Is politician
a dirty word in Slovakia like it is in Vietnam or Pakistan? Should it be?
To what extent can anger help or hinder us in pushing for political
change? Do we have solo protestors in
Slovakia? Do we need more of them? Is a journalist’s vocation to tell (their)
stories? Which role is the most virtuous or most effective: elected official,
activist or journalist?
Hi. Welcome to the blog for my IB English B class at Jur Hronec High School in Bratislava, Slovakia. Below you will find links to other websites and discussion questions. My students are required to comment on one of these postings every month and also respond to each other's comments. Feel free to add your two bits, but be aware that all comments are monitored before being posted.
I would say that, especially after the recent parliamentary election, politician is a dirty word in Slovakia. I believe that the general opinion of the citizens of Slovakia towards politicians is similar to what Duc wrote in one of his notes: “Politicians cheat, lie, steal and they like doing those things.” It is worth noting that whilst I believe that most people in Slovakia think badly of politicians, it does not mean that they will agree on who actually is the bad one. The society in Slovakia is split into 2 political fandoms with each favoring one political spectrum and despising the other one.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I partially agree with what Duc wrote on his other note saying: “Politicians don’t like journalists.” I think it is important to say that politicians do not like independent media. As an example, I believe that the current coalition seems to loathe the independent side of media which they likely have no control over. A piece of proof is the fact that politicians from the coalition, even the current Prime Minister, publicly said that they will not communicate with media such as Dennik N, Aktuality or Dennik SME. However, they seem not to be bothered by media that avoid criticism, including criticism towards them. Ideally, politicians should not have control over the media because the media should act independently and inform the public with news that is not biased.
Moreover, reacting to Duc’s opinion on anger, I do not think that it should be the primary motivator for people to address political issues. When being angry about politics, it is good to recognize that feeling. However, people should wait to calm down before making decisions based on their rage. They should find out what the actual problem is and then make a rational decision. Otherwise, acting based on anger could lead to making mistakes and potentially escalating situations, maybe even causing unwanted violence such as in some protests.
- Oliver T.
I both agree and disagree with Duc when it comes to his statement about politicians lying, stealing and playing dirty. Of course, it is not difficult to find examples of such behavior. We do not even have to cross this country’s borders. However, I am of the opinion that it is too broad generalization and sheds bad light on all people involved in politics, thus discouraging those who would like to engage in politics with good and honourable intentions. A clear example is the article’s author.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic I would like to touch on is the idea of anger as a motivator. The situation Duc found himself in is unimaginable for me but I agree that he had every right to be enraged. I think any of us would be. Nevertheless, I think one should exercise caution when using feelings, be it anger, hate or love, as an incentive. Emotions are known for overriding our rational thinking and mudding our judgement, thus resulting in making decisions we might later regret.
Reasonable and level-headed actions and statements are even more important in case of people with greater reach, be it journalists, politicians, celebrities and nowadays also influencers. Politicians like telling emotional stories because this way they are more likely to get support from people due to the feelings of empathy or sympathy. Emotional stories are like wild fires. They spread very quickly and are hard to extinguish. Just look at all the violent protests that are becoming increasingly common around the world.
Finaly I would like to say that I admire Duc’s courage to emigrate at such a young age. I also agree that it is a journalist’s vocation to tell stories. Some journalists risk their own safety in order to let public know about corruption, frauds, tax evasions.
- Oliver K.