Critical thinking has become a lost art form filled with media’s attempt to persuade us to sidetrack our ability to come to a conclusion, based on the facts.
The majority of our lives have become soundbites and pundit or network-based propaganda. While propaganda often has facts or fragments of truth interspersed, it is designed to further a particular entity. You must always consider the source!
As kids, we often repeated information we “heard,” regardless of its truth. We simply passed it on to those willing to listen or those unaware of its impact. As educated adults, we are supposed to have learned how to take information at face value until we, ourselves, have the opportunity to dissect or discern its validity.
News media nowadays, tells you something enough times and enough ways that you will then begin to believe it. By the time you hear or read something and try to fully comprehend the message, the ticker at the bottom of the page has moved you to the next thought. Overwhelming citizens with constant information is considered a form of mind control. We have to become better stewards of information by challenging ourselves to read more, research more and give less status to those who read teleprompters or simply give a limited perspective.
Ask “where’s the beef?” Where’s the meat of the issue? I don’t just want the so-called “juicy details,” I want the meat! I want to see all sides, not just one or two perspectives.
How many issues that our nation is facing today, do you fully understand? How many ways do you get your information? Who’s voice do you trust? Are you seeking the facts or do you just need a sprinkle of pundits and a taste of op-eds? Are you seeking to be informed or entertained in this age of sensationalized and “soap-opera” news?
We are so programmed to someone giving us the answers that its hypocritical and disingenuous for us to ask our kids to think for themselves and not cheat their way through life. The cable networks are proud participants in this “Cliff Notes” Information Age. Remember when you didn’t want or have the time to read the complete book in school? You used the Cliff Notes to get the summary. You may have passed the test but never fully comprehended the entire story, because you didn’t read it for yourself.
Is it media’s fault? No. It’s ours. We, the African-American community, don’t even have a major cable network, like BET or TVOne, that will invest in news from our perspective. Entertainment rules. If it doesn’t ”make money” they won’t do it. This is a sad commentary! But we seem to just be “happy” to have something. In this case, something is nothing at all. Demand gives way to more supply and unfortunately to our detriment!
We have to learn to read and know more for ourselves about the world around us. We went through the past 8 years with blinders on to the demise of our economy, our integrity, and to a large part, our future. We didn’t fight hard enough for our ideals and our rights. But in 2009, we have a president that speaks for transparency after years of secrecy. But here’s the kicker…are we willing to take advantage of our constitutional rights to know what is going on under our noses? Are we willing to speak out, do the work, decipher the information, and make the tough decisions?
I am, are you?
