Post by Islamic Revival on Dec 23, 2004 5:03:00 GMT -5
As-salam alaikum,
I find it chilling how those in power, in machiavellian style, can so easily manipulate the general population.
Take the Iraq war for instance. The western population, in general, was manipulated into thinking there was some threat. This includes the media.
In Pakistan, people are usually brainwashed into thinking that India is a threat. These crises often come at election time, when the establishment needs people to rally around the leader. And fear and insecurity helps to do that.
I think it's ridiculously easy to manipulate emotions. In Britain or the US, when someone dies (like 911), they interview the families, show little children of the deceased, and generate a lot of sympathy. Counter that with when a Palestinian dies. To many, it's just another number. There are no interviews of family members, no history of the person who died. We become desensitized.
When I watch the news, regarding any arab-israeli conflict, the israelis are articulate and even speak English with an American accent, whereas the Arabs speak difficult-to-understand English.
My question is, how much of all this do you think clouds your judgement and the judgement of others. If you think about where your sympathies lie, and why? With the advent of the media and technology has it become easier to manipulate the general public? or has this always been done in the past?
How should we learn to break away and judge right from wrong despite superficialities?
Looking forward to your replies.
I find it chilling how those in power, in machiavellian style, can so easily manipulate the general population.
Take the Iraq war for instance. The western population, in general, was manipulated into thinking there was some threat. This includes the media.
In Pakistan, people are usually brainwashed into thinking that India is a threat. These crises often come at election time, when the establishment needs people to rally around the leader. And fear and insecurity helps to do that.
I think it's ridiculously easy to manipulate emotions. In Britain or the US, when someone dies (like 911), they interview the families, show little children of the deceased, and generate a lot of sympathy. Counter that with when a Palestinian dies. To many, it's just another number. There are no interviews of family members, no history of the person who died. We become desensitized.
When I watch the news, regarding any arab-israeli conflict, the israelis are articulate and even speak English with an American accent, whereas the Arabs speak difficult-to-understand English.
My question is, how much of all this do you think clouds your judgement and the judgement of others. If you think about where your sympathies lie, and why? With the advent of the media and technology has it become easier to manipulate the general public? or has this always been done in the past?
How should we learn to break away and judge right from wrong despite superficialities?
Looking forward to your replies.