The public sphere collapses when the public becomes a statistical artifact

Evidence

Under such conditions the public becomes a mere statistical artifact, public taste a measure of private opinion that has been both cultivated and objectified but not realized in discourse. With that the public sphere goes into eclipse. — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 647

Categorization

• XREF: ‘Public as statistical artifact’ maps directly onto modern polling, audience measurement, and social media engagement metrics. — connects to: First Amendment and private reading eroded the public sphere of discussion — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 647; Future-oriented discourse masks the loss of a genuine public sphere — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 765; Public opinion forms only through discussion, not correct representations — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 372 (+12 more)
• SEED: Angle: ‘the public as statistical artifact’ as an explanation for why quantified public opinion feels disconnected from actual discourse.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 647

Broader Connections

• Public opinion forms only through discussion, not correct representations #corroborates (0.80) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 372
• Communication overload and shallow participation mask genuine community uprooting #expands (0.75) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 569
• Future-oriented discourse masks the loss of a genuine public sphere #expands (0.70) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 765