For any nation to exercise a healthy democracy, access to relevant, authentic, and vital information is absolutely crucial. Think about ignorant citizens—not knowing who are contesting elections in their constituencies, or what their track records or election promises are—going to vote and decide the destiny of their nation; imagine a state in the garb of disseminating public information, running a well-oiled propaganda machine; reflect on the last set of hate-spewing viral social media posts, that, after whipping up a sensation and doing some irreparable damage to the peaceful co-existence of different communities, is later found by fact-checkers to have been a bundle of lies. Many of our polities exist in such an environment dominated by deception, “alternative facts,” and post-truth, questioning the endurance of democracy.
While people, structures, and platforms that surreptitiously fudge public data, peddle half-truths, promote misleading content, and manipulate public perceptions are indeed a big problem, our inability as a socio-political collective to critically process and consume media content is a bigger challenge. While a few of us desperately search for information that is trustworthy and useful, apply critical filters, and resist the temptation to settle for an easy conclusion, most of the public is not aware that vast swathes of the information ecosystem are alarmingly polluted. So, the need for strategic media and information literacy is acute and urgent.
Need for critical thinking
To begin with, while consuming content, we need to ask ourselves, “Who states what to whom about whom in what context, when, and with what intent?” Take, for instance, a populist political leader accusing minorities of preventing the progress of the nation. We should pose a few fundamental questions to gauge the political equations at work. Is the speaker sharing an opinion or presenting an observation that is backed by unbiased and consistent data? Why are the minorities, in particular, seen as the problem entity? Does this statement feed into a dominant narrative? Is there inherent merit in an interpretation that interweaves the nation’s development and the minorities as its barrier? Are other aspects along the lines of governance being considered or ignored while discussing the progress of the nation? Is the leader exploiting an opportunity to appeal to majoritarian sentiments? Does the leader have a vision of a pluralistic society or is the person someone who promotes sectarian divisions? What will be the political ramifications of this statement? How will this conclusion affect the peace and harmony of the land? If such a web of critical questions fails to inform us while consuming media content, we shall be taken for an easy ride and quickly reach a democratic disaster.
Turning the critical lens inward
So, we ought to cultivate a culture of asking rigorous questions and practicing healthy skepticism. A good space to commence would be with ourselves. We need to self-reflect and ask what are the preconceived notions, biases, and stereotypes that influence our media consumption process. Ideologies could prompt us to evaluate different worldly affairs in skewed and absolute terms. It is not uncommon for us to see how some liberals blame the transnational corporations for all the environmental crises that are out there and how some conservatives arrive at a sweeping conclusion that it is indeed the growth of science that has led us to the brink of extinction. So, it is essential for us to know our own ideological makeup and identify how and why we think the way we do. Through this, we can ensure that we are less prone to confirmation bias and are open to content that is unlike what we are trained to cherish as right and true.
Who supplies me with what?
We live in an era where the amount of information that bombards our consciousness is overwhelming and sometimes even annoying. With advancements in media technology and the increased ease of internet access, the flow of information quickly populates our minds and puts a lot of stress on them. The quantity of information could create a numbing effect and make us passively consume. We might become less judicious and consume a lot of unwanted content and be misled. The way ahead is to consciously de-clutter and choose what is of significance for our individual and collective well-being. This does not mean that we get into spaces that are virtual echo chambers. The internet has filter bubbles that are algorithm-driven, and they track what we like to eat, who our popular culture icons are, what our political thoughts are, and so on; they basically promote content that reinforces our worldviews. So, we need to deliberately seek news that comes from diverse platforms and supplies multiple perspectives. While it might make it difficult for us to arrive at a conclusion, it will ensure that we don't settle for a lazy and wrong conclusion.
By taking steps along the lines of responsibly producing, circulating, and consuming content in the direction of media and information literacy, and promoting it amongst our fellow citizens, we shall lay the seeds of a better tomorrow for our society.
PadmakumarMM (PK), is an MPI alumnus from several training programs and Head, Department of Media Studies, CHRIST University, Bangalore, India.