How Our Society Is Shaped by the Framing of Collective Thinking

by Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos

Promoting, understanding and analyzing “thinking” is an important endeavor of the Rapera movement.  This is because the power of collective thinking is often underestimated and overlooked in its influence on shaping societies. I believe society in general is unaware of its pervasive influence. Our thoughts, beliefs, and values as a society are not merely individual constructs but are deeply influenced by the way they are framed collectively. The framing of collective thinking embodies the narratives, ideologies, and perspectives that shape our understanding of the world. In this article, I will explore how our society is profoundly affected by the way our collective thinking is framed and the implications this has for our social, political, and cultural landscape.

One of the most important conduits through which collective thinking is framed is the media. Mass media, including television, radio, newspapers, and digital platforms, have an unparalleled impact on shaping public opinion. The way issues are presented, the narratives that are emphasized, and the voices that are amplified all play a pivotal role in shaping our collective understanding of the world. This is an important fact for policy makers, reformists and organizations involved in change dynamics to keep in mind.

Media outlets can frame issues in various ways, emphasizing different aspects of a story, and thereby influencing public perception. For instance, the framing of a behavior done in the name of religion as either a dangerous extreme behaviour or a normal religious behaviour can lead to starkly different public reactions. The way media frames these events has a direct impact on how society perceives them, often influencing support or opposition to the causes at hand.

Furthermore, the media's selection of news stories and their placement within the news can prioritize certain issues over others. This can lead to a lopsided focus on certain topics, while ignoring others that may be equally or more important. Such framing choices can have far-reaching consequences on societal priorities, influencing public discourse and policy decisions.

Politics is another area where the framing of collective thinking is particularly potent. Politicians and political parties use framing techniques to influence public opinion and garner support for their agendas. This often involves framing issues in ways that resonate with their base or appeal to a broader audience. Politicians may try to create the kind of thinking they want to achieve their agenda by using the framing technique. For example, a party that is race based or religious based may frame diversity of race and religion as a threat to their own race or religion.

One common framing strategy is the use of emotionally charged language and rhetoric. By framing issues in a way that elicits strong emotional responses, politicians can mobilize their supporters and galvanize public opinion. This can sometimes lead to a polarization of society, as different political factions use opposing frames to advance their own interests. The Nation of course may be split asunder merely to accommodate the political quest for power.

In addition to emotional framing, the selective presentation of facts and statistics is another powerful tool in political framing. Politicians and interest groups may cherry-pick data that supports their positions while ignoring or discrediting data that contradicts their narratives. This selective framing can make it difficult for the public to make informed decisions and contributes to the spread of misinformation.

Collective thinking is also framed by cultural and social influences. Our cultural norms, values, and traditions shape our worldview and influence our beliefs and behaviors. These cultural frameworks are often deeply ingrained and can be difficult to challenge or change. Social institutions, such as family, schools, religious organizations, and community groups, also play a role in framing collective thinking. These institutions transmit values and beliefs from one generation to the next, reinforcing societal norms and expectations. For example, the way history is taught in schools can frame the collective understanding of a nation's past and its impact on the present. It is not exaggerative to say that the nature of the collective thinking will determine whether the society will progress or regress in the future. 

In the digital age, technology and social media platforms have become significant players in framing collective thinking. Social media algorithms often prioritize content that aligns with a user's existing beliefs, creating echo chambers where people are exposed to information that confirms their preconceptions. This reinforcement of existing beliefs can contribute to polarization and limit exposure to diverse perspectives.

Furthermore, the rapid spread of information on social media platforms can lead to the viral dissemination of both accurate and false information. The way a piece of information is framed can determine whether it goes viral or is debunked. This phenomenon has significant consequences for public opinion, as false or misleading information can spread rapidly and shape collective thinking.

Undeniably, our society is influenced by the way our collective thinking is framed. From media and communication to politics, culture, and technology, various factors contribute to the framing of our collective consciousness. Recognizing the power of framing is essential for understanding how societal norms, beliefs, and values are shaped and perpetuated. 

As individuals, it is important to critically evaluate the framing of information and be mindful of the influences that shape our thinking. By engaging with diverse perspectives, questioning dominant narratives, and seeking out reliable sources of information, we can contribute to a more informed and balanced collective consciousness. Additionally, holding media outlets, politicians, and institutions accountable for the way they frame issues can help ensure a more transparent and equitable shaping of our society's collective thinking. Let’s not forget that as a Nation, we become what we think we are.

END.

Biadap itu Biadap tanpa mengira kaum atau agama.

1. Allah swt tidak mengkhususkan kebaikan bagi satu kaum dan kejahatan bagi kaum yang lain. Ada orang baik dan jahat dalam semua kaum.

2. Kesalahan, kebiadapan dan dosa tetap kesalahan, kebiadapan dan dosaa tanpa mengira kaum atau agama. Yang baik tetap baik dan yang jahat tetap jahat.

3. Jangan kerana seorang manusia daripada kaum tertentu itu bersikap jahat atau biadap, maka kita hukum keseluruhan kaum itu sebagai jahat atau biadap.

4. Allah swt lah yang mencipta kita pelbagai bahasa, kaum, warna, budaya dan sebagainya. Kepelbagaian ciptaan ini mencerminkan, diantara lain, kebesaran dan rahmah Allah kepada kita.


5. Kita dicipta pelbagai kaum, bahasa dan budaya bukan untuk bermusuhan atau untuk mendiskriminasi manusia lain berdasarkan kaum atau budaya. Kita disuruh saling berkenalan dan sentiasa berlaku adil dan mengejar untuk melakukan perbuatan baik.

" Hai manusia, sesungguhnya Kami menciptakan kamu dari seorang laki laki dan seorang perempuan dan menjadikan kamu berbangsa-bangsa dan bersuku-suku supaya kamu saling kenal mengenal. Sesungguhnya orang yang paling mulia di antara kamu di sisi Allah ialah orang yang paling bertakwa di antara kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui lagi Maha Mengenal". (Quran 49:13)

6. Yang biadap atau jahat bukan kaum Melayu, kaum Cina, kaum Rusia, kaum Eropah, kaum Venezuala, kaum India, kaum Jerman, kaum Uzbekistan, kaum Arab dan sebagainya. Yang biadap dan jahat ialah individu yang biadap dan jahat.

7. Oleh yang demikian, jauhilah daripada bisikan Iblis dan syaitan untuk memporak perandakan masyarakat dengan menjadikan perbuatan orang jahat dan biadap sebagai satu isu perkauman.

 "Orang-orang yang beriman, dan tidak mencampuradukkan iman mereka dengan kezaliman; bagi merekalah keamanan, dan merekalah orang-orang yang mendapat petunjuk yang benar" (Quran: 6:82)

Salam.

Kau in bagaimana Atau Aku harus bagaimana?

Rintihan-rintihan Rakyat di perkatakan
Harapan Rakyat di suarakan
berkurun kurun lamanya
berdekad dekad lamanya
sepanjang sejarah kehidupan manusia
sepanjang sejarah pemerintah dan diperintah

Namun
tidak berubah-ubah sikap pemerintah
kecanduan kuasa dan harta lebih mengcekam pemeirntah
daripada kesengsaraan serta kepercayaan Rakyat jelata.

Gus Mus seorang Rapera
beliau tahu untuk pemerintah berubah
Rakyat perlu berubah dahulu !

-jahamy
180114




Salam.

Civil Servants Do Not Engage, Hence The Political Government gets into trouble?

The "government administration" which is made up of the civil servants, the various agencies such as Police, Bank Negara, Elections Commissions, etc, etc goes on automatic mode irregardless of who the "political government" is. For example, even if Pakatan Rakyat was to take over the country, the same civil service wil be serving the Nation.

I cannot but help notice that the Barisan Nasional political government is increasingly being put on the defensive by various events in the country. Some of this defensive position, in my view, is a choice that BN seems to make! There are many occasions where the BN government does no have to be defensive in my view. Anyway, I digress from the point I want to make in this article.

The point i want to make here is this: that the actions of the secure civil servants affects the image and the tenure of the insecure politicians in power. Let me explain.

Firstly, most of the Rakyat deal largely with civil servants and agencies and not with the political masters. The manner in which these civil servants deal and engage with the Rakyat is what really matters to the Rakyat. If these agencies exercise their powers unreasonably or do not address the Rakyat's complaints in a reasonable manner, the Rakyat gets very frustrated. If these agencies do not respond positively by having discussions with the Rakyat on specific complaints and refuse to interpret the law in a just and helpful manner, the Rakyat gets agitated. 

Frustrations and agitations lead to feelings of helplessness. Ultimate feelings of helplessness leads to collective actions against the agencies and often, these feelings are directed against the political masters. It is this fact that the political masters must understand clearly.

Hence, in my view, when the Rakyat has a legitamate complaint against a certain law or an agency, the ruling political masters must side with the Rakyat. They cannot adopt this automatic defensive position and be pro-agency because, the political masters are expected to side with the Rakyat. It is very plain and simple. This has got to be the new thinking among the politicians if they want to remain relevant at these times where the Rakyat is increasingly becoming aware of their rights. 

However, I find it almost ridiculous and self defeating that quite often, the political ruling class goes on the defensive whenever the actions or omissions of a government agency is challenged or brought into question. When this happens, the political opposition sides with the complaining Rakyat and projects itself as the champion of the oppressed Rakyat. It is almost as if the fact of continued incumbency has infected upon them the disease of defensiveness and ousted the attitude of embracing the Rakyat's complaint.  

In this regard, I have often mentioned to my friends in the ruling class that their "takut bayang2" attitude and the incapacity to embrace new political responses creates more problems for them even in situations where they are right.

It is about time that the ruling class pay serious attention to the exercise of discretion by the civil servants and the various agencies (including the state agencies, especially that which relates to religion). Whatever they do or do not do will impact on the support the ruling class gets.

The ruling political class must learn to stop being defensive. Get new advise on the new ways to respond. The whole world is changing, you should change too if you want to remain relevant.

Peace !

Aftermath of Bersih 3.0 and The Mirror

How could I not follow Bersih 3.0 when my guys and gals from MobTV.My have so bravely gone to get live coverage for the people of Malaysia? It is after all a group of NGOs – all non-partisan – trying to exercise their right of free speech and freedom of assembly as enshrined in the constitution. Dato’ Ambiga, the co-Chairperson of Bersih and the steering committee, promised a peaceful rally. 

Rapera is all for peaceful expressions of views or even dissent by thinking and responsible citizens. However, Rapera is unambiguously against violence among its citizens. 

Around about 1pm, when I had to go off from the Bersih event, I was happy to note that the event was peaceful and almost carnival like. I was pleased, at that moment that my worst fears of confrontation had been proven wrong. I was confident that the Bersih crowd will not go beyond the barricades that was erected around Dataran Merdeka (DM). 

However, as events unfolded subsequently, my fears were unfortunately proven correct – political parties and several irresponsible quarters hijacked the Bersih event and turned it into of Malaysia’s most violent and shameful exercise of freedom of assembly.  This is why I had always held  that it is not politicians that can save the Nation but savior citizens or Raperas.

You can just youtube to see the shameful behaviours by some of our citizens, whom, I would say should be prosecuted under the law for their irresponsible and violent behaviours. At the same time, the behaviours of any police officers who had been over zealous in exercising their power should also be investigated. If this does not happen, there will be these accusations: Firstly, that politicians are exempted from the law. Secondly, that there are agent provocateurs arranged by Barisan Nasional and hence they are not prosecuted. Thirdly, that there is selective cover-up.  

Many I met seem to believe that PKR has simply hijacked the event in the most irresponsible way and are contributory to the violence and rioting that ensued. This has to be verified by PKR itself. Many people I 

know already perceive PKR as a party that would do anything to wrestle political power.

 Politicians and political parties should have just stayed out and let it be an NGO event.

In retrospect I wonder if all these unwanted events would have occurred if the Datuk Bandar had simply not interfered with Bersih’s intention to sit-in at the Dataran. I had voiced the view before that Bersih 3.0 is unstoppable and so the most logical thing for the authorities to do would be to simply provide police protection for the sit-in and for them to facilitate the event. The moment I heard that DBKL took the position that DM was off limits for Bersih 3.0, I was concerned that this may be a catalyst for disaster.  In fact, I was of the view that even the “occupydataran” by the students should have police or DBKL protection instead of the opposition they had experienced. These are after all college kids learning to exercise their right of expression, even though they may not be correct on the issue.  Such “training” if properly “guided” may make them mature Raperas in the future.  However, old methods of exercising authority seem to die hard. My views too seem to have fallen on deaf ears or “dinosaurous” ears!

On another perspective, one must also ask why was there such a huge turnout? How and why did so many people turn up for the event? On one hand, it is heart warming to note that more and more Rakyats are beginning to learn that they cannot depend on ANY politician but on themselves.

Hence, if I am the ruling party, I would not be automatically defensive. I will embrace the Rakyat’s interest in the well being of their Nation. On the other hand, if I am the Opposition, I will not automatically gloat and think that I have the support of the people. I will be wary of the way I serve in politics. This and other such events could very well be a sign that the Rakyat seriously do not trust politicians anymore, which is a good thing. This is, in my view, taking back control of the destiny of our home, our Nation.

Freedom of expression and assembly aside, the sanctity of the law must also be protected. There is simply no excuse for any irresponsible persons to destroy or to cause to destroy or incite anyone to destroy public property which, we must remember, belongs to the Rakyat. I believe that the genuine Bersih folks are peaceful. Hence, the urgency of prosecuting the culprits who have marred the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right.

May peace always prevail among us.

NEXT: Bersih 3.0 and A Cleric (God Willing)

Is Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak becoming a radical reformer ???

I almost could not believe my eyes when I read that PM Najib had announced that ISA and three other emergency laws will be repealed. These laws have been opposed to by civil society for years and many citizens find these laws repressive and unnecessary.

I was shocked, pleasantly though, for several reasons. The act of repealing these acts is a courageous act for any president of UMNO, the largest and the ruling dominant party. It is simple political logic that any ruling party will want to retain any laws that would give it greater power to control the people, especially those that oppose the party. Hence, for Najib to announce that these laws will be repealed makes it a radical move.

I can expect that there will be resistance from UMNO rightwingers itself and some right wing NGOs. I am sure that quite a few of former UMNO leaders may be in opposition to the move, though not directly. These are to be expected and I am sure, if Najib is serious, he expects this as well. Therefore, in this sense, he is taking a big political risk for his position and support within the party.

I have often argued for fundamental reforms (as opposed to cosmetic changes) in the democratic space and the political arena on this blog and in my talks. Removing these laws is another fundamental step forward towards restoring our country as a constitutional democracy. We should applaud and support Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib Tun Razak in this reformist step.

If Najib is serious about the repeal of these oppressive and archaic laws, he stands as a reformist who has gone beyond partisan thinking and has the people's mental and democratic development at heart. I find it extremely tiring that politicians simply refuse to think beyond partisan lines. Najib's act here is an example for politicians to think about national interests instead of purely party interests.

Surely, the removal of these laws will liberalize further civil society and hence greater criticism of any government wrongdoing or policies will surely ensue. This is not necessary a bad thing as this is how society can mature in a democracy - healthy factual debates rather than squashing rational dissent with the law. This is  a risk that Najib is willing to take politically in the interest of democratic reforms. The ability and willingness to take this political risk also shows Najib's confidence in his efforts and policies in winning over the hearts of the people. He is prepared to be judged on his merits rather than rhetoric.

For me this is not the first time that Najib has acted radically in announcing reform orientated policies. It is no secret that I am among the earliest supporter of his 1Malaysia policy. I thought that was radical and absolutely necessary for the country. 1Malaysia policy has the potential to be a long-term all-encompassing policy for the Nation which all citizens can identify with and participate. However, I also foresaw opposition and confusion within UMNO and opposition from certain NGOs and I was right. Many may not understand but his announcement of 1Malaysia was indeed a major political risk for him within UMNO and among some Malay NGOs.

However, the majority of UMNO members have accepted this policy now. Many UMNO members are reminded that though UMNO is a Malay based party, it had since since independence worked for Malaysia irrespective of religion or race. Sure, there had been deviations somewhere along the line with UMNOputras and some UMNO warlords becoming arrogant and 'lupakan diri dan Tuhan' but things are changing back to the original position. 1Malaysia in this sense is a good tool to realign and remind members that UMNO's struggle is not just for the Malays but for all Malaysians as the UMNO song itself testifies.

1Malaysia also serves to remind UMNO members that they are largely Muslims and hence racist tendencies are unIslamic. This, hopefully will weed out some UMNO leaders who are bent on pretending to be champions of the 'Malay race' simply for self glory and enrichment. I have been sick and tired for years with the approach of these primitive UMNO leaders trying to scare the Malays that they are not hard-working, not clever and that they are a social grouping that is going extinct and hence have to be protected in all spheres of their lives ! What a cruel thing to do !!!

So, 1Malaysia policy did shake UMNO out of its comfort zone and true reforms should do just that. The president of UMNO, Najib Tun Razak was brave enough to do that. Of course 1Malaysia policy can still be 'tweaked' to make it work better but all reforms come with one brave step. Najib took that step.

Due to that one step, it was well received by most Malaysians, if not all. Of course everyone, including me, wants greater translation of 1Malaysia into reality and practice. It will take time. I have always written on this blog that though 1Malaysia is Najib's 'baby', to me, it is bigger than him. It represents the hope for the future for Malaysians and people do not easily allow their hopes to be dashed. Nor do they easily forgive those who dash their hopes.

Najib is also going to do the sane thing by reviewing the annual publishing permits under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA). Too much discretionary powers in hands of enforcers without check and balance by the courts is a bad thing.


I do hope that these are but steps taken to further reform Malaysia so that we can become a great Nation someday.


Peace!