Media Manipulation

The term Media Manipulation is a well known concept in the 21^st century. The basic idea is to expose the large conspiracy carried out by the manipulators and reveal to the world how much of what they thought was true is in essence an intricate web of lies directed at a inculcating a specific thought process. The whole concept, as researched by Noam Chomsky and Ben Bagdikian, is to abolish the myth that democratic countries have a free media, that a privately owned media enterprise is not a politically impartial media network and how the diversity of media ownership has discreetly narrowed down to a few hands.

According to Chomsky, Media manipulation was actively carried out in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson to turn the complacent masses of the United States to war hungry civilians during the Second World War. The large scale propaganda launched during his administration was successful enough for the US to justify entering the World War with a resounding majority supporting the decision, where as just a few months earlier they had considered American involvement in the European based war quite unnecessary. In one quick campaign, the population was put under an eminent communist scare and destroyed trade union and freedom of press. This successful campaign was the start of blatant manipulation that got full support of the independent US media.

US media today is the pinnacle of manipulative schemes carried out by governments wishing to curb the information being transmitted across the civilian masses. In a research carried out by Bagdikian in 1997, pointed out that if media products such as news papers, magazines, book publishers, and radio and television stations were owned by separate individuals, there would be a total of 25000 owners. Such a vast spread of media proves the importance this kind of information distribution network holds. To learn that 25000 sources of media are bent on exalting a specific ideology across the globe for the interests of a few elitist or political individuals is indeed a huge breach of freedom as advocated by democracy. Such a large scale infringement of rights is happening amongst us is not a hard phenomenon to prove. In fact, there are large databases that are hidden from the public, but available to us now which openly declare the manipulation of the independent media in everyday life.

Cuba & the Missile Crisis 1962

Though Cuba has been an ongoing struggle of events against the USA, the revolution has brought Cubans far from prosperity. Cubans endure. Surviving the dissolution of the Soviet system has been a heavy burden. Fidel Castro calls it a 'special period' and he exhorts Cubans to shoulder the shortages, to brace themselves against declining sugar prices, to share the physical and psychological isolation, to shore up the eroding gains of the Cuban Revolution. 'Socialismo o muerte' ('Socialism or death') a billboard proclaims. But as the growing 'dollar economy' puts most manufactured goods beyond the reach of ordinary Cubans and they are excluded from the best hotels, bars and beaches, one gets the nagging impression that the Revolution is becoming a mere series of slogans. While Cubans today have less earning power than they did prior to the loss of Soviet aid in 1989, they have rebounded from the severe shortages and austere rationing of the early 1990s. In the first five years after the cut-off of Russian aid, the economy contracted by a third. Though food rationing staved off even worse nutritional and public-health calamity, Cuban caloric intake also fell by a third or more.

            In the spring of 1962, Russia agreed to install missiles in Cuba which would enable it to counter any threat or attack. The main concern obviously was countering US aggression in Cuba. The soviets union wanted to display their strength and secure Cuba. Castro agreed to the plan since he wanted to play America by fighting fire with fire. Washington went into alarm and blockaded the Cuban island. They viewed these weapons as a direct threat to America and hence forbade Russia from delivering the weapons. In October American U-2 spy planes shot pictures of missiles that were on Cuban soil. America in further alarm told Russia to withdraw the missiles and stop the incoming shipment else they would invade Cuba. The UNO at the time was unable to make a move against either Russia or the US threat. It waited so long that it became no longer involved.

            At this point, the world waited while Khrushchev evaluated the American threat. American bases had been put into alarm of nuclear war. This could’ve been the start of a nuclear World War. However, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles and Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba or pose as a threat to its solidarity as a state. Castro wanted to call the USA’s bluff but Russia knew that another World War would take a toll on its country. The Cuban Missile crisis marks the triumph of Cuba in becoming an important country both strategically and internationally. The crisis also portrayed American aggression and lack of UN support. Cuba which had traditionally been an example of a country dominated by the USA was now dependent on Russia for support.

            Conclusively, the Cuban Revolution was majorly successful since it eliminated American control and brought Cuba to rule on its own terms. Though the revolution brought down the strength of the ruling class, it did not improve things for Cuban civilians. They fell into worse poverty and were faced with a communist dictator. Even so, the Cuban revolution stands out since it went in defiance against world super power The United States of America. While America did try to turn back the clock, they were unable to influence the Cuban people or bring a change to the new social order. Imperialism had been broken down and the Revolution had triumphed.

For the floods

She comes every morning to her camp. Pushes open the tent and arranges the tables and chairs. Soon enough people come around and drop off food, water and clothing. Many write checks or leave cash in the glass box labelled ‘donations’. After an hour she has already collected enough to provide for one relief camp in Nowshera; there are five more hours for her to go. Such is the routine of Morial Shah and many other student volunteers who have painstakingly raised enough items and cash to sustain many small relief camps in flood affected areas.   

In the aftermath of the devastating floods rising in Sindh and ravaging Punjab, many private benefactors and volunteers have taken up the task of safe guarding the flood affected victims futures’. The citizens of Pakistan have preferred to keep their trust in such organizations rather than governmental hands. She says, “A whopping Rs 109,000, Rs 139,000, Rs 200,600 and finally Rs 318,655 made their way to our bank account on the second, third, fourth, and fifth days respectively.”

She has battled torrential rains and pollution on the streets from cars outside popular stores such as Aghas, Forum and Makro. Her team of volunteers initially included teens and preteens ranging between the ages of 6 to 14. She says though every fibre of her feet ache, she is glad to be able to help and make a difference in the flood relief donations.

Many other youngsters have unified under a banner and started begging for donations. The students of SZABIST and IVS held a joint march to raise money for the flood victims by literally stopping cars in the street. Salman Millwala, one of the students said, “People do stop and deliver when the need arises, it’s a great feeling to know they understand the task that lies ahead.” He also remarked that, “Not only did cars stop, but so did rickshaw and taxi drivers. They all helped. No matter how little, it counts.”      

Apart from collecting funds and other necessities, many volunteers have signed up for packing the collected goods and helping in preparing them for transportation. Students from all over Karachi gather at various areas such as Royal Rodale and PAF Museum to help pack the good and load them for transportation. According to volunteers, PAF has enough relief goods to fill up 5 Makro’s (Wholesale store).  

Students from SZABIST, IVS, IBA and other universities sign up to prepare trucks. A student from SZABIST said that collecting was not the last step to helping the victims; the collected goods also had to be prepared and sent to the flood refugee camps. Distributing the donations in an orderly fashion has been a very difficult job. Students from IBA who travelled to Sukkur reported the chaos and anarchy that envelopes the camps when food items are being distributed. Uzair Syed remarked that, “People tend to lose their civility when they line up to get food. That’s the level of desperation and mistrust that has infiltrated the people.”

Everyone tirelessly works towards a single goal to assist the flood victims and help them survive these hard times. “They are after all people just like us, they need all the help they can get,” says Morial. The Pakistani nation has finally found a reason to unify and help one another. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. In the words of the Quaid-e-Azam to the youth of Pakistan, “Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students, who are nation builders of tomorrow…. You can make a big contribution towards bringing about harmony and unity.”  

What is 'Love'?

Love is an upper. It makes you feel whole. It completes the circle. It fills the empty space in your heart. Love is elevating. It lifts you up. It makes you look up. It makes you think up. It makes you a better person than you were before. If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you don't have. If there is no love in your life, whatever else there is has a lot less meaning.

The secret of our being is not only to live but to have something to live for.

Are your palms sweaty, is your heart racing, And your voice caught within your chest?

It isn't Love, it's Like.

You can't keep your eyes or hands off of them, am I right?

It isn't Love, it's Lust.

Are you proud, and eager to show them off?

It isn't Love, it's Luck.

Do you want them because you know they're there?

It isn't Love, it's Loneliness.

Are you there because it's what everyone wants?

It isn't Love, it's Loyalty.

Do you stay for their confessions of Love, because you don't want to hurt them?

It isn't Love, it's Pity.

Are you there because they kissed you, or held your hand?

It isn't Love, it's being Unconfident.

Do you belong to them because their sight makes your heart skip a beat?

It isn't Love, it's Infatuation.

Do you pardon their faults because you care about them?

It isn't Love, it's Friendship.

Do you tell them every day they are the only one you think of?

It isn't Love, it's a Lie.

Are you willing to give all of your favorite things for their sake?

It isn't Love, it's Charity.

Does your heart ache and break when they're sad?

Then it's Love.

Are you attracted to others, but stay with them faithfully without regret?

Then it's Love.

Do you accept their faults because they're a part of who they are?

Then it's Love.

Do you cry for their pain, even when they're strong?

Then it's Love.

Do their eyes see your true heart, and touch your soul so deeply it hurts?

Then it's Love.

But do you stay because a blinding, incomprehensible mix of pain and elation pulls you close and holds you?

Then it's Love.

Would you give them your heart, your life, your death?

Then it's Love.

Now, if Love is painful, and tortures us so,
why do we Love?
Why is it all we search for in life?
This pain, this agony?
Why is it all we long for?
This torture, this powerful death of self?
Why?
Because it's...Love and its all that makes the world go round.

Love Delusion

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. We have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from our branches we find that we are one tree and not two."

There are many of us who perceive love differently, either in the cynical way or highly romanticized or we’re just pratical in our approach.

So is love for real or is it a delusion.

Romantic love is an altered state of consciousness. We seem possessed by an alien force taking over our hearts.
Everything seems wonderful—especially the object of our love.

Our 'spontaneous' love-reactions pull us together
into a whirlpool of hopeless, uncontrollable, overwhelming passion.
'Falling in love' is like surfing on an ocean wave
—sliding down a surging force beyond our control.

Most of us emerged from childhood
believing that romantic love is a natural phenomenon.
When we 'fall in love', we seem to be possessed
by an irresistible passion, filling our hearts.
These experiences are really being in love with love.
Such 'love' is entirely an emotion, taking place inside our own skins.
Perhaps we remain basically closed persons,
intensely enjoying our own private, internal feelings,
using others as props or supporting characters in our grand love stories.

We might eventually become convinced that romantic love is an illusion
—a web of projected fantasies and artificial feelings.
We can abandon these cultural delusions and begin to establish
our relationships based on real information about each other
and genuine commitment toward each other.
Reality-based relationships might not have the same emotional high,
but, in the long run, truth is much better for us.
Instead of projecting our pre-existing fantasies,
we can get to know each other as we really are
—and as the persons we are becoming.
The wild, extravagant feeling of being head-over-heels in love
is certainly an enjoyable delusion while that emotional 'high' lasts,
but should we attempt to build relationships on fantasy feelings?

As for love, who could argue with Shakespeare's descriptions of it as "a smoke raised with the fumes of sighs", "a spirit all compact of fire"? Where's the intelligence in any of that?

It makes sense if you consider that beyond the purple prose and blue movies lies a psychological minefield. Poets may wax lyrical, but anyone who has been in love knows that romantic relationships are full of rhetorical spin, misleading half-truths and barefaced lies. This is a game of manipulation, and the stakes are high. Each date is a crucial interview …

Do you see?

I just read a little excerpt from 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'. Its amazing people think that even through the daily grind of exam month i still find time to read a little here and there to refresh myself. Every book i cherish has its own reason and a small paragharph or words that make me want to pick it up and read through it. The book i mentioned above, i love the ending. Its happy. I like happy ending or atleast those that leave room for life to work out on their own. Unfinished endings keep me guessing and sad ending pain alot. I keep imagining a thousand ways the character from the book could have altered their lives by a right turn here and there. but then again, they are mere characters, we're playing out the life.

A completed unrelated account, once at night i couldnt sleep. I was going through a bad relationship phase, with both parents and boyfriend. But they were blissfully unaware of each others presence in my life. since i couldnt work out what exactly was bothering me i walked into the bathroom and sat there. its a great past time of mine. i sit on the cold floor and ponder. Random disconnected fleeting thoughts. This time i didnt just sit there. I rummaged through my drawers and came across a red paint bottle and a brush. For some random reason i painted an eye on the wall. A human eye to watch over me, in the bathroom of all places i mused. Then i falt like completing it, so i drew a nose and lips. I painted the face outline and made the hair in quite a dishevelled manner. It looked quite out of place and rather serene. i still wonder why of all things i made that.

That image may have been a reflection of myself. Emotions trapped and held still in painting. No purpose nothing. The most incredulous thing is that no one noticed it since morning. A few people in and out of my room, they did not see me on the wall. they noticed later when they were searching for me and came upon a painting.

Its the same with friends. They fight and cry with you, and the rejoice in the happy moments too. Sometimes you just cant unburden yourself, it isnt time. So you wait it out, try to mull it over. You tell them you need time and they judge your attitude and the times you were harsh. They just dont see you.

After a long thought i decided i wasnt going to go into fine arts. Painting and drawing i love but was not what id prefer to do. Emotions they say are expressed within art. Would you want to be a lifeless pack of emotions on canvas which only you can interpret correctly and leave for other to guess. What if they can never see you ?

Ive had people tell me im cold and unapproachable. I busy myself in company. They dont see me trying to remove myself from prying eyes. They dont see me looking nervous in company. They dont see me working out a way to join the conversation. They just see the canvas on my face. That night i painted a tear drop from the eye, but i rubbed it out. I didnt want people to see that.

As a sad after thought, i realise we sometimes do the same. When God gives us harsh times. We bear them. He gives us a great time, we relish. Then comes the bad times again and then we complain. We blame accuse and cry our fates to the winds of 'why-me'. Ever wondered, everything happens for the good, then he's working it out but we just dont see Him. I wonder who God complains to, They just dont see Me.

One of my favourite lines from the book are;

Joseph shall return to Canaan, grieve not,

Hovels shall turn to rose gardens, grieve not.

If a flood should arrive, to drown all that's alive,

Noah is your guide in the typhoon's eye, grieve not.

A shout out to the youth

“You are young only once, and if you work it right, once is enough”.
The term - nation building - is usually used to refer to a useful process of appealing all citizens in building social unity, economic prosperity and political stability. It is important to note that the priceless resource of any country is its human resource. There is no other resource that matches the human being, because mankind is the base or the corner stone of any growth and society. Out of the human mind a nation is built. This can be confirmed by the fact that many countries are able to achieve fixed growth and development with limited natural resources through the intelligence of their people and the labor force. Young people are an important part of a nation’s development. Their contribution therefore is highly needed. Young people are public actors of change and as the saying goes:"Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today. ’’

Pakistani youth constitutes of 60% of our total population. We have seen the youth of Pakistan come together time and again for the need of the nation. During the Earthquake of 2005, we saw us all band together under one force and make a change that showed the world the power of the youth.  Jinnah addressed the youth with the message that “your main occupation should be in fairness to yourself, in fairness to your parents, in fairness to the STATE, and to devote your attention to your studies”

The youth at the moment is not utilizing its full potential role in society. If we did, not only would we bring a revolution to Pakistan but go down in history as having made a special change.  The government and society at large have equal responsibility to provide the youth with suitable grounds and by this means bringing about a matured and responsible population for the coming generation to lead a better life. Meanwhile, it is good to have these structures in place but if the youth do not make the best use of them no beneficial result will be realized. As young people we must be ready and willing to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Rupert Murdoch

Long standing media giant, Rupert Murdoch owns not only cable television shows but every other resource available. His total holdings exceed 100 media resources. He owns 26 book groups and 29 newspapers spread out in USA, UK and Australia. This may not sound like much, but when getting into details, you realize that Star TV Asia reaches "more than 300 million viewers in 53 countries across Asia (and) STAR is watched by over 173 million people every week." If we continue to state his far reaching influence, we stumble upon the tabloid, The Sun, with an active readership of 4,000,000 people. His interests have not ended with holding such a vast empire. According to various sources he plans to stabilize his name in the UK. Under the heading of; ‘Murdoch and Laborite: Britain’s New Odd Couple’, the New York Times reported on July 21^st 1995 that Rupert Murdoch was Britain’s most powerful non-Briton. They further said that critics charge him with destabilizing the monarchy and snatching elections due to his media outlets being so influential. He owns 37% of Britain’s newspaper market.

Murdoch’s ownership is not as disturbing as the control that he has demonstrated in politics and law making. Murdoch’s agenda is neither right wing nor left wing. His only interest is further expansion and deeper establishment of his control and influence. He manipulates nations for the sake of his own interests. He is granted privileges not granted to any other newspaper in Britain, as reported by the New York Times, which allowed him to buy 5 national newspapers. This is against the Monopolies Commission, but time and again he has been allowed to go around the commission thanks to the privileges granted to him by the candidates he has helped get elected. This includes famous names such as Margret Thatcher and Tony Blair. Michael Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, contacted Murdoch personally in 1991 when he wanted to have his memoirs written. In fact, he was on the list of Gorbachev’s most favorite people at the time of Gorbachev’s coup that led to the fall of the former Soviet Union. Such power in the hands of one man who being foreign based (Rupert Murdoch is an Australian) could establish such a huge power base in USA and UK is phenomenal.       

Hypocrisy at its best

Well the 2nd round of admissions are out and lets see what that brings along, though i have now steeped into cynicism that for me a foreign education is just not meant to be. Its rather hillarious to hear my dad say that the reason he doesnt want to send me abroad is that it brings about rather ill-fated problems upon the family, namely a scandalous affair with a staunch approach to deviate from the path of culture and religion. I long to tell him about what the boys in the family are upto abroad but what exactly will that bring for me ? A good and wise "i-told-you-so" and another boy sent abroad to assure themselves that the 'experiences' abroad will better life for all mankind. Why must i have to settle for less when the boy who always got the least out of life now should get 'experiences' from abroad. I know you've stopped questioning and accepted that you really cant do anything about it, am i also supposed to confrom and accept it that for my brother/cousins to gain 'experiences' abroad i should have to give up my dreams and aspirations ?

 

They know everything that happens there but put a blind eye to it because, hey, theyre guys they'll get over it right. But im a girl and i cannot get over it because i carry a malicious curse upon me. Why must i be the one to sacrifice so that he and countless other 'hims' get to live in sin and try their hand at it ? I could very well do that here and i have a good mind and a strong resolve at this point to prove them that whatever they can accumulate there i can do the same here and which much better results. For every boy that goes some girl is supposed to appreciate it and let him do as he pleases. Why do they even bother cloaking their hypocrisy is what i dont get. Just be affrontive about it that i rather my son drinks, parties and dates than you because that makes him who he is and success comes with that price. Maybe i could try to achieve success like that and throw it back in their faces. We can all tally up our scores and see how far we get in life with alcohol coursing through our veins.

 

You know maybe thats why fathers prefer not to have too many daughters. They didnt want to give more opportunities to their son(s) to go off the straight path and have their daughters suffer for it. Its a shame that i literally have to accept this and live with it and yet try to succeed because im the 'light' in their lives. I just feel excessively hopeless and extremely rebellious to pull off some awesome stunt to put me down in history. Im tired of pretending that im indifferent when im not. And i dont think i'll ever be unless i find a way around this.

Perceptions

    I came across quite an interesting episode yesterday as narrated by a foreign aunt. A young woman in her thirties got robbed yesterday. Living in Karachi, this didn’t quite get my attention. Furthermore, she was aware her assailant, a 15 something year old boy, was aiming an obviously fake gun and a small pocket knife at her. My curiosity perked up as she continued. She let the boy get away with her belonging, namely her purse, while she stood silently on the spot amongst many able bodied men and women who could’ve helped her had they known she was being robbed. After lots of questions and tantalizing details regarding her feelings, someone asked the million dollar question; why didn’t she sound an alarm or attract attention to her predicament?

She quite unabashedly replied that the stolen goods were not of much value and she was not going to cause harm to the teenage boy by proclaiming him a thief. She could not risk another Sialkot incident taking place right before her eyes. She could no longer judge the extent a man's anger or his frustration could reach especially when he was hungry, tired and thirsty while fasting in Ramzan. On the surface her story received many laughs and shaking of heads. Passing off her act of silence as mere stupidity or childishness.
But as people walked away, their facial expressions betrayed the trauma all of them relived upon hearing about the brutal murder of two young boys in Sialkot. Their underlying fear, reflected in their eyes, that another similar incident could take place and they would be powerless to prevent it. At least in their imaginations.