Critics on Mass Media in the 21st Century

Twentieth-first century is here and now. It has been nine years since the dawn of 21st century. Mass media today seems enormous, in comparison to the petty year of 2000. We have truly grasped the full-scale mass media and communications; such memory is an idle reminder of Nazism for Germans. I recognize that it is unfair to compare the 1930s Nazi Germany and modern American politics, because mass media is more of anti-propaganda. As I write about the American mass media, one thought remains: what about the rest of world?

We live in a very awkward time. Individualistic privacy no longer exists; computers have taken the control of our lives and jobs. Such period is known as Information Age. The problem is, however, that information is so widespread. Some may be in the form of propaganda, as clearly seen in terrorist circles in the Arabic mass media; others may be related to news, daily living of friends, relatives, learned materials, and so on. What has brought us further to this point is thus: information is no longer stable. The very system of mass media is voiced aloud around the world; to the point that politics as well as religion has brought sheep to the slaughterhouse.

Being unstable may not be a bad thing. For instance, if information is fully stable, then we would live in a dystopian society comparable to George Orwell’s 1984, or some kind of political instrument that prey on people’s privacy, rights, and lives. One positive outcome may be that terrorism would be reduced significantly. With information being unstable, however, we cannot know the outcome. It is unpredictable at minimum; for instance, one could make up a story or news for the ‘good’ of the public. That reduces our trust in government, journalism, or perhaps even civilization itself. One positive effect from such instability may be that we have our privacy, rights, and liberty for our lives.

I realize that there is no need to dissect the subject one by one. I feel obliged to do so, not because I want to entertain audience, but rather that I have the urge of necessity to inform the audience. There are many uneducated Internet surfers that may not realize the dilemma of 21st century technology. Internet has thus so far invited terrorism, people, friends, relatives, workers, and school-goers to the lid of all-in-the-glass jar. We can do anything that we want as we please, whether it be immoral or moral. Thus, information age has introduced the very globalization of international politics.