Oops, apologies: your context is crystal clear. Ildiko

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pphkai01@phd.ceu.hu 07/21/03 10:39 AM >>> And if I may add something - just for the fun of it, not the money:

Aren't you placing this bet on shifty grounds? Already, liberal and leftist came up somewhat interchangeably in the wording of the bet, and you merely imply the context of the terms (US politics, apparently). So, which left, which liberalism, and which internet are you betting on? Ildiko

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rodcarveth@hotmail.com 07/20/03 22:46 PM >>> Hey, can I get into some of this action? Now that I just bought a house, I need all the cash I can get.

I'll take JSG's position. I can't think of a theoretical reason why the Net should result in more political sophistication (how exactly would you measure that, by the way?) or more liberal political thinking. In fact, the first wave of Internet adopters tended to be Republican (given that they were more affluent than the general population), and there doesn't appear to exist any research indicating that group has become more liberal. You could make the argument that the Internet, because of its low cost of entry, allows far more voices to enter into the political discussion, and hence it's more democratic (though that does not equal liberal). And, unlike radio, the political discourse reflects more positions (other than conservative). In reality, however, most Internet users go to websites that are "branded", often through their association with other media (that is, CNN.com, MSNBC.com) or mentions on the major media (that is, Matt Drudge and WorldNet daily). Thus, while the Internet theoretically offers lots of choices, users tend to select from a limited menu. In addition, they tend to engage in selective exposure when they do select websites and discussion groups (you don't see many Rush Limbaugh fans selecting fair.org). I don't know when a political candidate will be able to attribute his or her win due to the Internet (Howard Dean's success so far with the Net appears more media hype than reality), but I much more sanguine about those prospects than the Internet creating a more politically sophisticated (and liberal) voter base. I'll even put up 1$US. BTW, JSG, getting midnight blue paint in your hair will probably make you popular with your students. All you will need is a tongue piercing. Rod Carveth RIT

From: "Jennifer Stromer-Galley" <jstromer@albany.edu> Reply-To: air-l@aoir.org To: <air-l@aoir.org> Subject: RE: [Air-l] 1$CAN on sophisticates and lefties over candidates Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2003 13:15:35 -0400

Inane rivalries are the stuff of psycho-drama, and perfect for the academy. So, you're on, Philip. I'll even have $1CAN after the AoIR conference, although I won't need it, as I'll win this bet.

I would be positively shocked (and secretly thrilled) if you could find that Internet adopters become either more politically sophisticated or more left-leaning. But, if people aren't interested in politics in the first place, how will their Internet use somehow get them interested?

Off to paint one final room, ignoring Philip's color suggestion. I was thinking midnight blue. . . Buyers will like that, right?

~JSG Who is sick of scraping cream-colored paint off her elbows and out of her hair . . . .

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-----Original Message----- From: air-l-admin@aoir.org [mailto:air-l-admin@aoir.org] On Behalf Of Philip N. Howard Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 10:12 AM To: air-l@aoir.org Subject: [Air-l] 1$CAN on sophisticates and lefties over candidates

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Maybe an important part of becoming a sub/discipline is having inane bets and rivalries. So I'll bet Jen 1$Canadian that I can show that Americans are more politically sophisticated after making the Internet one of their regular media tools OR that the Americans are slightly more left-leaning after making the Internet one of their regular media tools BEFORE she finds a national political leader for whom their campaign internet strategy was the sufficient condition for winning. In other words, I'll either find more people engaged in politics, their political sophistication higher, or their political norms more lefty because of the Internet before she can find a candidate who wins office because of the internet.

This may take years, but I'll wager another 1$CAN that I collect from JSG before she makes Emeritus.

Open to friendly amendments. Phil Philip N. Howard Assistant Professor Department of Communication University of Washington

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