On Public Opinion that no longer is public nor an opinion – when it ceased to be properly public and also an opinion

• Autor(a) principal: Esteves, João Pissarra
• Data de Publicação: 2015
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Intexto (Porto Alegre)
• Texto Completo: https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/intexto/article/view/58550
• topic: Opinião pública. Comunicação pública. Sistemas sociais. Tematização. Responsabilidade (ético-moral).; Public opinion. Public communication. Social systems. Thematization. Responsibility (ethical and moral).

The systemic concept (N. Luhmann) of Public Opinion aims to assume a breakage with the "old" tradition (modern) of the Western political thought, on behalf of the increasing complexity that characterizes the current functionally differentiated societies. Here, we propose a discussion on the challenges that such concept presents to all those who take an involvement more or less direct with the public communication, most especially for those who take on the status of professionals in this area. The epistemological weaknesses (empirical but also in normative terms) of this concept are here identified – the Public Opinion as a mere thematization of issues, which no longer really form an opinion nor are subject of a properly public construction; assigning particular attention to the ethical and moral limits with which this fully functional vision of our societies - and human existence in general – struggles today.