Really Sean Hannity? Your recent reporting (see here: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200911100063) is such a blatant lie.
"The blind spot" bias refers to how people of all walks of life are "blind" to their own biases. In other words, we see ourselves as less biased than others, and those very others see themselves as less biased than us (see work by Emily Pronin). But even with that fresh in my mind, I cannot help but be appalled at some media coverage.
A friend of mine posted a clip this morning of Sean Hannity from Fox News. Hannity and his colleagues were trying to argue that there is outrage over the health care reform bill. Ok, fair enough. I am sure some people are outraged. But, the clip demonstrates pretty clearly that Hannity (or someone behind the scenes) used an old crowd (from a different rally) to exaggerate how many people were at a rally opposing the reform bill. By using the wrong (larger) crowd in his story, he/Fox were obviously decieving the public.
I clearly am not the biggest fan of Fox News, and I never will be. And the clip was from The Daily Show with Jon Stewert and yes, he certainly isn't a big fan either. But I really think any reasonable person should be pretty much disgusted (if they aren't apathetic) by this deceit. I would hope even ardent Hannity lovers would be too. And I sure hope I would be if someone who is more typical of my views did something just as outrageous.
Which brings me back to the blind spot bias. Sure, we all think we are less biased than others, but some people must actually be less biased than others. And, well aware of my own biases (or at least trying to be), I cannot help but think that most democrats make a bigger attempt at seeing the other side than most republicans (in the US).
BUT, are democrats less biased, or is that my own bias talking? On some level, I can't help but think democrats are less biased. I think that sort of proves the power of the blind spot bias. Despite knowing it probably is bias, I still am so inclined to think it isn't my bias concluding that.
But I sure hope no one is so blind to their own biases that they do not find Hannity's ploy repulsive.
See here for clip: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200911100063
(thanks to Andrew Caswell for pointing this clip out to me)
