News or Propaganda?

News or Propaganda

by, Jenna Bargfrede

We live in a world where our every thoughts are governed by our findings on the internet, on the television, and on social media. And subsequently, you can’t go anywhere without some kindof source exaggerating, twisting, or completely changing a story (especially when it’s become so easy to change an image through photo-shop or create fake coverages). With this new found power to sway the minds of the general populave, political parties have come to use technology as their new platform. So, we must ask ourselves is our news real or propaganda, and where does that place us as a society?
As time has passed, propaganda has proven to be one of the most effective tools to cajole a majority onto one’s side. In times of war, and World War II is a great example, propaganda is used as a powerful device to rob people of their original beliefs and brainwash them into fighting for a cause that may even be questionable. But perhaps more despicable is the fact that even children are exposed to propaganda. Before they even formed beliefs. And this in my mind, is worse than any kind of political advertisement. This is the stealing of the will of millions by plantinf subconscious thoughts and connections that aren’t their own. This is the tainting of youth and the taking advantage of innocent and naive persons. Without realizing it, a student enters school with a pre-formed bias due to where they get their “news”.
It is common knowledge that is is near impossible to find an unbiased news network, be it CNN or Fox. And even websites are scarce to be found today. But my main topic of concern will be social media and a specific website called YouTube. These two platforms are targeted toward a clear feoup of people. The youths. And no matter where I turn, I see political sentiments one way or the other (though these platforms tend to lean more to one side, and I’m sure I don’t need to say which). Now I personally have no idea where I stand on the political spectrum, but I attribute this to the obvious biases that I have grown up in my hands. It is because of this that I try to avoid politics wherever I go. So that I may find myself, and without two different voices shouting on either side of me and tellinf me what to think or believe. But, when politics is th only thing you see: in ads on YouTube and in posts on Instagram, it’s impossible to catch a break. And I— as a youth affected by the way our news system works and how its been corrupted to only tell the side they want to tell— I have no idea... now way of knowinf whether my beliefs are actuallu mine, or planted there by some politician. Whether who I an is because of what those older than me wanted me to be. It is this that is my chief concern, foe how can we see the world in our own unique way when we are looking through somebody else’s eyes? How can we create a new and better world when we are using old ideas? Everyone says that the youth is the future, but if we don’t allow them to think for themselves... If we continue to push our ideals onto them without letting them try to decide for themselves, the world will be no different. And that’s the greatest wrong that can be committed.