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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 3 page paper examines this article by Norris that appeared in Political Science and Politics in 1996. The article is summarized and critiqued. Putnam's views are compared and contrasted with Norris'. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: RT13_SA509TV.rtf
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Bowling Alone had at one point provided the society a stark look at everything that is wrong with it from the fact that people no longer join civic organizations to
the idea that there is a great disconnect in American society. At least, the status quo is not what America was envisioned to be and this is disturbing. As an
offshoot in the same theme, and clearly a rebuttal to Putnams later argument regarding television, Norris (1996) delves into the fact that there is a decline in respect to voting
and politics. People are simply not as interested anymore and the author tries to find out why. Norris (1996) says: "Putnam argues that this trend has been closely associated
with the arrival of television" (474). Television has been called the idiot box and it has a social stigma to boot. Who wants to be found at home alone scraping
the bottom of a Cherry Garcia carton with a spoon and mindlessly indulging in an episode of Will & Grace? And while it is true that many minimize the fact
that they watch television at all, the question that looms for these authors is whether or not television really does erode social capital. Putnams thesis is that television as a
whole is responsible for the erosion of social capital, but Norris (1996) claims that what erodes social capital is content. Clearly, there is a difference between watching Crossfire and Beavis
and Butthead. Norris does also provide statistics and study material that seems to support the notion that those involved in politics will watch the news and political shows. In fact,
Norris makes a good case. Anecdotal evidence will show that people have become news junkies. There is talk radio, Fox News and other news stations that provide twenty four hour
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