Monkey see, Monkey do.
People often say, there's no place like home.
After spending almost 5 years oversea, I can't even comprehend how I've lived the past 15 years or so of my life, in the type of society which I wouldn't choose to live in now. For at least 15 years, I've called this place, this society and community my home.
After a week or so back from Perth, I woke up one morning to a big, highlighted head line on the first page of the local daily newspaper about a local primary school kid who committed suicide. My eyes darted through the piece of detailed information. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded and upset. Truth to be told, not about the kid but about how local newspaper reported it. I read it word by word and somehow got pretty furious with it, as I flipped back and forth now for any information where I can lodge a complain.
Why?..Because suicide is contagious!! This is a scientifically proven and well-researched area by many psychologists. Hence, reporting a suicide case to the mass community is a big no-no. Needless to say, about a primary school kid who did it for the sake of financial problems which is partially caused by the school. I am concerned about thousands of other school kids outside who's facing the same problem as the victim who happened to read the news, the state of their young minds to follow or be influenced by the norm and the norm is what the media portray it as (!). To some individual this may well be a new information, but to all well-educated and well-read staffs working in a media press, or in the government department concerning with the media or any related areas, it is no longer an unfamiliar information. How do we even call ourselves a growing and improving country when even a small matter like the media press is not even well controlled and informed? Most countries have banned the act of reporting any case of suicides in newspapers for a good reason.
Then, came the thought that, is the media being not well enough informed or it's another case of ignorance. The media tends to portray things that can catch most people's attention - for the sake of their earning. Anyway, either way, it's a huge disappointment.
No wonder there's a huge focus on double degree of Mass Comm. together with Psychology in Canada and the States. When one is doing a mass communication with the community and the society, to be sensitive and well-educated about humans' state of mind is indeed extremely important..indeed doing the right thing is essential.
Instead of being overconcerned about what the media will report about the ugly side of the government, or putting extra effort to ban news that are against this government, why don't they turn around now and put that extra effort to control what's bad for the society?
After spending almost 5 years oversea, I can't even comprehend how I've lived the past 15 years or so of my life, in the type of society which I wouldn't choose to live in now. For at least 15 years, I've called this place, this society and community my home.
After a week or so back from Perth, I woke up one morning to a big, highlighted head line on the first page of the local daily newspaper about a local primary school kid who committed suicide. My eyes darted through the piece of detailed information. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded and upset. Truth to be told, not about the kid but about how local newspaper reported it. I read it word by word and somehow got pretty furious with it, as I flipped back and forth now for any information where I can lodge a complain.
Why?..Because suicide is contagious!! This is a scientifically proven and well-researched area by many psychologists. Hence, reporting a suicide case to the mass community is a big no-no. Needless to say, about a primary school kid who did it for the sake of financial problems which is partially caused by the school. I am concerned about thousands of other school kids outside who's facing the same problem as the victim who happened to read the news, the state of their young minds to follow or be influenced by the norm and the norm is what the media portray it as (!). To some individual this may well be a new information, but to all well-educated and well-read staffs working in a media press, or in the government department concerning with the media or any related areas, it is no longer an unfamiliar information. How do we even call ourselves a growing and improving country when even a small matter like the media press is not even well controlled and informed? Most countries have banned the act of reporting any case of suicides in newspapers for a good reason.
Then, came the thought that, is the media being not well enough informed or it's another case of ignorance. The media tends to portray things that can catch most people's attention - for the sake of their earning. Anyway, either way, it's a huge disappointment.
No wonder there's a huge focus on double degree of Mass Comm. together with Psychology in Canada and the States. When one is doing a mass communication with the community and the society, to be sensitive and well-educated about humans' state of mind is indeed extremely important..indeed doing the right thing is essential.
Instead of being overconcerned about what the media will report about the ugly side of the government, or putting extra effort to ban news that are against this government, why don't they turn around now and put that extra effort to control what's bad for the society?
posted by pink penguin at
2:13 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home