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.