While I regularly hope anyone of average intelligence would do some kind of research, to verify the truth of some of the spewage that goes on during elections, I regretably know those hopes will not be rewarded. For one thing, too many people can't be bothered with doing research, even when they are of average intelligence. For another thing, average intelligence means exactly that - half of the population is of above average intelligence, and the other half of the population falls below. When those above the half-way point can't be bothered with doing the research, I don't see how we can expect others to follow suit.
This goes a long way towards explaining the magazine racks at the check-out lines this week. Sure, Time and Newsweek had Palin on their covers, and I have little doubt that they took their reportage seriously. But when People, Star, OK, and every other gossip rag has her on the cover, putting promises of dirt on the pages inside in large yellow headlines (and why always yellow headlines, so reminiscent of yellow journalism), I really regret the current state of journalism.
