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The writer of this article seems to be claiming that the role of the media should be to criticize national policies and structures rather than those of other countries. Do you agree? Is this a realistic expectation? How can citizens of democratic countries best form an unbiased view of their own country, including its faults? Do you admire these boys for criticizing US policy after being released, or are they “biting the hand that feeds them?”
The writer of this article seems to be claiming that the role of the media should be to criticize national policies and structures rather than those of other countries. Do you agree? Is this a realistic expectation? How can citizens of democratic countries best form an unbiased view of their own country, including its faults? Do you admire these boys for criticizing US policy after being released, or are they “biting the hand that feeds them?”
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I think that to expect the mass media of a country with such patriotic views as the US to look at its own government, politics and culture and be honest and critical about it is, in my opinion, more than we can expect - if not downright unrealistic. To think that the citizen of a country could be critical about its own nation is a lot more probable and this is a lot more common, at least in countries around Europe. The media in many countries is, unlike the people, at least partially controlled by the politicians and the people who are responsible for its well-being. These people are more likely to set a degree of censorship in order to convey a message that the county is prospering and being led by intelligent people.
ReplyDeleteAn honest and critical point of view can be expected from international media sources such as BBC, CNN etc. Personally I am more inclined to admire and agree with the people that wrote the article as it visibly isn’t biased and provides both points of view towards what happened. Citizens provide an unbiased point of view as they on one hand have some degree of pride for their country but, on the other hand, will be critical of their government as ordinary people are usually touchy about whatever their current government does wrong.