Analysis Of Deborah Tannen's 'Two Sides Come Out Fighting'

In “Both Sides Come Out Fighting: The Argument Culture and the Press”, Deborah Tannen explains that the Press over-simplifies and dramatizes situations, and validates ridiculous arguments in order to appeal to viewers. She provides many examples of the harm this practice can cause, and describes the “Argument Culture” which is present in society. The Press has sizable influence because the way that events are reported affects people’s perceptions, in turn this affects the events themselves. The Media relies on controversy and drama to make news more interesting. They may exaggerate what was said, or analyse non-existent tensions. In the pursuit of remaining unbiased both sides of a story will be equally represented. The societal belief that