25-10-2021, 10:09 AM
Yes in the age of the Internet anyone with a keyboard connected to a PC can produce a whole load of nonsense about any topic ....but that is not the problem. The problem is the nonsense can attract an audience...and today this audience can grow to very large numbers...why? Because of growing DISTRUST.
The China govt implements draconian measures to block, censor, arrest .. it also floods the Chinese Internet with its own propaganda. This is one approach.
In the US its all about winning votes and support ..so leftwing and right wing media flood the Internet with its own perspectives ....CNN vs Fox.. conspiracy theory suppliers thrown into the mix. You believe what you want yo believe there is a product out there to reinforce what you believe. People say "let's just trust the govt " well in the US the govt can change hands the people you trust in govt is now in opposition trying to pull down the govt So do you trust Trump as govt ...now he Is out of govt?
The problem more fundamental is "lack of trust". Why is there lack of trust in govt all over the world?
1. There is rowing income gap. Means that there is policy bifurcation. Raising GST to spend is one way of avoiding higher taxes for the rich as much as it is to spend for rising social needs it is also to bolster defense spending for hidden hawks in govt who think various countries harbor ill jntention towards us. But it is to complex for govt to go beyond anything but final decisions and decisions rarely benefits everyone.
2. Clear Outcomes..You gain alot of trust if you can generate clear consistent outcomes like when the entire Singapore population was elevated from 3rd world to first from 1965 to 1995. Today is not so clear. Imported workforce help us to grow GDP but raises competition for jobs and causes cost of living to rise as the island becomes more and more crowded. How do people trust when they can be at the receiving end of negative outcomes.
The lack of trust means you can get an audience whenever there is an alternative view for something. Recent tensions arose due to a segment of population who refused to get vaccinated . These people congregate around chat groups sharing anti vaccine information. After 9 months of govt selling of its vaccine programme, they decided to use POFMA against these groups. Yes you can shut "Truth Warriors" and "Heal the divide " but you cannot fix the lack of trust that draws people to such groups. After POFMA, trust will decrease further as it looks like govt intends to now force its views
Maybe later on if we decide to impose carbon tax to deal with climate issue. Another group will pop up like in US to fight against it.
The use of POFMA merely suppress these and never address the problem of trust We hope to gain something by this suppression? We will fail. Things will just get worse.
What we need are:
1. Independent trusted institutions that sense make the data jungle that people can depend in. Independent means they exist outside govt and is not linked to govt or political interests .
2. Open discussions where all manner of views can be discussed and addressed
3. Educate our people well so that can evaluate information well. ..
4. Communicate better to the public and trust the people to give hhem more information. If you don't trust the people with information, the people are not going to trust you.
5. Freedom of information act. Have this so that researchers can have access to information. The less you hide the more people will trust you.
I am not optimistic the PAP govt can ever foster higher level.of trust among the people due to its semi authoritarian nature and "PAP knows best" attitude. We all feel a bit like poor Liew Mun Leong who tried to raise a point. They refused PSP request for information, ridicule them and re-characterise their views as racist in nature. I don't think they "win" anything in that debate or even gain any trust for their foreign talent policies.
The China govt implements draconian measures to block, censor, arrest .. it also floods the Chinese Internet with its own propaganda. This is one approach.
In the US its all about winning votes and support ..so leftwing and right wing media flood the Internet with its own perspectives ....CNN vs Fox.. conspiracy theory suppliers thrown into the mix. You believe what you want yo believe there is a product out there to reinforce what you believe. People say "let's just trust the govt " well in the US the govt can change hands the people you trust in govt is now in opposition trying to pull down the govt So do you trust Trump as govt ...now he Is out of govt?
The problem more fundamental is "lack of trust". Why is there lack of trust in govt all over the world?
1. There is rowing income gap. Means that there is policy bifurcation. Raising GST to spend is one way of avoiding higher taxes for the rich as much as it is to spend for rising social needs it is also to bolster defense spending for hidden hawks in govt who think various countries harbor ill jntention towards us. But it is to complex for govt to go beyond anything but final decisions and decisions rarely benefits everyone.
2. Clear Outcomes..You gain alot of trust if you can generate clear consistent outcomes like when the entire Singapore population was elevated from 3rd world to first from 1965 to 1995. Today is not so clear. Imported workforce help us to grow GDP but raises competition for jobs and causes cost of living to rise as the island becomes more and more crowded. How do people trust when they can be at the receiving end of negative outcomes.
The lack of trust means you can get an audience whenever there is an alternative view for something. Recent tensions arose due to a segment of population who refused to get vaccinated . These people congregate around chat groups sharing anti vaccine information. After 9 months of govt selling of its vaccine programme, they decided to use POFMA against these groups. Yes you can shut "Truth Warriors" and "Heal the divide " but you cannot fix the lack of trust that draws people to such groups. After POFMA, trust will decrease further as it looks like govt intends to now force its views
Maybe later on if we decide to impose carbon tax to deal with climate issue. Another group will pop up like in US to fight against it.
The use of POFMA merely suppress these and never address the problem of trust We hope to gain something by this suppression? We will fail. Things will just get worse.
What we need are:
1. Independent trusted institutions that sense make the data jungle that people can depend in. Independent means they exist outside govt and is not linked to govt or political interests .
2. Open discussions where all manner of views can be discussed and addressed
3. Educate our people well so that can evaluate information well. ..
4. Communicate better to the public and trust the people to give hhem more information. If you don't trust the people with information, the people are not going to trust you.
5. Freedom of information act. Have this so that researchers can have access to information. The less you hide the more people will trust you.
I am not optimistic the PAP govt can ever foster higher level.of trust among the people due to its semi authoritarian nature and "PAP knows best" attitude. We all feel a bit like poor Liew Mun Leong who tried to raise a point. They refused PSP request for information, ridicule them and re-characterise their views as racist in nature. I don't think they "win" anything in that debate or even gain any trust for their foreign talent policies.