Public Spheres for Political Debate

‘The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere,’ by social theorist Jürgen Habermas, concretises his distinct critical-normative reflections, presenting the concept of media solidarity linking united ideology and contemporary mediated communication. Simply, the foundation for media development is due to the amassment of various ‘public spheres’.

In modern society, public spheres are recognised as the mass medium in which individuals are informed about current social, cultural and political issues. Therefore, I recognise that Twitter is personally one of the most informative. This media-dominated environment is fuelled by differing independent perceptions, becoming a compressed domain for subject engagement.

On Twitter, I typically interact with issues of political weighting – due to the topical status of American affairs of state. Twitter provides an international medium for seemingly orthodox argumentative debate, regarding the ‘right-wing’ conservative averse to the supposedly “biased” liberals and media.

Twitter allows the masses to input their personal beliefs regarding this particular topic, becoming in itself, a public sphere – hence the foundation for free speech. Well emphasised by Mark Bray, “Free speech is often likened to a marketplace of ideas. Embedded in that metaphor is the American liberal notion that the key to combating ‘extremism’ is to trust in the allegedly meritocratic essence of the public sphere…”

Firstly, I wish to present the political parties’ diverging ideologies, according to the frequent conceptions on Twitter.

The Democratic Party presents the opposing ideologies to conservatives, being a ‘party for the people’ – focusing on the enrichment of individual lives and global equality (the antithesis of each conservative belief is the basis for liberal beliefs).

Meanwhile…

Conservatives (aka. Republicans, Right-wing), believe that the patriarchy is America’s backbone. Pretend that white privilege doesn’t exist, because Chad wasn’t allowed to buy alcohol underage. Think that the Second Amendment is of greater value than the 30 000+ lives lost yearly due to firearms. Believe that ‘reverse racism’ is real, therefore Black Lives Matter is “an organised hate group against white people.” Convinced that a party consisting of ONLY men has the right to determine the fate of women’s healthcare. Reduce the severity of consequences for white males, so they “should not go to jail or have his life ruined for ’20 minutes of action.’” And, they wholeheartedly believe that a racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, narcissistic, nazi-sympathiser and SEX OFFENDER has the right to be the President of the United States of America.

Source: http://popkey.co/m/8MJEO-eyeroll-whatever-ugh-eye-roll-not

I could go on.

The nature of Twitter has been remoulded from typical social updating to a flourishing political public sphere. Being a growing medium to debate certain perspectives and ideologies of the controversy encircling government; enabling an international province to interchange personal opinions. Consequentially, the global accessibility to this public sphere provides a platform for negative interaction, due to contradictory views, in addition to the lacking physicalities of the sphere.

Olivia.