As a citizen I believe it is VERY important to be “informed”. I should know what is happening in my local area, region, country and also the global issues that impact my life. This is the only way of being equal and fair, everyone has this right. Being informed will help me make more educated decisions and even take part in issues I strongly believe in or even the opposite, issues I feel may impact me negatively.
I do not believe I am as informed as I should be. Governments are forever hiding important information or not even telling people at all. Why else are there so many conspiracy theories around, for example the war with Iraq? I am not a person who believes in conspiracy theories, but does this make me gullible as I have just stated that “I do not believe I am as informed as I should be”? People should know why their country has gone to war with another country. With issues like this the government need to inform a nation and not be touchy with the subject, especially with the Iraq war as it had so much controversy surrounding it anyway. Not all people trust what comes out of the government’s mouths because they are not informed enough.
On the other hand, you could take the complete opposite view with this. The government may only be holding information back from a nation or the globe for their own good. I am sure I would not want to know some issues that may have arisen, like you see in action movies. Especially if they are trying to solve the problem, telling the public would cause mass panic and not help the situation.
Some people may not be informed enough through their own fault. About serious issues I am informed by the media. I read the newspaper, watch the 24 hour news channels and the top stories appear on my homepage on the internet. Since being at university and living in halls I am not as well informed. The paper I would read at home because my Dad would buy this, so it would always be there. In halls there is no signal for my television to work cannot watch any news channels. All I get now is the local news from the radio station that is on in the flat kitchen and the news that appears on my homepage when I go online. I could put more effort into finding out more information.
Regional news is easy to be informed about. In the evening you have “ITV Central” and “Midlands Today” on television. You get the “Metro” to read when you travel on public transport and even have the “Chronicle” posted free through your letterbox. Local news I believe can be a bit more word of mouth and can become gossip when passed from person to person. These tend to be small issues that would not make the news regionally but may have impact on your life. So locally I do not believe I am informed at all.
Complicated decisions should not be left to others. In the past people have fought for the right to vote and be a part of a fair and equal nation in this world. So many people pay taxes, for example, into their country and have the right to be informed so they can make their own decisions. Being informed is up to them at the end of the day. The media is so wide and varied. If you choose to ignore it, you choose to not be informed. Maybe then these people should not make important decisions.
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What role do you think formal education (i.e. in school/college) should take in informing us about important issues?
ReplyDeleteTry to include some weblinks in your blog to help back-up your argument or direct people to sources of further information about the issue.