Politics Quote by Gore Vidal
““One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our fellow citizens whom we will never know or see are actually thinking and feeling. This seems a paradox when most politics today involves minute-by-minute poll taking on what looks to be every conceivable subject, but, as politicians and pollsters know, it’s how the question is asked that determines the response. Also, there are vast areas, like rural America, that are an unmapped ultima Thule to those who own the corporations that own the media that spend billions of dollars to take polls in order to elect their lawyers to high office. Ruby””
About This Quote
The quote critiques how tightly controlled societies obscure genuine public sentiment, relying on superficial poll data that can be manipulated by question framing and corporate media interests.
In simple terms: Polls mask true opinions; media bias skews perception.
Key Takeaway
Beware of superficial data.
Themes
Media manipulation
Political polling
Information asymmetry
Rural marginalization
Question framing
Mood
Skeptical
Reflective
Type
Political commentary
Social critique
When to use this quote
- Designing policy based on poll results
- Media reporting on elections
- Corporate funding of political research
Key Concepts
Public opinion
Control mechanisms
Corporate influence
Practical Applications
- Developing more transparent polling methods
- Creating platforms for unfiltered citizen voices
Questions to Reflect On
- How might we capture authentic opinions beyond poll questions?
- What safeguards can reduce corporate bias in public data?
A Different Perspective
Polls can reveal trends when designed responsibly, offering valuable snapshots of public mood.
