Gript-A source of misinformation. **Read OP before posting**

If you're trying to suggest I'm some sort of far right firebrand or something you couldn't be more wrong! The (very) few posts I make or like on Twitter are tediously work related, and because of this I don't follow any political content on there (Gript included), primarily as 'liberal' folks have a tendency to dox people for this. Facebook? Hardly post on there - mostly niche hobby stuff. Telegram and all that nonsense? Wouldn't know where to start, and wouldn't be bothered if I did!

I don't agree.

STEM isn't 'evidence based'. It's Rules based. Yes there is a validation element in STEM, where people want to see the measurements or methodology, but Maths doesn't look for 'evidence' , it applies rules in a structured way to solve problems in a repeatable organised way.

Humanities use a different set of skills as the subject matter is often less structured, more disordered and contextual.

We need both ways of thinking. What we really need the most now, is critical thinking skills. These are not STEM skills, they're Humanities skills.

In logic, an argument can be fully consistent and valid even if all of its premises are factually incorrect. We need to be able to distinguish what makes a good source of information, and critically assess each part of it and compare it with other sources and the context of the information to be able to begin to form a view

And we still need to know that our view is a partial and obscured perspective at all times.

We need both STEM and social sciences to balance out the benefits and shortfalls of each way of thinking

No interest the right/left stuff

The media dose not have the influence those here seem to think it does, people are pre disposed to look for opinions that confirm there own opinion, then they look at the other side just to have a bit of a rant

Kinda reminds me years ago when the Mail had a very anti Irish bias I worked with someone who would buy the Mail just to get outraged.

The other interesting point is the belief that some posters have they can see what's really going on everyone else is fooled.

So you think the old Catholic Conservative media elites of the 50s to the 90s counted as 'open minded'?

If I don't know what 'open minded' means, then please define it for me

I accept there sis a lot of ‘seeking to be offended’ type nonsense on social media etc but I genuinely don’t know anyone afraid to express a normal opinion in public in real life.

Ricky Gervais has two specials on Netflix that are some of the most watched and highest rated, one was even released as a special on Christmas Day and I watched it with the in laws. He is discussing all and sundry and no fear of cancelling just getting richer and more successful so I don’t think we are quite back in the ‘50s just yet

I've been reading the Irish Times for years and it's news to me (pardon the pun) that it's hard left.

And as for The Examiner being hard left I'm amazed that anyone could think it's hard left.

I always thought you had to go to The Socialist Worker or The Morning Star for a hit of that stuff.

Gript hasn't engaged in any investigative journalism. At most they placed a random member of the public in danger due to his nationality.

That's a rather novel interpretation of how Mathematics functions. How do you think that the "rules" are derived and from what data? Are they like that laughable "97% of scientists agree" rubbish used to convince gullible people and Doomsday cultists looking for a new secular religion in which to believe?

Critical thinking is the bedrock of STEM. You are probably wondering what connection STEM has to Gript. How do you think its audience is profiled and targeted? Other publications don't seem to be quite as targeted.

Regards...jmcc

Whats wrong with reading a wide variety of publications and then forming your own opinion ? I read some Gript articles but also IT , Indo, Guardian and the Telegraph and others. It does not follow that I agree with all the opinions being presented....many published articles are opinion pieces and not necessarily my opinion but that is ok and even more beneficial as it makes me think and debate. Many people these days do not want to hear anything that does not align with their world view and seek to shut down debate by being rude and resorting to juvenile insults.

It works because people will read free publications. Before Covid, a lot of the freesheets used to have a far greater share of the market than the paid-for local or regional newspapers. Online publication suits Gript because it doesn't have to pay extra for those who don't read it. With print, the number of copies printed and not sold is important in that they still have printing and distribution costs. Online publishing also changes the size of the audience compared to the geographical limitations of print. A publication like Gript would probably not be commercially viable or have the same reach in print.

Regards...jmcc

I can't see why the mainstream media don't take him on Id say an interviewer of the caliber of Jeremy Paxman would fillet him nicely, at the same time he is entitled to his political views and that is very important in free democratic society.

No, I think media elites in this country see themselves as open minded, informed and well educated. They did decades ago, and still do today. When in reality they were/are nothing but pro establishment hacks...they were decades ago and they still are today.

An open minded person is very tolerant of the views of others as they do not define themselves as left/right/catholic even though they may be one or all of those, something seriously lacking in today's environment....one view is all that is allowed on a growing number of vital issues that affect us all daily.

Gript no so long ago did an interview with an Irish Climate Scientist who articulated a view that was in direct contrast to that of our Government!!!! Imagine that!!!!

Apart from Sarah McInerney, David McCullough and Ivan Yates there are very few in the Irish media who would be capable of anything near a Paxman style interview of McGuirk.

Regards...jmcc

Have you listened to Sarah McInerney's interview of Eoghan Harris? That's the kind of interview style that might not work out well for McGuirk.

McGuirk has a PR background so he is well able for most interviews and the old trick of putting him on a competely biased panel. I think that the Tonight Show did that a while ago and he demolished the interviewer and the panelists. He's smarter than most of the people that the Irish media uses for its panels and that allows him to get his points across easily. In that respect, he is dangerous to an unwary interviewer who underestimates him because he typically defeats the interviewer and the panelists in detail (essentially taking them out one by one). It is a very effective PR tactic and that's why a one to one interview with a competent interviewer would be better.

Regards...jmcc

That's Gemma O'Dohertys current vehicle isn't it.