It's not a weird leap. If the right or left consumes different media, it is because they have accepted different media narratives. I disagree that there is not a high prevalence of terrible media on the left. I think it probably just seems that way to people who are liberals because they mostly accept the basic media narrative (or premise or framework if you will) that underlies what you are calling better media.

I explained in detail what I meant by a framework the first time you asked. You did not read that post.

Do critical thinking skills matter? To what? And what kind of critical thinking skills? I'm not talking just generally- you are the person who wanted to say the analysis skills you learn in grad school are widely applicable to the real world workplaces. I've already responded to that. For one thing, conservative workers are just as efficient etc so I don't see what this has to do with most work places.

Does it matter in terms of personal relationships? Personall feelings? I dont know. It's your claim that they matter so much- to what? I said from the beginning that I'm not sure, I'd need to know what you are talking about.

But in terms of political power, they do not matter very much and that should be obvious at this point. I believe that the ability to critical analyze abstract theories about social or economic relations or to evaluate the veracity of media does not matter at all to winning power or doing well in politics. If it did, then why are conservatives, who we have both determined are not drawing from a very analytical tradition and who you keep saying consume terrible media, in charge of everything instead of liberals with their critical thinking skills?

The truth is it doesn't really matter what most people think or believe- these things are irrelevant to how power works. And as I keep saying, it's ONLY liberals who believe that they can change people's minds with facts about the things they care about.

We've already determined that classical liberalism is hegemonic, at least right now (it's clearly on it's way out if nothing changes). But when it comes to the American spectrum within this classical liberalism, we refer to Democrats or 'liberals' and Republicans or 'conservatives'- on the narrow left/right spectrum of narrow mainstream American politics. Within that spectrum, Republicans control the executive branch, half of congress, most state governments, most of the judiciary on all levels. The military is extremely conservative, all of our economic giants and private industry (extractive, tech, finanicial, real estate, everything) is extremely conservative, as well as most public institutions being privatized by conservatives. I do not see where American liberals are in control of anything at all, and their party, Democrats, are trying to win the election in part by giving a home to Republicans.

I'm well into my 40s and I've been involved in politics my entire life. What I'm new to (since the pandemic) is arguing with people online about it.