True democracy depend on the participation of a well informed and well educated population. Not to sound like a snob, but that just simply is not the case.
One way a population can stay informed about issue is from the press. But when the press start to feel "compromised" trust in that information comes into question.
One way a population can stay informed about issue is from the press. But when the press start to feel "compromised" trust in that information comes into question.
Having a free and functioning press is a major tool for the masses to stay informed, yet when the press is under attack like it is now, that becomes harder. When the people start to lose trust in media they are less likely to stay informed, I mean, why would you read something that you have no faith in its validity. The problem with this is that people are more likely to be ill informed about important issues or people are more likely to just believe things that agree with their core beliefs.
The other reason to have a free press is so that they can help keep the Government in check. By reporting and constantly asking questions about the laws and policies they in act. But it becomes very hard to keep someone in check if that someone is also paying your bills. It stars to get rather fuzzy when these institutions are !in the pocket" of the people that they are reporting on.
In this time of uncertainty it is up to the people to do some fact checking before they consume any type of media news, but also to branch out and consume other forms of media.This is why education plays such a vital role in society. The more educated and rational people are, the less likely they will turn to fits of hysteria.
Long gone are the times when access to higher education was free and available to all, and people were actually encouraged to aim for a degree or higher, now people are scared off by the amount of debt you have at the end of it. By no means does having a degree makes you smarter but people should always have the chance to choose whether or not to go into higher education, and by " pricing out" swathes of the population they are actively denying you the chance to choose.
The other way our democracy is being eroded is by the "powers that be" attacking and often criminalizing acts of solidarity. --- More on that in my next blog, remember people: democracy is fragile and will only continue to exist if we remain active participants!
In this time of uncertainty it is up to the people to do some fact checking before they consume any type of media news, but also to branch out and consume other forms of media.This is why education plays such a vital role in society. The more educated and rational people are, the less likely they will turn to fits of hysteria.
Long gone are the times when access to higher education was free and available to all, and people were actually encouraged to aim for a degree or higher, now people are scared off by the amount of debt you have at the end of it. By no means does having a degree makes you smarter but people should always have the chance to choose whether or not to go into higher education, and by " pricing out" swathes of the population they are actively denying you the chance to choose.
The other way our democracy is being eroded is by the "powers that be" attacking and often criminalizing acts of solidarity. --- More on that in my next blog, remember people: democracy is fragile and will only continue to exist if we remain active participants!
No comments:
Post a Comment