- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 12,730
- Points
- 113
The thing is, you have to admit that these “baseless’’ rumours brought more clarity. There was a “small grain’’ of semi-truth somewhere. That there were indeed masks stored with the G, and that the TTSH masks were priced high. So you can look at it this way: If there was no social media, people will be talking about it anyway in the coffeeshops, cafes and bars. Better clarification, rather than a wall of silence, no?
So it could be that the G’s expectations of journalistic standards in the blogosphere are too high. A journalist’s job is to get answers, but the amateur can only raise questions. The next step is then how to raise questions or give feedback on what people are talking about, without being shot down? Go through Reach? Private channels? Hmm… But why? If there is nothing to hide, then correct misconceptions and reply. As robustly as you want. The blogosphere should be thick-skinned enough to take it and not look at tough responses as the G clamping down on dissent.
But what is not right is to take critical citizens to task by asking if they had the solution to a problem. This is a tactic that is often used on members of the Opposition when they get critical about G policies. The G response: You’ve got a better idea? If not, sit down and shut up.
In the past, the Opposition used to argue that it didn’t have the resources and manpower available to the G in the form of the civil service. Which is true. Another argument was that its role was to question the G, not to come up with policy options. Which is lame. Well, if you form an opposition party, you must want to do more than question the G, you should want to form the G! Unless, of course, the citizens and civil society groups are too lame to get their voice heard on their own. The good thing is that opposition parties have recently been coming up with their own policy options – so the citizenry can have a choice of routes to embark on rather than to stick to just one roadmap.
But to have that pot shot “where were you and what were you doing’’ directed at citizens is simply not on. That is a question that citizens should be asking of members of the G, not the other way round. Dr Yaacob pointed out, the Internet was rife with people seeking to do good. And several bloggers themselves rallied others to do good. But that is the point, isn’t it? The G wants people only to do – and not ask. How can this be?
- http://www.breakfastnetwork.sg/?p=6131
So it could be that the G’s expectations of journalistic standards in the blogosphere are too high. A journalist’s job is to get answers, but the amateur can only raise questions. The next step is then how to raise questions or give feedback on what people are talking about, without being shot down? Go through Reach? Private channels? Hmm… But why? If there is nothing to hide, then correct misconceptions and reply. As robustly as you want. The blogosphere should be thick-skinned enough to take it and not look at tough responses as the G clamping down on dissent.
But what is not right is to take critical citizens to task by asking if they had the solution to a problem. This is a tactic that is often used on members of the Opposition when they get critical about G policies. The G response: You’ve got a better idea? If not, sit down and shut up.
In the past, the Opposition used to argue that it didn’t have the resources and manpower available to the G in the form of the civil service. Which is true. Another argument was that its role was to question the G, not to come up with policy options. Which is lame. Well, if you form an opposition party, you must want to do more than question the G, you should want to form the G! Unless, of course, the citizens and civil society groups are too lame to get their voice heard on their own. The good thing is that opposition parties have recently been coming up with their own policy options – so the citizenry can have a choice of routes to embark on rather than to stick to just one roadmap.
But to have that pot shot “where were you and what were you doing’’ directed at citizens is simply not on. That is a question that citizens should be asking of members of the G, not the other way round. Dr Yaacob pointed out, the Internet was rife with people seeking to do good. And several bloggers themselves rallied others to do good. But that is the point, isn’t it? The G wants people only to do – and not ask. How can this be?
- http://www.breakfastnetwork.sg/?p=6131
