Fisher states that some of the fundamentals of critical thinking are to, “evaluate arguments of different kinds; analyze, evaluate and produce explanations; draw inferences.” Based on these criteria I believe that Maddow and Stewart are both highly critical thinkers. It is just that they infer or produce explanations in a different manner than is expected. Instead of analyzing and replying in a scholarly or dry fashion that is wrought over and safe, these satirists choose to instead mock or parody the information to provide an explanation. This in itself deserves an even higher merit than the average critical thinker because they walk the fine line of interpreting the facts through sarcasm and then crossing that line in to debauchery or unnecessary libel.
Maddow and Stewart also engage their audience to think critically in a way that most others can’t. With their “absurd” humor, it really forces audiences to examine the facts for themselves, and decipher what is the truth and what is exaggerated. Without this most of the public is spoon-fed what’s given out to them by the media and never form their own opinion, as Fisher would say. Touching upon the comments hurled at Lewis and Frank, it’s a tough call. On the one hand their judgment was clouded by anger and hatred, but the same can be said for the frustration being vented out by Maddow and Stewart on their shows. Maybe the comments had nothing to do with Frank being gay, or they could have been baseless and filled with rage, we don’t know. Just another example of Chomsky’s Propaganda Model at work, proving it is a fickle, double edged sword.
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