Politics without civility
The tone of political ads is turning nastier by the minute. Even my nine-year-old daughter is annoyed by the many election ads that play on television, social media, and every medium you can think of.
She said that one ad said one candidate is good and the following ad said the same candidate is bad. “Who should we believe?” she said.
That is the opinion of a nine-year-old girl. How about the rest of us? Do we tune political ads out, or have we become desensitized to the negative messages about the candidates?
While political ads fail to provide any information about the candidates or their platforms, credible and unbiased information is very hard to find in the age of social media and news outlets.
Even the political debates are nasty. The first presidential debate was a complete disappointment, where the candidates interrupted each other and attacked each other personally. The second debate, held October 22, was more restrained because debate officials threatened to turn off the microphone if a candidate misbehaved. It is a shame when you have to enforce civility on the two candidates vying for the highest office in the land.
I did a little research and found out that mudslinging has been part of American politics for more than 100 years, and it is here to stay because we condone it.
A good number of Americans do not vote and a good number do not care what the candidates say. At the end of the day, we end up with poor choices of candidates and elected officials. We get what we deserve and it is not going to change unless we change our attitude toward elections and hold our leaders accountable.
Further reading
Concerns about lack of civility in American politics
How did American politics lose their civility?
Has civility become extinct in American politics
