How has information consumption changed for me? As we grow we find different ways of answering this particular question. For now, almost 20 years of media consumption had a profound effect on my views on life, society, politics, religion and education.
In terms of life and living in a society, I've become more aware of the issues that are constantly plaguing our society. What I've noticed based on the headlines I read on the news, humankind in general have a tendency to repeat their mistakes over and over. Essentially, the problems that are affecting our society now are exactly the same as it always has. Hence, I have developed a habit of "turning off" and "tuning out" from the media every now and again. I find that even if I miss a week's worth of news, I won't be left out that far behind. In terms of the "same old issues" I've been referring to, it includes problems such as corruption, unemployment, government mismanagement, racism and prejudice, and other problems which have existed with humanity since the dawn of civilization.
The media has also shaped my view on politics and politicians. I find that when one is after power, regardless of how wholesome his or her upbringing was, it will eventually corrupt them sooner or later. It's this insatiable thirst for power which has caused lies on a national and even worldwide scale, caused wars even within a society and so on. I believe that one's perspective is formed first and foremost through one's upbringing, and for me personally, my parents played a significant role in that. When I was younger, I used to see the world as black and white. It was mostly due to me being a child watching Power Rangers and anime, where the subject matter for each episode would be good versus evil. That mentality soon seeped into my everyday life. For example, back then the political splinter party Semangat 46 to me represented the "good guys" while UMNO were the villains. My father was very active in Semangat 46, and as an impressionable young boy, I knew nothing (nor even really cared for that matter) about politics and the people's struggle. That was the only way I could make sense of it all, by comparing political struggles to Power Rangers. In my formative years later on, it was my father who influenced me the most. He always had books lying around the house, its topics ranging from Islam to local politics, science, economics and education. When I was old enough to understand the importance of reading, I just grabbed whatever I could find from his ever growing collection. From there, I also learned to research things I don't understand online. After years of reading from my father's personal library, as well as doing various independent research I begin to have my own views on life and society in general. I start to have a more neutral stance on a lot of things, especially on politics. I realized that there are both good and bad people on both sides of the political divide. I see genuine, honest-to-god representatives of the people trying their best to improve the lives of their communities. On the other hand I also see politicians; hypocritical con artists who would go the extra mile just to fill up their pockets; by taking advantage of others. Both types of people exist within every single political group in the world.
Besides politics, information and media consumption has also affected my views on religion. Ironically the media has shaped me into a better Muslim, particularly after the events of 911. Growing up in a Malay Muslim family, we tend to associate turbaned, jubah wearing "alim people" as the best example of a good Muslim. After all, how often do we see an imam or a high ranking JAKIM official in t-shirts and jeans? Of course with the events of September 11, such "alim" people were treated by society as if they might spontaneously combust into flames. Personally, I don't treat "alim" people any differently now than how I did before. The difference is that after researching more about my own religion, I've learned to not judge people simply by the way they dress. A devout and knowledgeable Muslim to me today, does not need to have a long beard or an Arabic accent. A good Muslim should be calm, moderate (which is one of the main ideas in Islam) and reasonable. He or she should be respectful and accommodating to the needs of others, while at the same time remain firm with his or her principles and believes. With all the commotion regarding the cow-head protests, the "Allah" issue and the "Guan Eng's name in the Friday prayer sermon" issues, I've come to realize that even turban-clad individuals are very political people; thus easily bought for a price. It made me realize that religion should not be politicized by anyone, for its consequences are disastrous. While we're on about religion, I've also come to have a different view on atheism. I see it as but another form of religion; a religion of non religion, as they too have a strong belief (that god doesn't exist). Even atheists have their own brand of highly spirited advocates, condemning the "backwardness of religion".
Constant exposure to it has also affected my views on the media itself. While it's still my main source for knowledge and as a window to the world outside, I'm also a lot more cautious with accepting the content it provides. I personally think there is no such thing as unbiased reporting. A piece of information will always be presented in a particular way which the presenter feels is doing the story justice, or is in line with what he or she feels or believes. Take for example, our school history syllabus. Many Malaysians take it for granted and take everything they learned as the truth. Of course this isn't always the case. As many would learn, history books (not just in Malaysia, but throughout the world) were written to portray the dominating force as the status quo, and their actions justified as facts. History is after all written by victors. What about the ones who lost though? What if they were the ones who were right all along? So ironically, through high school history books, I've learned to read both sides of a story before drawing a conclusion. One particular individual who opened my mind to see things that way was a media lecturer in Taylors College, Mr. Indie. He thought us to question things, especially when its details are sketchy at best. He thought us to ponder on the what if's in life.
In conclusion, I can honestly say being exposed constantly to different forms of media has shaped me into a better, all rounded human being. It has also made me more aware of my surroundings, and made me more careful and wary of the manipulative aspects of the media which we consume on a regular basis.
No comments:
Post a Comment