I live in the United States, I am not sure where the majority of you folks are from, but I imagine from all over the world.
Lately on the news I have seen a lot of “stories” about what’s happening in Egypt, but the one thing I can’t seem to wrap my head around is how the American media seems to think we only care about ourselves.
One of the first things I heard about what was happening in Egypt was that there was a lot of civil unrest, and hundreds of Americans were trying desperately to leave the country. Okay, that’s interesting, but what about the surely millions of other people who are being affected by what is happening? Why is it so important that there are AMERICANS trying to leave? Only hundreds of Americans?
This doesn’t only apply to the current situation in Egypt, I just thought I would use it as an example. I have seen the same thing happen in many different situations around the world.
I wonder if something like that happened here, would the media in other countries only be concerned with what people of their nationality were doing, or people in America as a whole?
I know we are not the most beloved nation in the world, and I have found my fair share of criticism, hate, and disrespect on the internet from people I have never met, who know nothing of my work or my morals or my interest, but simply because I am American.
I just thought I would share my opinion in hopes that someone might realize you cannot judge and entire nation or an entire race based on the actions of only a few people. What our country does is not necessarily supported by everyone who lives in its’ borders, but we aren’t in any position to do anything about it.
Am I talkin’ sense here?
It’s not just the US that does this, most countries report more on things directly affecting it’s nationals. Particularly television news and the tabloid media.
But why, why does the media think we only care about our own people an no one else? It’s ludicrous!
I think the reality is that the media is a business and not a public service, and it is easier for them to get the general public’s attention (meaning more viewers/readers) with “American/Australian/Briton under threat in Egypt” than with “Egypt in crisis”.
It’s pretty much the same in the UK, but the BBC (our main news channel) does try to report fairly. Our trouble are the tabloids; they stir up racial, social and cultural tensions for fun it would seem…
I might sound paranoid but to me all the news on the TV, tabloids and stuff are manipulated … All the true stuff can be found on the I-net you just have to be fast enough to see it before the governments get a hold of it.
Our country, the Philippines, is also like that. They migrated a lot of Pinoys from Egypt in a snap, not caring about how they could have helped the Egypt even though the two countries are like light years away from each. And same goes to Libya’s situation too. It is sad that we are really on that ‘racial borders’.
If I could just teach our country…
Yea, most countries, nations, regular people are egocentric and think first of all how something affects them personally.
It’s also hard to help someone, especially when you have contradicting goals.
I truly hope that the Egyptian people aren’t just handing the rule of their country to a worse leader than they had.
I have yet too see any real movement on the political front and, if the system is the same how can one become an elected official without Power and Authority from beforehand?
It kind of defeats the object.
You know it’s funny, I cam her a month and a half ago, and posted about Egypt. No look at it.
Lybia, Syria, Jordon, The Yemen and more. All erupting in violence.
It’s really sad that things like that still happen… I am currently living in Bulgaria and I can say it’s a great country – very welcoming/acceptive to foreigners and the thing that gave me a very good opinion is that after the crisis in Japan the government offered shelter to any refugees that might want to flee and come to live here.
anyway great article thanks for sharing
This is nothing new. News has been swaying people in certain directions as long as there have been people.
Yeah, the major media outlets are all about propaganda. That’s why we never see any footage from the war in Iraq, the don’t want the American people to know the truth. This is why I get all my news from NPR even though they sound kind of snobby…
I always wanted to visit Egypt, and one day i will (not these days ) !
I just can say in Spain is also like this… I don´t know why, but every nation/person/group of people tend to think thy are the center of the universe…
Hmmm. It’s so pretty much the same in the UK, but the BBC (our main news channel) does try to report fairly. Our trouble are the tabloids; they stir up racial, social and cultural tensions for fun it would seem…