Poll: What matters most: the message or the messenger?

[Charli]

Too equal to call, without the message the messenger is simply without purpose
Without the messenger the message cannot be obtained. Plus the message may save/damn far more lives than the messenger.

Circumstance will always play a part in these things also so... I'm not even going to try and call it.

Human error and all that plays an enormous part.

It's kinda like a more complicated version of the chicken or the egg argument.

 

[FluffyNeurosis]

Unfortunately I would have to say that the messenger makes the most difference but that the message matters most. Most people will discount one information source or another simply because of their perception of the source(how many times have I heard "its Faux Newz lolz" on this site). In a perfect world people would be able to discover facts and draw reasonable conclusions about whatever it is they are learning about through a variety of sources, but people have teh dumb.

 

[KittywifaMohawk]

To me, it's definitely the messenger.
It's however they explain the message that makes them important, oh and the fact that without one, the message wouldn't be delivered.

 

[Kollega]

Message itself may be good or bad, clumsy or eloquent. Only thing depending on messenger is whether people will listen and/or believe it. But there is certainly a limit - even the most magnificent bastards have opposition seeing what they're really up to.

 

[Nick Bounty]

The content and medium are both very important and neither can be taken seriously if there is a flaw in just one. So both I say.

 

[LongAndShort]

When all smokers start paying attention to anti-smoking adds and start quitting, then I'll agree that having a credible message is the most important thing. Until then having a good message is nothing without a good delivery.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

it should be the message, however too many people listen to whom is saying it.

here's a couple good examples of how it can go really bad

a medical doctor says "vaccines are safe and should be given to people"
Jenny MacCarthy says "vaccines are evil and gave my kid autism"

people believe the former playboy model over the doctor

don't even get me on the whole terrorism angle and how disproportionate the actual attacks compared to fear of them is.