CAN we move on and talk about something else?” read a friend’s Facebook post the morning after the cabinet reshuffle, referring to the political fire that is still raging.
Meanwhile, in a WhatsApp group for family members, someone posted “I hope we can leave political discussions out of this group, for the sake of harmony,” followed by several thumbs-ups from other group members.
Most Malaysians nowadays are more than happy to discuss the happenings in the political scene of late. That is positive and should be encouraged. But I can also sense a growing suffocation from the endless rhetoric in and out of cyberspace.
Far from being apathetic or complacent, some Malaysians are simply nauseated of “news” that is laced with lies, slander and conspiracy. Especially when the issues that have real impact on them, such as the rising cost of living, the dampening consumer sentiment that affects businesses and the overall slowdown of economic activities, have yet to be resolved.
“Whatever happens in the corridors of power, the average Joe’s life runs as usual,” said a friend.
The faster we can find closure to these stories and return to focusing on addressing our many real challenges, the better it is for all of us.
Alas, the end seems far at this point. In the era of targeted contents and social media sharing, the same tune is being played over and over again with no visible sign of subsidence.
It is easy to find “related stories” so that anything related to whatever that is currently displayed on our screen is only a click away. But unknowingly we are being trapped in what Eli Pariser, an author, calls a filter bubble.
Unless we make the deliberate effort to look for something else, most of the time we are being prevented from getting exposed to other information that would broaden our worldview. How ironic, given that the Internet is supposed to do exactly otherwise.
So, we are increasingly trapped in the illusion that our country is doomed to fail. And our world views become increasingly far from reality. For example, a recent Nielsen survey found that 73 per cent of Malaysian consumers believe that the country is in a recession, when the reality is that the economy is still growing albeit slower than last year.
Last week, another friend posted on Facebook “I came back from my studies abroad some years ago hoping that Malaysia is a better place, but my hopes are shattered”. His incessant whining continues on a daily basis. Are we really heading for doomsday or is this increasingly suffocating negativity from the endless scaremongering just a fallacy?
In the meantime, yet another friend chooses to take a more balanced approach. She reads the news from all sides and “divide the views by two”.
With preparation of the national budget currently in full force, I am hopeful that attention can return to finding solutions to the various internal and external headwinds. Although the Ministry of Finance’s annual consultations with interest groups are ongoing, the public doesn’t seem to be as active in giving feedback for the upcoming budget, unlike last year.
Yes, greater awareness of good governance is positive and should be encouraged, but not at the expense of economic stability and growth. They should be complements, not substitutes.
We are only five years away from 2020, when we are supposed to have graduated as a developed economy. But with the slowdown in the global economy, we risk not being able to meet this ambition. The distractions from the real economic issues at hand will make our aspirations even harder to achieve.
And it is not just our economy that needs attention. Our education system is also transforming and needs our full support. Meanwhile environmental degradation that threatens our wellbeing is escalating and our social fabric is slowly weakening.
These are issues that have real impact on us, and that need urgent attention and cooperation from all segments of society. So, either we continue to enjoy our popcorn as we battle as keyboard warriors, or we work hand-in-hand to get our country out of this turbulence. The choice is yours.
The writer is an independent researcher