Personally, I choose either CNN or MSNBC for news coverage. I do this because I
want to be open-minded, which is necessary for critical thinking, and these particular
news outlets seem to strive to show both sides of the news stories and to relate the
happenings in the world to me without injecting bias into the mix. On the other hand,
there are channels such as Fox News which seem to be so strongly biased that I do
not feel that I could actually get any relevant information from them. While I am
aware that certain newspapers such as the Washington Post have excellent
reputations for delivering the news accurately and fairly, I simply do not have any
subscriptions to newspapers currently. In order to analyze the news that I hear, I first
decide that the source of the news is both reputable and unbiased. If I determine
that this is the case, I either read or watch the news stories with an open mind.
Citizens can become involved in many ways. One of the easiest ways is to get
involved in government is by signing a petition. One can also contribute either time
or money to a political candidate's campaign or write to an elected official.
Personally, I have done both in the past. Finally, one could run for a political office
oneself. Once again, it is extremely important, especially on political issues, to
approach the subjects with an open mind. Also, carefully consider political
arguments. Do not buy into an argument that contains fallacies.
An obvious example of fallacies or rhetoric is Fox News. They only present one side
of the story, and sell the other side of the story as a product which they label "fake
news". In this way, many viewers who do not watch other news channels actually by
into whatever Fox News is claiming that week because they do not have the
opportunity to apply critical thinking by considering both sides of a news story with
an open mind.
My favorite concept from this class was easily that arguments can be useful tools for
critical thinking and in everyday life. Throughout my entire life, the word "argument"
has carried a very negative connotation for me. I love the fact that this class
presented arguments in a positive light as something from which an individual can
learn.
