Educate them...

MEDIA'S SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Media- the fourth pillar of democracy suddenly seems to have assumed a commanding status, where it directs the public opinion rather than reflecting it. The agenda setting theory is working over time as to determining not only what to think about but also how to think about it. In such a scenario, the all pertinent media has a golden chance of moulding the public views in a constructive direction, of fulfilling its social responsibility.

However, this conscientiousness seems to have taken a back seat in the mad rush for TRPs, snatching audience, getting popular and earning huge bucks. Channels do not mind spending their airtime on Aishwarya’s marriage ceremony or Rakhi’s kiss controversy. Thousands of girls dumped by NRIs in the name of wedlock or men below poverty line devoid of even a one course meal are not worth being captured. A celebrity running over men on footpath rolls the press without giving heed to the fact that so many have no roof over their heads. Prince falling in a hole is shown 24 hours, without getting worried that the hole is 150m deep and still in no contact with the ground water.

All of a sudden, all the media- be it news, serials, songs, movies, stories seems to be talking of the rich and the contended. All the deals are 100 crores beyond and all the cars are Limousines. Public opinion is considered important for deciding winners in reality shows rather than national issues. No one talks of serving thy country or loving one’s neighbours. We are being taught to care about just ourselves and to thrive for more. There is nothing wrong in becoming selfish. Ah! What is this? With so many avenues and so much power with it, one would expect and want the media to create awareness about the social issues.

Media can play a pivotal role in making the society a better place, citizens better humans and the country stronger. The issues may be as small as letting the people know that it is bad in the larger social interest to get water by submersible pumps and electricity by loud fuming generators, to tell them that the ground water and air and noise pollution is bad. They may be larger concerns like one ought to join the army for not only the government job perks but for the love of his nation.

There is dire necessity for media to understand its role and power to creating awareness about the social issues. Profits are important but educating a whole nation is also required. Television was incepted with an idea of educating and informing, radio had played its part in delivering many a coveted messages to its listeners and the printed word has helped us gain independence – creating awareness about the social issues and the sculpturing the public opinion have been the key duties. It's high time that the present day journalists too assume responsibility and pay heed to this significant task of fulfilling their social responsibilities.

RELISH BEING YOURSELF!!

YOU ARE THE BLESSED ONE

How do you do? I am fine, thank you. Well this is how we have been taught to answer such questions pertaining to the inquiry about our health – mental or physical – alike. Well but what about the moments when one is feeling low as hell? Still the social norms would demand decent, well-type replies. Ok granted. Hey but, hold on. What about the times when you are feeling nice and great? Is it still unacceptable to admit it? To shout at the top of your voice and claim your share of feeling good, feeling better than just fine? Is it?

Well maybe people have not deliberated upon changing the fine to great because probably they have stopped feeling that way. Ah yes, this is the reason? This actually is. One comes across souls in human bodies dragging themselves through the journey called life that seems to be thrust upon them. It seems a compulsion than a choice. Is the scene really so bad? Do we have to treat life as just fine actually? I am amazed at times to see how rare a disease is happiness. When we have so much all around us to feel blessed with how do we fail to notice it? The nature abounds in all its beauty. If you go for a morning walk, the moist grass blades welcome you; the dew-wet flower petals swing happily in the morning breeze to greet you. The daybreak presents a sight that makes one wonder wao, all this magnificent show has been put up for me! The spectacle of a sunset in the evenings is no less intriguing. And when you have chance to witness the mountains or the wilderness during vacations trips you can not help wondering how blessed you are to be a part of all this beautiful opera.

Come on, all this always existed, the hard core pessimist in you is arguing- So what is so special to feel special about it? So you are craving for more reasons to be proved blessed. Don’t worry. I have innumerable ones. The nature seems to be at your feet, go to the wild, the country or the resorts where the brooks and the hills are man made, but well this does not make you happy. Maybe the huge concrete buildings do. The shopping malls, the glass office buildings, the accelerators, the eating joints that are so well architected and carved out marvelously to make man feel like a God. You are lucky to get a chance to pamper yourself in such environment and some one has been fortunate to have imagined and constructed them. Like Kira says it is so good that it appears man made. Or as Andrei remarks it is so well made it appears natural! So it is unto you to feel gifted to see anything that attracts you.

OK now let me take resort to the love and the attention you get. Your friends, siblings, parents, spouse, sons and daughters, colleagues, all make it a point to wish you on your birthday which mind you, is no achievement of yours. It is bound to occur year after year,still they make you feel special with surprise parties, gifts, phone calls, mails, messages, flower deliveries and even cooking your favourite dishes. WAO. Ah! You stubborn soul, you still see nothing special! Never mind. Remember the day you were feeling low and the vegetable vendor just smiled at you, and the evening you were cribbing about a bad haircut and a rag picker passed by with dirty hair and torn clothes. You sure thanked your stars, didn’t you?

Come on admit it now, from the morning sun that rises to greet you irrespective of whether you deserve it or not after your last day’s lazy activities to the cute moon that smiles at you, from the natural beauty to the man made constructions, from smiles by strangers to cheer up sessions by loved ones, from the beautiful mirror you have in your room to the smart watch you are wearing, you sure are blessed to have all this. And most blessed you are that you got a chance to read this case put up by me. Isn’t it? And now that you agree, may you always be blessed to realize your blessings. Ameen!