Current Affairs

"... Somalia has been characterized as a failed state and is one of the poorest and most violent states in the world."

-Wikipedia

Recently, the lives of the people in Somalia have just gotten much, much worse. Famine and drought has struck the country, worsening an already horrible situation. Currently, about 3.2 million people are on the brink of starvation in Somalia. Children, the disabled, the elderly. All left to fend for themselves as their parents or caretakers have either died or have left for refugee camps. The refugees are not cold-blooded, but rather victims of circumstance. Faced with either letting some of the family survive or none of the family surviving, they have taken what little food is left to make the long journey to the far-away camps.

Words cannot describe this.

This has been a rude awakening for me. Only now do I realise that not having a new computer, not having good grades, not getting to play instead of studying, are all "first world problems". I do not have to face death daily, neither do I have to fight for survival. I am truly thankful for what I have today, and what I have had, and what I will have. I really do hope that we can help them. A small donation will not hurt. Perhaps you will just brush this off, but think, if you were in their position, would you hope for a glimmer of hope? Hope that somewhere, someone has decided not to buy that pair of Nike shoes and instead put the money in a Red Cross donation box? We can all do our part to make the world a better place for all of us.

Captain Murdoch and his Band of Jolly Reporters

"The news media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture and going to the extremes for sensational news. How far do you agree?"

The news media cannot be entirely blamed for this unhealthy paparazzi culture. Competition is very stiff in this cut-throat world of news and gossip reporting: Be quick or be dead. New firms try to make a name for themselves and the old guard try to keep relevant everyday. In this high-pressure cooking pot, going to extremes seem perfectly justified with deadlines hovering above your head daily.

The readers also have a part in the creation of this culture. With the advent of social media, new stories spread at lightning speed through the Internet. The printed word cannot hold a candle to almost instantaneous updates on trending news and the blazing speed which gossip travels. As such, these publishing firms have to get the juiciest and most exclusive content that competitors and the general public do not have. Such content is obviously only obtained through more underhand and more unscrupulous methods than a simple interview.

The demand for gossip and information about people has driven companies to resort to extreme methods. Perhaps in this world where any thing can be found online in a few mouse clicks, readers feel that newspapers and tabloids must provide almost constant information about celebrities and politicians.

Justice and his trusty sidekick Mercy

1. Is there true justice? Why?

Rarely is there some thing or idea in this world that is an absolute truth. Anything and everything can be debated. The world is not black and white, it is gray. Justice is no exception to this rule. Although people generally try not to make prejudiced or biased decisions, many times our subconscious intervenes or makes the final decision. Subconsciously, we may have deep-rooted prejudices against people of other social stature, wealth or race. Furthermore, some people do actually consciously obstruct justice either to protect themselves or to further their own agendas.

2. Is there true mercy as expounded by Portia? Why?

I also do not believe that there is true mercy. Mercy is an act of kindness and compassion to someone who has wronged you or someone else. Mercy is, in my opinion, just a show to garner more popularity and public approval. As Portia has said, it is heavenly, and mortal men are definitely not that.

3. Justice and Law can be manipulated by people in power. Comment on this with reference to the text and other real-life cases and examples.

Some may argue that people want to get into positions of power solely to bend Justice and Law to suit their own needs. Mr. Dominique Strauss Khan is one such example. He has used his position as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to protect himself from a full investigation. He has also used his wealth and status to hire a group of lawyers to defend him in court.