Sensationalism on DR1?

[NALs]

Hey NALs, I really enjoy the polls and their commentary.

The purpose of a poll is to make people discuss the topic and discuss why the results are what they are.

The purpose of the poll creator is to get as many votes as possible per poll.

But, of course, even then people want to believe in "conspiracies" and "hidden agendas".

In the mean time, I ask myself why did few people voted "NO" in this poll?

And how can an agenda be propagated when a poll gives people the option to be positive or negative? Would the critics be criticizing this poll if most people would have voted "NO"?

Would the claims of a "hidden agenda" had been made had the results been a majority voting "NO"?

Well, I guess Anthony J. D'Angelo was right when he said:

“Reality doesn't bite, rather our perception of reality bites."

-NALs

 

[BushBaby]

"don't believe all of what you read" is 65% accurate in this case when it comes to the information given on DR1. Shame on me-I never would have thought my fellow posters would feel compelled to sensationalize to this degree.

Gonna buy a new pair of rose colored glasses first thing this morning.Thanks for the info Nals.
john

Following your point on 'rose coloured glasses' john, aren't WE the ones who are regularly accused of painting a 'rosier' picture so as to protect our investments?? Aren't WE the ones who play down the facts so as to make the DR more attractive to other 'wannabee' Ex-Pat?? If that is the case, then obviously the crime rate problem is BIGGER than what we are saying/posting about here??

I take your point about 'The Experts' who glean their information from "Reliable Government Data" (now there's an oxymoron) whilst they sit in a far off place checking out wikipedia each day & have to note this:-

A few weeks ago prices of oil had been coming down for a couple of consecutive weeks - therefore PRICES OF OIL WERE REDUCING. We ALL knew this was a true fact likely to last until the end of the year didn't we??

Yeah, ......... RIGHT!!!

(Sorry Chris. Don't understand your comment to Nals - are you saying that we that live here are making comments that the crime rate is REDUCING??? I don't agree with that & I don't think that YOU do either. YES, we are hopeful that Santa Claus will come with a strong & efficient police force this Navidad but being realistic ..................................... ~ Grahame.gre::ermm:

 

[BushBaby]

The purpose of a poll is to make people discuss the topic and discuss why the results are what they are. -NALs

Errrr, back to wikipedia please Nals!! YOUR interpretation of the purpose of a poll is totally inconsistent with that of pollsters!!

The purpose of the poll creator is to get as many votes as possible per poll.
-NALs

So forget putting something together which is going to produce reliable information on which to base decision making ....... it is the number of VOTES cast that is the important factor ..:ermm:..:ermm:.. correct??:surprised? ~ Grahame.

 

[NALs]

Errrr, back to wikipedia please Nals!! YOUR interpretation of the purpose of a poll is totally inconsistent with that of pollsters!!

Just because you do something doesn't mean others do it too, but thanks for projecting your habit onto me. Your secret is safe with me.

BTW, that's how every poll was created. Click and read, click and read, click and read.... in the polls forum, of course.

Polls reflect public opinion, unlike research which reflects reality.

Two different things, but of course, you wouldn't know that since Wikipedia doesn't make a distinction between the two.

So forget putting something together which is going to produce reliable information on which to base decision making ....... it is the number of VOTES cast that is the important factor ..:ermm:..:ermm:.. correct??:surprised? ~ Grahame.

Just like the free newspapers of the DR, with their dependence on advertising revenue for their survival.

The higher the circulation, the better!

If people want reliable information, they should do an actual research based on facts, not on the opinions of others.

But, polls on DR1 show what DR1 as a community thinks of a particular subject, unlike a newspaper which shows what happened blended with the opinion and biases of the journalist and, perhaps, the entire newspaper organization.

Unlike a newspaper, polls offer good and bad options for voters to choose and the results speak on behalf of the DR1 community.

Very democratic. :cheeky:

-NALs

 

[Chris]

Will try again, this one did not work for me ..

 

[johne]

want to cast my vote with a proviso

Thought about this question last nite while I watched my bridge partner play her hand.Interesting how people can see a whole other way of looking at things.

So, "Do DR1's senationalize their stories about 'negative' experiences in the DR?"
My answer is >no< IF you separate out all the sankie threads. I think that many of the sankie threads are things right out of trash paperbacks. Reek of "sensationalism". Once that segment is pulled out I don't believe reports of negative experiences are sensationalized.

 

[BushBaby]

You can't go doing things like THAT johne - putting a 'Proviso' into one of Nals' polls!!! That would destroy the whole concept of his ill conceived & badly formulated poll questions!! :cheeky: :glasses:

I used to think that his polls were badly put together simply because he did not know how to do this correctly - I had not realised (until today when he responded earlier in this thread) that it was because he did not understand what a poll was supposed to do. It was suggested to him some 18 months ago that he should study some basic material on how to conceive & write a set of poll questions to illicit the responses needed but although he may have READ that material, it obviously would have made no sense to him as his basic understanding of what a poll IS was flawed before starting. To then 'waffle on' about newspapers doing it & trying to justify his inability to hear what others here are saying ..... just beggars belief!

I stopped my involvement with the actual polls some time ago on the grounds that I found them totally impossible to answer correctly (badly worded, ill conceived, contradictory are just a few flaws I noticed) but I would come in to look at the debates as I found some of the posters had some interesting points to make & I am always prepared to see the views of others, even though I may not always agree with them. As you so rightly say "Interesting how people can see a whole other way of looking at things". Following the above statements by the OP as to 'why' he puts polls together in the way that he does, I doubt I shall be visiting even the discussions in future!!

To answer the question posed however, I feel that DR1 posters WILL sensationalose when they have an agenda or wish to make themselves out to be more important than they otherwise would be. 90% of DR1 posters will tell it 'as they see it' & NOT sensationalise. Maybe THAT could/should have been the question polled ..... the % of sensationalising?? ~ Grahame. :squareeye

 

[Lambada]

Here is MY Poll!

This is ONLY for posters who have actually lived in the DR,"Full Time" for at least 10 years! (Thats right NALS, You don't "qualify" for this one!!!) Not for "Vacationers"!!!!

1) "IS THERE MORE "CRIME" NOW THAN WHEN YOU FIRST MOVED HERE????"

2) HAS "CRIME" INCREASED OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, 3)THE LAST 2 YEARS?"

4) HAVE YOU,OR A MEMBER OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME???"

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Here's one I can answer. I added numbers CCCC so as not to have to repeat:
1)Yes
2)Yes
3)Yes
4) No

Actually you have a good idea here by including question 4) because what that seems to tease out is how much perception is coloured by personal experience of crime. I am a positive person not a cassandra like hand wringer but I know what I see even though I have personally not been a direct victim.

So my experience after 15 years fulltime living here comes from what I see & know, not from a victim's perspective which may take a while to bounce back.

If anything maybe a lot of long term residents have reduced posting on DR1 about crime because they now take it as a 'given'?

 

[Criss Colon]

I "WAS" a "TOURISTA" HERE FOR MANY YEARS!

Before I moved here 12 years ago. I was a "Single Guy" and made the MOST of a good situation! I lived in Boston,and came here several times a month! I was "Head-Over-Heals" in "LUST"!! I thought the girls were fantastic! The music,food,weather,beaches,"Presidente" were unbelievable! I lived like an "International Playboy"!! I ate "Dominican"! Hung out in "Discos",and Colmadoes all night long! I thought the people were the nicest in the World! You know; "Poor",but "Happy"!I was a "Dominican Wannabe"! Just like so many of you are now!!!!
That was "then",and this is "Now"!!!

After I moved here,got married,went to work,and had 4 kids,I had a "Stroke" of REALITY!!
I,"AM NOT,and NEVER WILL BE A "DOMINICAN"!!! ....Nor do I ever want to be!!!!!!!!!!!

I have since learned how difficult life here really is! Not so much for me and my family,we have money,but for the "average" Dominican!
No money for school,health care,housing! Everyone will "Steal" from you! They may call it something else,but everyone is always "On-The-Take"!! It is their way of life. Starts at the "President",government,business,families,down to the "Limpia Bota'! One way or another you will be taken advantage of,stolen from,ripped off! Or whatever you want to call it!
In fact, my "Right Hand",doesn't trust my "Left"!!!!
The DR may be a "Paradise" is you have a million dollars a year to spend,or if you come here for a vacation,or even once a month, BUT: Until you live here "24/7" you never can,and never will begin to really "Understand" the DR,or the Dominican "Mind Set"!
When you live,work,and raise a family here,you will not only have all the same problems you have if you live in the USA,Canada,England,or Europe,you will be, "On Your Own"!!! "ZERO" government services to help out! No Police,no Fire dept. No "Real" first class medical care. (I KNOW!!) No water,lights,or sewers! Garbage Everywhere! You are on your own to provide all the above! And believe me THAT costs a small fortune! Many of the people who are extoling the virtues of the DR are "Flying Solo"! No dependents to provide for. THAT is a piece of CAKE! I worry everyday if I am doing the "right thing" by raising my children here????? I still don't know! The only person who may is "Hillbilly"! He did it,but "Believe me I know "Hillbilly",and I a no "Hillbilly! He is my "ONLY" roll model in the DR!
"Somebody please kick that "soapbox" out from under me before I
go on any farther!

Cris Colon
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[CFA123]

Criss C,
To remain on topic... your post was sensational

 

[Funnyyale26]

Hay una diferencia muy grande entre la critica constructiva y la burla. Hay veces cuando en esta pagina las dos se confunden....

so my answer is "It is difficult to tell the difference."

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Okay. At the risk of being under attack by the Dr1 "regulars," I am writing my 3rd post. To me, it matters not whether stories are sensationalist on this site. After reading postings with a grain of salt, I find Dr1 highly informative, highly interesting, and highly entertaining. When I recommend DR1 to friends, I compare it to the daily soap operas on television. Once you start watching the story line (or in the case of DR1, reading) you easily become addicted. I will log on several times throughout the day just to see new commentaries. However, I also find that if I am traveling or cannot connect to the internet for one reason or another and I miss a week or two of postings, when I finally have the opportunity to catch up, I discover that I have missed absolutely nothing. AND, if something of real substance HAS been recorded, it becomes a "sticky."

So. Maybe there IS sensationalism on DR1. Maybe not. I love the web site, and even if I don't have the courage to jump in and debate the regulars, I am a devoted reader who doesn't know how I ever survived BEFORE I knew about DR1.

Thank you to Graham, Rocky, BushBaby, and all the others who have both educated and entertained me!

 

[Chirimoya]

However, I also find that if I am traveling or cannot connect to the internet for one reason or another and I miss a week or two of postings, when I finally have the opportunity to catch up, I discover that I have missed absolutely nothing.

That's pretty much my experience. After a few days absence I get through 12 pages of "new posts" very quickly indeed - the sankie threads especially are so repetitive they are not worth reading - but in real time, as it were, they can be addictive. The ones I might spend more time on are the political/social debates.

BTW Lindsey - are you a DR resident or a frequent visitor?

 

[LindseyKaufman]

We own a home in Sosua- bought it just last March. I spent most of my time since then in the DR and look forward to returning this coming Wednesday and staying through next March, with only a couple of brief travels "outside" during that time.

 

[AnnaC]

Welcome to DR1 Lindsey.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Thank you, Anna.

 

[alloallo3]

I don't think people oversensationalize their experiences on purpose. I believe they are often as shocked by what they see as their posts suggest. But that doesn't necessarily translate to shocking conditions in the DR. The simple fact is, people who have never been beyond the borders of the U.S., Canada and Europe have certain expectations of how life is lived. They are shocked at the poverty and the trash you find in the DR. They are shocked to see uniformed guards with machine guns. They are shocked by the noise, the pollution and the grittiness of the place.

None of which is to suggest that they should be shocked. After all, most of the world would like to have the standard of living enjoyed by many in the DR. It's just a learning experience. If they're shocked, that's a good thing. They're seeing how most of the world looks and lives. My hope is that some of these folks learn how fortunate they've been, and also learn that poverty is to be overcome, not feared. Most importantly, I hope they learn that impoverished people are just like them -- they just have less money.

 

[tht]

Clear as ..

The simple fact is, people who have never been beyond the borders of the U.S., Canada and Europe have certain expectations of how life is lived. They are shocked at the poverty and the trash you find in the DR. They are shocked to see uniformed guards with machine guns. They are shocked by the noise, the pollution and the grittiness of the place.

..mud, thanks. I'm wearing my other pair of sunglasses tomorrow. Aah well, never mind.

 

[alloallo3]

I guess turnabout is fair play. I haven't a clue what you're trying to say.

 

[tht]

..the sun is still shining..

..okay here we go.. thanks for simplifying the "facts" so we all understand the problem. I could have posted another "sensation" here just now but I'm not going to do it since I most likely will get tangeled up in one of NALs stupid threads, OR in another pathetic discussion about crime rate. I put my pink sunglasses on so I see what I want to see and not the rest of the stuff and just walk out. Over and out.