Yes, but who is it that educate the public? Once people have left education, their main source of info becomes the internet/newspapers/TV news/gossip/rumour etc.
The problem then becomes access to info. Take MMR, most people (including me) don't know enough about the subject to come to an informed conclusion, so to some extent rely on news etc.
Buy the Daily Wail, read it. (No matter how painful). Then, after reading their misrepresentations of facts, half truths, conjecture, and even lies, (all of which will factor heavily in a reader's decisions and opinions), tell me that it's fine.
I remember one example, Sky news had a phone in asking "Is it right for asylum seekers to claim benefits" What wasn't mentioned, was that asylum seekers CAN'T claim benefits (but the phone-in clearly hints that they do) Some would say deliberately giving a false impression of the situation. (like me)
I think you underestimate just how much power media has over people.
I basically agree with Ludwig that censorship is a Bad Thing (TM) and should be avoided at all costs.
That being said, I think we do need to bring more accountability to the media; I don't think it's sufficient to say "educate the public" and have done with it, because in a large part, the media educate the public. If "public education" raises itself against media-propaganda, then you essentially devolve into a culture war, where most people will choose whichever message they want to hear; so I think the people most suspectible to media-propaganda will be least affected by "public education".
I do think that some sort of debunking agency would be useful; one that underlined just how full of shit some media is, and thereby brought it to accountability. What other measures can be brought in that don't steer into censorship?
Comments 9
Reply
Reply
Once people have left education, their main source of info becomes the internet/newspapers/TV news/gossip/rumour etc.
The problem then becomes access to info.
Take MMR, most people (including me) don't know enough about the subject to come to an informed conclusion, so to some extent rely on news etc.
Buy the Daily Wail, read it. (No matter how painful). Then, after reading their misrepresentations of facts, half truths, conjecture, and even lies, (all of which will factor heavily in a reader's decisions and opinions), tell me that it's fine.
I remember one example, Sky news had a phone in asking
"Is it right for asylum seekers to claim benefits"
What wasn't mentioned, was that asylum seekers CAN'T claim benefits (but the phone-in clearly hints that they do) Some would say deliberately giving a false impression of the situation. (like me)
I think you underestimate just how much power media has over people.
Reply
Reply
That being said, I think we do need to bring more accountability to the media; I don't think it's sufficient to say "educate the public" and have done with it, because in a large part, the media educate the public. If "public education" raises itself against media-propaganda, then you essentially devolve into a culture war, where most people will choose whichever message they want to hear; so I think the people most suspectible to media-propaganda will be least affected by "public education".
I do think that some sort of debunking agency would be useful; one that underlined just how full of shit some media is, and thereby brought it to accountability. What other measures can be brought in that don't steer into censorship?
Reply
Reply
It has this double personality, sometimes producing amazing stuff, and then sometimes producing absolute guff.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment