(Siento que esto esté en Inglés, pero así salió)
He who controls the information controls the world. And who wouldn’t like controlling the whole world? The problem with the sources of information like newspapers, television and radio, is that they all depend on people who pay so that journalists et al can have a job. Obviously, you have to avoid giving certain information that the sponsor wouldn’t approve of and fill the papers with information that you think will help you sell more, even if you have done some whimsical editing.
People only have so many choices to choose from and it is either accepting what is on the market or accepting to live misinformed. One could argue of course that reading or watching the news that the market currently offers is in fact being misinformed, but then again is better to get to know at least a small part of what is happening in the world than knowing nothing at all. Little can be done to change “viewspapers” into newspapers because they have since long ago turned into just another form of business, which means that they play in what we call the market and try to sell as many papers as they can, so that other companies will come and pay millions for advertising with them. And, of course, the same happens with television, radio, and why not our beloved Internet.
A good antidote, I think, against the manipulation of the masses through the news is education. When you teach children to become critical with the information they receive, be it school texts, what the teacher says and what they see on TV, they stop accepting as readily as we do now what people tell them to believe. The problem with this is that if you create critical children you are creating future critical adults; adults that will have the right of voting, the money for buying, and, in some cases, the opportunity to be heard. Why do that if it is so much easier for the government and the political class to control uneducated populations? Uneducated people will believe whatever one tells them, or at least most of them will, and that is exactly what makes a candidate who is thirsty for power to win an election and pass whatever laws he likes. So this is obviously an idealistic idea.
The only practical thing I can think of is to start demanding more transparency, to demand less monopoly and more chances for people to speak and say what they think without adjusting to strict editorial lines. Just start sending letters to newspapers and channels, tell politicians what you think if you see them on the streets and fill their email boxes with not just complaints, but also with sincere congratulations when you think they have done something for the community.
People only have so many choices to choose from and it is either accepting what is on the market or accepting to live misinformed. One could argue of course that reading or watching the news that the market currently offers is in fact being misinformed, but then again is better to get to know at least a small part of what is happening in the world than knowing nothing at all. Little can be done to change “viewspapers” into newspapers because they have since long ago turned into just another form of business, which means that they play in what we call the market and try to sell as many papers as they can, so that other companies will come and pay millions for advertising with them. And, of course, the same happens with television, radio, and why not our beloved Internet.
A good antidote, I think, against the manipulation of the masses through the news is education. When you teach children to become critical with the information they receive, be it school texts, what the teacher says and what they see on TV, they stop accepting as readily as we do now what people tell them to believe. The problem with this is that if you create critical children you are creating future critical adults; adults that will have the right of voting, the money for buying, and, in some cases, the opportunity to be heard. Why do that if it is so much easier for the government and the political class to control uneducated populations? Uneducated people will believe whatever one tells them, or at least most of them will, and that is exactly what makes a candidate who is thirsty for power to win an election and pass whatever laws he likes. So this is obviously an idealistic idea.
The only practical thing I can think of is to start demanding more transparency, to demand less monopoly and more chances for people to speak and say what they think without adjusting to strict editorial lines. Just start sending letters to newspapers and channels, tell politicians what you think if you see them on the streets and fill their email boxes with not just complaints, but also with sincere congratulations when you think they have done something for the community.
Let's demand our right to demand.
2 comentarios:
Oh Darling, you're so profound!
But I can see some of my own opinions there...And I love to share!
Date una vuelta por el mío....
paso a saludar, y a decir q toi leyendooooooooo
besos galla! =)
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