Advances of media technology

                                    Shooting outside Empire State Building

   As I type this, a shooting outside the Empire State Building just occurred around 2 hours ago. Two people have been confirmed dead so far and has been identified as the gunman and his former manager. My deepest condolences go to those affected tragically by the shooting and I hope those injured will recover swiftly and fully.

  The news is constantly being updated and there is even a live news reportage on Yahoo! news as well. This is all happening a few thousand miles away in another foreign country and here I am watching a live coverage of the crime scene in my bedroom. As much as I am saddened by this tragedy, ever since I became a 'mass comm' student I have come to realize what an important role the media plays in our lives and this is one of those very moment. Just 70 years ago our grand fathers would have to wait a week or two to receive news from abroad on the news paper. Who would have thought at that time that we would be so globally connected right now? News spread so fast and wide that almost everyone will have a fair chance at knowing what's going on around the world. I only look forward to what media technology has in store for us in the future. Do you?

This is War

     Upon watching Baraka, a scene that particularly struck a chord with me was of Highway 80 in Iraq or, more commonly known as the 'Highway of Death'. Just to give a brief summary, it was the site of an attack by American aircrafts and ground forces on retreating Iraqi army personnel along with others who were escaping Kuwait during the Gulf War resulting in the death of an estimated hundreds to thousands. Since then , the U.S. has proceeded to involve itself in numerous conflicts and major wars as well.

     Why do we fight wars? Is it human nature to be naturally violent? Are most of us just exceptionally good at masking our natural violent tendencies that may exist in all of us? These are questions that I sometimes wonder to myself. I won't lie about one thing though, I enjoy watching action packed movies including but not limited to the recent 'Expendables 2, Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers'. Nothing pumps my masculine side more than a good 'shoot-out' scene and it sure does give you that all American cowboy feeling. However, in real life though war is painful. It is not as depicted in movies with the glory, patriotism and bravery. Will there ever be a time when every single country and community on earth are able to agree upon the same thing?

     I believe we fight mainly because of differing beliefs and interests. What maybe right to some, maybe wrong to another. A country in need of resources will go to desperate measures to obtain it. It is an instinct after all to always believe that we are usually right. And when the time has come and the world eventually uses up its own natural resources, we will then witness the trial of humanity as we know it. Will we fight to the very last drop of oil? Or will we share every last bit? Will the principles that we have set for ourselves stand when all has fallen?

I do not know. But I do know that if we do not end war, it will end us.

A pinch of salt goes a long way;

     In today's world we are all mass communicating on almost every level. From interpersonal to the mass media, it is only expected that the information passed along sometime may not be as accurate as it should be. And thus with this, I always think twice when I read the news especially when it comes to things such as politics, conflicts and even celebrity gossips. Especially celebrity gossips.

     A good example would be those instances when I come across articles of a certain celebrity doing a good deed for an underprivileged child or the likes. Now don't get me wrong, I am an avid supporter of charity and helping the underprivileged but it's disappointing to see a celebrity or public figure doing it for the publicity. I sometimes wonder whether these people who 'visit' them have the ability to empathize with those in need. Having sympathy and empathy are two distinctive feelings. Smiling next to a natural disaster victim sometimes just seem a little too fake to me. I do not doubt that the victim will get some positive help in way one or another but will the help ever be lasting? Will these people ever have a place in the celebrities heart? I think that's probably what irks me the most, the fact that a lot of these charitable celebrities do not empathize with those in need but instead sympathize with them. They feel sorry and pity for the victims but rarely do they make an effort to empathize with them, to try to put themselves in the victim's shoes. Of course, there are indeed those who are different and are genuinely trying to help without any aim of publicity. But I find that those are rare and far between especially in today's news.

     This can also be seen among politicians who somehow become a lot more charitable when it's close to the elections. A sudden influx of televisions and radios to rural areas just a couple months before the elections is a little too conveniently timed. Does this aid continue on after the elections is over? I honestly do not know. Unfortunately, these scenarios occurs in a lot of countries. A headline of the government sending electrical appliances and the such in bold on the front page of the newspaper just a month before a political election does not sit well with me. And as such with the media, I always will take these news with a pinch of salt and look more into the motivations and objectives the news media may discretely have.

     All in all, I suppose this is just one of the many drawbacks of the mass media. There are many more but this is one of those that affect me on a more personal level. After submitting this I shall head downstairs to read today's paper as the radio plays in the background with a nice cup of tea.. and maybe a biscuit or two.