Food For Thought

2007-05-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

Armed, online and dangerous

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend of young people using blogs or online journals to criticize people they disliked or even for publishing disturbing videos of violence and cruelty. In fact, in the new era of cyberspace, blogs are no longer portrayed as simple tools for expressing one’s feelings. On the contrary, the former has morphed into lethal weapons of destruction, with the ability of reaching people from all walks of life globally, with the mere click of a computer mouse. This has been highlighted by the recent case of a Hillgrove Secondary School student ranting on her blog that her classmate, Debra Wong, 14, a Secondary 3 Singaporean student, “deserved to die”. Incidents like the above are no longer out of the ordinary and are gaining popularity among the young.

Yet, what has accounted for this change in the attitudes and behaviour of teenagers? Has society deteriorated to such a stage, that verbal discussions to solve problems are useless and we must resort to such despicable measures, such as circulating incriminating pictures of our nemesis, to bring ourselves satisfaction and power? This is indeed a thought-provoking issue, which has dire consequences if allowed to persist.

Research has shown that a majority of 24 said their blogs were no holds barred and 20 said they wanted their blogs read. This suggests that teens no longer see their blogs as journals to vent their frustrations and express their feelings, but intricate tools to gain popularity among their friends. In cyberspace, status is measured in numbers. The more hits, friends and cross-links you get, the higher your social standing. No doubt, this has serious consequences. While teenagers are more connected now, that connection is superficial. Because they do not meet face to face, their friends in cyberspace might as well be aliens from another planet. Moreover, this desperate hunger for fame and social standing would only lead to materialism. In the face of the need for popularity, blogs seem to be the best solution.

In conclusion, blogs have indeed gained a hold on young people. Yet, we must not let this situation take a turn for the worse. Measures must be taken now to curb this problem.

Impact of the Mass Media on Society

2007-05-01T01:07:00.000-07:00

In the 21st Century, information technology and the mass media have progressed by leaps and bounds. Simply glance at your surroundings and you will discover various means of communication reaching large numbers of people. You can obtain entertainment, knowledge, political updates and the like. Indeed, the mass media has a powerful impact on the people. Publication of news and advertisements in the visual form, no doubt leaves a deep imprint on the minds and therefore, has a more lasting effect.

The mass media has allowed the government to update its citizens on recent government policies and the former’s rationale behind the change in certain government policies. This has been achieved through the use of newspapers, television news channels and the internet. Let me cite some recent examples. The recent furor of the public, regarding the increase in ministerial pay and escalating Goods and Services Tax (GST) were potential political fallouts. Using the mass media with the greatest savvy the government is able to assuage the public the necessities of the introduction of these policies, the public now understands that the increase in ministerial hike would serve as an incentive to attract the best and the brightest talents to serve in the government, bringing Singapore to greater benefits to the island republic and bringing national progress to greater heights. On the other hand, the GST hike would allow the opportunity for new consolidate of economic infrastructure and facilities to help the poor and needy in Singapore, alleviating their plight and allowing the latter to create a more egalitarian society. Hence, the mass media has allowed the government to kill two birds with one stone, pacifying the people on sensitive political issues and bringing to light these important policies.

Similarly, the mass media has made the rapid spread of spread of knowledge possible; leading to the progress of Man. Human beings can access to information via various internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Wikipeadia. Information once ‘hidden’ in books, could only be obtained by poring over page after page of paper print, can now be easily obtained, simply through the click of a computer mouse. Online research papers and learning tools such as "www.brightsparks.com.sg” allow the public to obtain new information and expand their scope of knowledge. Moreover, the information can also be disseminated to the general public via emails, interface conferences, blogs and the like.

The mass media is a convenient vehicle where information on entertainment is easily accessible to members of the public too. Simply log on to the internet, switch on the television or glance at your surroundings and you will find information on entertainment everywhere. This is no doubt due to the use of advertisements. Posters alert us to the latest films available (for instance Spiderman 3) and television advertisements highlight various forms of entertainment available to the general public (such as Escape Theme Park).

Like the proverbial statement, “there are two sides to a coin”, the mass media have their demerits too. Although they have increased the accessibility of information, it has also exaggerated certain scandalous or unhealthy issues such as violence and pornography. Unfounded rumours and allegations spread like wild fire in cyber space such as blogs, e-mails. Paparazzi, in order to increase their sales, duel on sensational news. To exacerabate matters, the news published is often “juicy”, exaggerated and bias. For instance, Princess Diana was hounded by the paparazzi until she was driven to her death. In the 2006 Fifa World Cup, journalists and news presenters paid more attention to Zinedine Zidane’s attack on Italian defender Marco Materazzi, instead of focusing wholly on the results of the soccer match. Furthermore, the mass circulation of videos of the massacre South Korean Cho Seung Hui in Virginia Tech University, leading to the loss of 32 precious lives, has led to speculation that further “copy cats “ murders be committed in the future. Thus, the mass media could inadvertently affect the general public indirectly advocating or sanctioning violence and bad habits.such as viewing of pornography.

In conclusion, while the mass media may have their demerits their merits outweigh the former. We must note the powerful impact the mass media on society. A final parting statement is the mass media add much colour and vibrancy to our dreary and monotonous lives.

The world mourns with North America

2007-04-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

On Monday, 16th April 2007, South Korean student Cho Seung Hui, 23 carried out a horrifying massacre of students at Virginia Tech University, where he was an English major in his senior year. In the mayhem that unfolded, thirty-three people, including the gunman, were killed. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

The tragedy began at 7.15am on Monday, when Cho Seung Hui murdered two people in a high-rise coed dormitory. Following that, he armed himself with an ammunition belt and weapons, including a 22-calibre handgun and 9mm handgun and proceeded to chain several doors of the building, before shooting students in each classroom methodically. The trapped students had Hobson’s choice but to meet their tragic death. In fact, several terrified students resorted to jumping out of windows, in a desperate bid to escape the jaws of death.

The sudden occurrence of such a gruesome and shocking incident has raised several thought-provoking questions. Firstly, has the culture of society evolved so drastically, that violence is simply viewed as a “norm” in society? This is the question that begs an answer. In the 21st Century, young people no longer attempt to find peaceful means to problems. On the contrary, they often resort to violence and revenge to vent their pent-up frustrations and to solve conflicts. Violence is no longer seen as an alternative solution, but a necessary tool to be used freely when needed. Yet, what has led to this great change in the attitudes and culture of young people? What reasons lie behind the fact that esprit de corp no longer prevails? Perhaps it is the influence of the mass media or the rise of materialism. No one knows for sure.

Secondly, reports have shown that Cho Seung Hui carried out the massacre as he felt despised, alienated and ostracized, possibly due to his native origins. This exemplifies that mutual respect and racial equal9ity is imperative for a harmonious society to co-exist. If Cho Seung Hui’s fellow classmates had given him his much-needed respect and offered him a helping hand in times of need, he would have felt loved and not bear to wield his weapons against them. Moreover, they should not despise his native origins and ethnicity. After all, “beneath the skin, the blood is red”. Everyone has their individual capabilities and positive qualities.

Thirdly, this tragedy has re-ignited the debate on the liberal sale of guns and tougher gun laws. If guns are truly necessary to ensure the safety of each individual, how can we regulate the use of guns strictly? Besides a legal age limit, there should also be regular checks on young people to ensure there is no misuse of these guns. Hopefully, better laws will be passed in the near future to ensure the safety of the people.

In conclusion, this tragedy has highlighted the changing culture eof young people and the need to change their flawed mentality. Violence is certainly not a solution to any situation and we should take drastic measures to curb this problem and change their flawed mentality.

The tragedy has highlighted the importance of social responsibility. People who came into contact with Cho Seung Hui and found him suffering from psychological problems should have alerted the relevant authorities. If only someone had warned the authorities, the tragedy would have been averted. We really should learn from hindsight.

Riots in South Thailand (:

2007-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, 17th March, 2007, a group of terrorists attacked a Muslim boarding school in South Thailand, killing 3 students. The attack triggered a riot in South Thailand, raising tension among Muslims and Buddhists alike.

The demonstrators torched two government owned buildings and assaulted the police with stones and interfered with investigations carried out by the police. According to the local police chief, Thammasak Wasasiri, he believed that Muslims insurgents were responsible for the attack. They were probably radicalized Muslims, attempting to sow discord among local residents. This is a trick frequently used by these insurgents to stir up trouble. However, the residents were not convinced that it was their comrades who were responsible for this attack. Instead, the former accused paratroopers of attacking the school.

The Thai King called on the people to stay calm. He claimed that criminals and shadowy characters were orchestrating the attacks and counter-attacks to stir up racial and religious hatred. Meanwhile, Abu Najhan, a member of the excutive organization of the Pattani United Liberation Organisation, commented to the press, “Our struggle is not against our Buddhist brothers. Our struggle is for justice and balanced economic development…We are appealing to the King of Thailand to intervene. Thai people, regardless of race or religion, will abide by the King’s command”.

There is a need to address the troubled situation in Southern Thailand quickly by the relevant authorities, as it can lead to dire consequences. Should the situation persist, more attacks could ensue, escalating racial tensions further, claiming precious lives and disrupting the peace and stability of the country. Residents would live in fear for their lives and foreign investors would be driven out of the country, due to the deteriorating economy and the dangerous surroundings. This would cause the Thai economy to plunge further, accompanied with by violent demonstrations and perhaps endless terrorism. The virulent situation could attract radical Muslims to interfere in local affairs thus escalating the turmoil region. The it will be more difficult to solve the turbulent south.

In conclusion, we can surmise the importance of racial and religious and religions tolerance. The racial fabric of a country is very fragile and we need to be sensitive to the needs of the various ethnic groups because violence could be the other alternative.

2007-03-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

A warm welcome to one and all! I am Claudia Khng from Anderson Junior College, PDG 25/07 and my CCAs are squash and Project Eureka. I am particularly interested in the field of science research and hope to enter this economic sector one day. I feel that although most people give credit to doctors who administer medicine, carry out sugeries and cure them of their diseases and illnesses, it is the medical researches who deserve the most credit. The researchers are indeed people who are worthy of the praise as they have sacrificed much time and effort, attempting to discover a cure for a particular disease. Without the meidcal researches, the doctors would be akin to a car without wheels, unable to perform their function of administering medicine to the critically ill and the injured. Through this blog, entitled "Food for Thought", I would like to seek to bring to your attention the important issues of the world, such as poverty, terrorism, violation of human rights etc. Perhaps these blog entries would indeed provide you with "food for thought", giving you the opportunity to think how pressing issues can be solved or simply a chance to realise how fortunate we are to live in Singapore, the safe and secure "little red dot".