Purple Thoughts on Red and Blue Entertainment

A while back, I mentioned to a neighbor that I listen to NPR. He grimaced and said, "You listen to that bunch of liberals?" His response baffled me because I think NPR is pretty balanced, especially compared to some of the screaming shock jocks you hear on other stations. Well, a few days ago I heard about a study that puts our conversation in a much clearer light.

Earlier this year, The Normal Lear Center conducted a study on political views and entertainment preferences. They surveyed people about numerous political issues, then asked them questions about what TV, music, and books they like. They found that political views can be a huge predictor for what entertainment a person enjoys.

I'll refer you to the press release and the Center's web page on the study if you want to read the details. For my part, the study's most interesting finding was that liberals tend to enjoy entertainment that presents diverse viewpoints, while most conservatives prefer things that reinforce their existing values.

This makes conservatives sound rather close minded, and in some cases that may be true (for that matter, I've met a few close-minded liberals, too). Be that as it may, I suspect the difference stems from the fact that conservatives' values are often linked to religious beliefs, and in that context exploring other viewpoints would always be considered a negative thing. I think liberals tend to base their values more on intellectual reasoning, and since one idea is as good as another until it's disproved, liberals feel there is nothing to lose and possibly something to gain in considering different viewpoints.

Of course, views on taxes, health care, immigration, etc., are probably not religiously based in most cases,* but I think since many conservatives have moral objections to some liberal views, they tend to think all liberal ideas are tainted by association.

Back to the entertainment issue, it's interesting to see how it plays out in my life. I'm conservative on some issues and moderate on others, and I find that the more conservative I am about a given topic, the less I want to watch or listen to something that conflicts with my beliefs about it. I feel such media is degrading, and think it has a negative impact on our society. On the other hand, I'm more than willing to hear diverse opinions about my moderate issues, as long as it isn't an arrogant monologue or a shouting match. That's probably why I like NPR.

And it's probably why my neighbor didn't. He's one of the most conservative people I know, and I suspect he prefers all those AM stations where conservative talk show hosts shout about what idiots liberals are. I don't have much patience for arguments whose main premise is that the other side is evil and/or stupid. I think that view stifles dialogue and progress, and I know too many good people on both sides to believe it.


*There are certainly exceptions to this statement. For a look at some differing Mormon views on religion and economics, check out STM's recent post.