Outrageous Voices in Politics

 

Outrage politics have played an important role in politics. According to Berry and Sobieraj, outrage politics is “commercial sectors (cable, radio, and the blogosphere), which, grouped together, create an industry that generates outrage as its product” (p. 12). They allow those with similar views to have a sense of validation. Outrage politics usually have a personality-centered figure, they choose stories that can paint their favored politicians in a good light or paint their political opponents as enemies, and they have a dramatic flair for performing to get their audience engaged. Berry and Sobieraj assess that “outrage-based media may limit our willingness to engage in political conversations with people who do not share our worldview” (p. 15).

Berry and Sobieraj also focus on “the understanding of the relationship between the Outrage Industry and policy making” and how “outrage media has contributed to the long-term trend toward the increase in polarization between the two parties in Congress”. They mention that immigration has become a major topic in politics, especially since the Republican party has had difficulty recruiting Hispanic voters. This is in part because of policy initiatives that they have taken that “Hispanics regard as hostile if not downright racist”. These anti-immigration policies, along with outrage media, has made the hostility toward undocumented immigrants high and has made it difficult for Hispanic people to vote for any Republican candidates.

When I read this article the first thing that came to mind was the American television and online video host, Tomi Lahren. She has very conservative views and isn’t afraid to share what she thinks on many controversial political topics, she definitely has flair for the dramatic. She is very popular among conservatives who feel she offers “entertainment, information, a sense of community, and validation” (p. 15). She expresses her dislike for Democrats and has said that they prefer to win through cheating. She is an avid Trump supporter and continually comes to his defense while pinning Hillary as the worst possible thing to happen to America. She has also commented her opinion on immigration and has, what would be considered, far-right views on it.