[lbo-talk] newspapers in 1776 [was: happiness pays?]

[Josh Narins]

> On 4/2/06, Josh Narins <josh at narins.net> wrote:
> > Anyway, it reminds me of the role of information in a popular
> > government, and how America in 1776 was the #2 newspaper-reading society
> > in world history. Sweden, at some point, beat that record.
> 
> I heard on U.S. National Public Radio some historian reporting that
> back in 1776, newspapers in the colonies were totally irresponsible
> and "yellow" in their content and mode of presentation. Famous
> patriot, journalist, and beer-maker Samuel Adams was especially bad.

The question wasn't "how biassed was the news" it was "what percentage
of the population was informed, and how often did they update?" 

It's hard for me to argue that someone who gets no news at all would be
improved by watching FOX, but they would be better informed.

Sam deserves a lot more credit for getting the revolution going than any
of those johnny-come-latelies like George Washington, who was an elite
and a favorite and enjoying life in the Colonial system. Franklin, James
Otis, Patrick Henry, Tom Paine, Thomas Jefferson.


> --
> Jim Devine / "There can be no real individual freedom in the presence
> of economic insecurity." -- Chester Bowles
> 
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