Walter Lippmann

A New York Times Journalist

Invented "Public Opinion" (title of his book)

• Public opinion- term he coined- explains modern democratic politics
   
• discussed how the media serves a vital role of informing the public on their democracy, and how the media can be persuaded by government or big business (money = control of media = power in a democracy)
   
• most people devote little time to catching up on the world- their opinions can be manipulated by the media easily
   
• most people form simple stereotypes of what is really going on
   
• government can use persuasion to make a common will, gain support
   
• all media is biased, and we must as a society make an effort to create an unbiased and truthful source of information (a machinery of knowledge)
   
• Truth-
• The Elite-
• Democracy vs. Republic-

My paper on Lippmann's book Public Opinion