Letter I sent to the editor last week
admin May 19th, 2008
The editorial (FCC 5-3-08) poses some interesting questions about the use and circulation of information in our modern age. As a Librarian, finding and using information was my livelihood for many years. I recall however a moment when I was much younger, sitting in my classroom at school. I realised that the history text book I was studying, had been written by someone who had never lived in the times being discussed.
It was on that day that my life changed because from that day on I realised that nearly every single thing I ever read is someone’s opinion. Yes we have science and maths text that teach us ‘factual’ information (we are quite sure that the earth does revolve around the sun for instance) but the bulk of the millions and millions of words I will consume in my life time are simply ‘opinion’. Two people writing about the same event will describe it differently. Let’s not forget what was once written eg ‘the world is flat’!
Newspapers, magazines and web sites have that in common. Newspapers select and edit the letters that they receive and journalists interpret the words I say or the events that they witness in their own individual way. Not always accurately I might add.
The Internet has empowered more and more people to be heard. As long as we remember we are reading opinions and that we continue to treat each other with respect, it is a brave new world we are entering. Let’s not condemn the medium as easy communication across the seas and quick access to information is also very useful and empowering.
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