Friday, January 17, 2014

Forging a nation of united, gullible people


Thanks to blogger SatD for the link to this excellent article from Journalist's Resource. I think it helps explain why there is a terrifyingly high incidence of gullibility among Malaysians, especially Netizens. 
A minute to read the article, my comments at the end of it.


Last year, Malaysian Netizens were falling for all kinds of deliberate misinformation and even outright lies, from 40,000 Bangladeshis coming here supposedly to vote during the general election to Ungku Aziz's kangkung puisi intended by some quarters to add credibility to their efforts to oust/embarrass Najib Razak. 
My tweet on the denial by Ungku Aziz

The evils of social media: The puisi that Ungku Aziz never wrote

Where did this guy get Ungku Aziz's puisi from, MCMC?

We will continue to be easily duped and screwed until we decide to wisen up and do a bit of fact checking ourselves every time we and, more importantly, use our common sense. 
There are useful tips in the article for the many clueless aides and advisers to politicians and ministers but the relevant authorities, such as the MCMC, should be armed to fight misinformation before we turn into a nation of united gullible people.
Enjoy the long Thaipusam weekend. Peace!

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:59 pm

    I don't agree.

    I read Utusan and NST and watch TV3. Plus I listen to Jakim's friday sermons in support of the GST. In addition, I regularly browse blogs that receive direct payments from the government, from taxpayer money. I read these blogs because they are neutral. Whoops, then why are they accepting payment then? Hmmmmm. Confusing.

    Maybe Utusan has the answer?

    They are neutral too, and answer to nobody.

    ReplyDelete
  2. IT.Scheiss4:07 pm

    That folks, is why I call myself "IT.Scheiss"

    Sure, the Internet allows us much access to all kinds of information, incomplete information, mis-information and so on and at the end of the day, it's what we choose to believe and dis-believe.

    There was a New Age utopian who said that the Internet would lead to all of us arriving at a "single universal consciousness."

    That comes from the ultimate aim of Hinduism and of the Buddhist concept of attainment of enlightenment and attainment of Nibbana (Nirvana) after one's death.

    In achieving those spiritual objectives, one attains exactly the same understanding, truths and knowledge as the supreme godhead, with no diversity of views.

    After all, there can only be one truth. People have argued over whether the earth is flat or round but once all the evidence proves that the earth is round, there is no further room for debate as to its shape.

    On the other hand, the Internet has led not only to massive diversity of thoughts, opinions and understandings, whether right or wrong, so in no way can nor will ever lead to a single, coherent universal consciousness.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:28 pm

    i will like to see when the gun back fire and fire back on you . I will have good laugh at you , because at the end of the day you are just ass clown.

    ReplyDelete
  4. drMpower7:19 am

    So when that pratt zul want to start apologizing? Dont kona kona. Show some respect to himself. Thats the very least a moslem like him should do

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:27 am

    It must be the Malaysian education system that is to blame.

    After all,successive cohorts of children who learn by rote, who have a less than decent command of English and who are brought up to believe that "meritocracy" is a dirty word, have only themselves to blame if they fall prey to con artists and hatemongers who trawl the Internet.

    There's such a thing as chickens coming home to roost.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous7:38 pm

    It another joke rocky. No need to prove its authenticity. That also you blur. Must be eating too much kangkong lor!!!! Chill

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous1:26 pm

    Rocky should Speak for himself having been the Most Gullible of All UMNO Bloggers....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4:19 pm

    There's nothing we can do about it. People choose what they want to believe. we can't imposed our own reality on them, aren't we? They have their own way on looking at things. They trawl the internet too just like us. They know what they're doing.
    I don't get it why people wanted to shove their self-serving address on education into the picture. Decision on PPSMI is final. Just let it go will ya.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9:02 pm

    Regardless of who wrote the puisi, I find it quite well-written, and it reflects the current situation.

    We should appreciate and enjoy good prose and 'hayati' their meanings.

    ReplyDelete