. While the ever growing presence of television and computer screens make it difficult to avoid media, consent is still required to not only engage in the media, but more important to digest the media as truth and fact. The horrible examples presented by the author do have damaging repercussions in some aspects, however the resultant actions taken by those by withdrawing consent have great benefit.

Television is a powerful tool that can have damaging effects if it is not placed in its proper perspective. The failures documented by the author in his book suggest that television itself is a poor expression of humanity and its control is highly politicized. Those tuning out of politics need to tune out their TV. Davey (2012) wrote "So not only are negatively valenced news broadcasts likely to make you sadder and more anxious, they are also likely to exacerbate your own personal worries and anxieties. We would intuitively expect that news items reflecting war, famine and poverty might induce viewers to ruminate on such topics. But the effect of negatively valenced news is much broader than that -- it can potentially exacerbate a range of personal concerns not specifically relevant to the content of the program itself."

Conclusions

By avoiding the current state of politics, people are choosing to govern themselves and rely less on social processes the governments offer. By discovering the true power of the individual the powers of democracy are also strengthened as well. The ugly and gloomy world portrayed in Vogly's book is useful in demonstrating the benefits of mass social disillusionment towards government. The repulsion many feel, if transmuted in the proper channels can help reestablish a more reasonable government that does not base its ideals in violence, war and criticism which ultimately reveals the limitations of its appeal and ultimately its effectiveness and practical value.

The vast amount of responsibilities and issues raised by government are too overwhelming for any individual to respond to with any effective measure. The best defense for many has been to simply tune out and find your own solution to the problem. This is truly an American value and based in strong principles outlined in our founding fathers' intentions both idealistic and pragmatic.

References

Couldry, N., Livingstone, S.M., & Markham, T. (2007). Media consumption and public engagement: Beyond the presumption of attention. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Davey, G. (2012). The Psychological Effects of TV News. Psychology Today, 19 June 2012. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-we-worry/201206/the- psychological-effects-tv-news

Jefferson, T. (1952). Declaration of independence. Encyclopedia Britannica.

Koukl, G. (2013). The Faith of Our Fathers. Stand to Reason, 28 Feb 2013. Retrieved from http://www.str.org/articles/the-faith-of-our-fathers#.VINi92crGf4

Pleyers, G. (2005). Young people and alter-globalisation: from disillusionment to a new culture of political participation. Revisiting youth political participation, 133.

Volgy, T.J. (2001). Politics in the trenches: citizens, politicians, and the fate of democracy. University… READ MORE

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