Journal #10

Many of the arguments made in this paper are central around the idea that the paranoid style is visible and progressing in politics. In my synthesis I use the various texts to support that a general lack of critical awareness leads to the phenomena of confirmation bias and straight party politics, ultimately resulting in violence and widespread racism in the United States. Others could dispute this by saying that Americans are more educated than ever, with rising number of high school and college graduates, or perhaps that more independents are voting in elections, disproving straight party polling. The argument that Giroux makes about a lack of education is very interesting to me in that mass amounts of information is more valued than developed knowledge. Although more people go to college today, lack of critical thinking still heavily contributes to the influx of political paranoia.