I read most of the national newspapers from this and other countries online. I don't fail to see what's being communicated, and I am open to recognising the agenda of that publication, but don't think that has to apply to every reader. Each newspaper can be enjoyed for what it brings to the individual reader.
When I did my social work training and psychology studies eons ago, we were always encouraged to read everything that didn't fit with our own political views, otherwise how do you get to understand where the majority of your fellow human beings are coming from?
It can be quite cosy to sit and read the Guardian and Independent and tut about the 'ignoramuses' who read the red tops and the Daily Mail, but you can bet there are just as many of those readers tutting right back at you. When I was working, I would read magazines like Heat and Chat, because the stories in there were what interested the clients I worked with, and some of them were the subjects of the stories! I remember being seen with a copy of the Guardian sticking out of my bag when chatting with a client, who told me 'you people aren't real, with your middle class ways - you don't live in our world, so why would you understand us?' I don't agree that we wouldn't understand - it applies both ways. (I came form a similar background to him, but he wouldn't know that).
Common ways to put down others are to intellectualise, joke, target, or even protest 'poor me' when challenged back about patronising behaviour. The Daily Mail has one of the best formats for online reading, and I get lots of information from that paper. People who have been able to get themselves educated and have a high level of literacy can often look down on those who haven't, but on a level playing field, those intellectuals may find they are way behind in terms of equally important attributes like social and emotional intelligence, survival strategies, speed, strength, spatial awareness and general nous.
I also tut about things I see in the Daily Mail, but their hyprocrisy is more evident, so it doesn't take much intelligence to see what they've done. I'm waiting to see what comes out of the recent hacking enquiries, now we know that pretty well all of the papers have behaved as appallingly, except the more 'respectable' papers get applauded for their investigative journalism. I'll be tutting at them, too!
