we have got to love Zapiro

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Is that right?

Media has always played a significant role in society. It is the main source of information. We rely on the media so much that we cannot differentiate between the truth and what is being sensationalized. Current affairs, news and lifestyle are what we see in the media. All of what is being presented to us is conveyed to be true. If that is the case then one has to wonder how much of the truth is being sensationalized and to what degree can we believe the sensationalized story. It is all in one’s perception.

Documentaries are viewed to be not only informational but also tend to be controversial. In the documentary Sicko, they investigate health care in the United State mainly focusing on health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry. According to the Sicko, 50 million Americans are not ensured while the rest, who are covered often fall prey to insurance company fraud. It also mentions that out of 191 health care systems, World Health Organization ranked the United States 37. Furthermore, in the interviews conducted, it has been disclosed that volunteers who worked at the 9/11 rescue were denied government funds to care for their physical and psychological injuries which have manifested over time. This includes diseases like respiratory problems. Because they were neither able to receive nor afford medical care in the U.S, the rescue workers travelled from Miami to Cuba for them to obtain free medical care made available for the enemy combatants.

The media has a bad effect on people in general because it is highly influential. Decisions that you make are based on what you have seen. People have become like sheep in a sense that they go to the direction that they are lead.

What Sicko is basically saying is that with all the insurance companies that are there, most of them are selling you as a customer a dream. There are people included in the documentary that have testimonies on their experience with claiming from their insurance companies. They hide their terms and conditions so well that they do not even mention them. The truth and facts were presented in the documentary which is what the media is about, presenting facts.

Amongst everything else, media acts as a ‘watch dog’ to abuse of power. If they can report on current affairs why can they not report on what is really happening around you and what you don’t have full knowledge of? Expose people to a certain point. It is about informing, entertaining, educating and advertising. In this case advertising was the main source of people being victims of insurance fraud. Advertising is a way to get people to know what you are selling and what it is about.

Information on what is really happening with the health care system is revealed in this documentary. You should not believe everything in the media. In this case Sicko was is reporting on what is happening under everyone’s noses.

    

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Will it ever end?

Democracy is power by the people.

There is a significant difference between a subject and a citizen. Being a subject is when you are in a position that places you under authority of another. Subjects are loyal to authority because of the things they have done for them. In this case, 20 years ago South Africa was devastated by the apartheid. Nelson Mandela, who was a member of the ruling party ANC, put a stop to the apartheid. The nation will forever be grateful for that. On the other hand, being a citizen not only means you are legally recognized in a country but is also means that you have knowledge enough to weigh options as to who should be the leader of a country despite their history. This means you know when the wool is being pulled over your eyes.

All these years we have been hearing the same things from political parties especially when the election season is approaching. This has become a vicious cycle. People are now frustrated because of the empty promises. In 2013 almost all provinces were affected by violent strikes. The strikes were triggered by the lack of service deliver, unemployment and wage increase. This was in the hopes that the government hears them. The money for all different factors is allocated as indicated in the budget speech. Unfortunately it is being misused, adding on to the frustration people already have. Many of them have lost hope in voting because they see no difference.

20 years and 5 general elections later the ANC is still the ruling party of South Africa. While campaigning, service delivery is promised to the public. Free transport, t-shirts, food and refreshments is provided for people to attend political rallies. There, people are entertained by well-known artists. The president and other members of the party present a speech as to why people should vote for them; using people’s naivety to their advantage. The same promises were made over the past 5 elections. When the election session is over it is back it reality for the nation until to forth coming elections.

The government has undoubtedly disappointed the nation. We have seen members of the government accused of fraud, misadministration, theft and/or corruption. These are the people we have voted for to lead our country for us to indeed have a better life. With all that has been happening with our government, people started thinking critically about politics. This then divided the country as to who is suitable to lead the country.

The Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu expressed great disappointment with the ANC saying that its leadership is not as strong as is used to be. He also said that he doesn’t support the party the way he did 20 years ago.

Freedom is what we wanted and freedom is what we got. Is it what we expected? To a certain point yes. Are we satisfied with what we have gotten and what is happening post apartheid? That depends on your perception. Are you a subject of a citizen?