Should we trust the government and media?

Question

Please give reasons for your answer.

Answer 1

You should never trust the government or the media. What you should trust is your eyes and ears. Go outside, see the world, form your own opinions.

Answer 2

To a point, because when the system works, they keep each other honest.

It's pretty clear how the media keeps government honest - by endlessly digging for the facts to ferret out the lies. It is difficult to hide truth, and it is news that sells newspapers and TV Ads when someone tries to.

Government keeps media honest by supplying information. Now that might seem counter-intuitive in that the media just loves revealing problems, but in truth the media gets a tremendous amount of inside and background information from government officials. Most of this does not see print, but it gives the media what it needs to report real stories, not rumors, innuendo or outright yellow-journalism fantasy stories. Everyone (more or less) has the same facts. It's hard to make stuff up.

But the system does not always work well. Sometimes the relationship is too cozy and media becomes a tool of the government (Like selling the Iraq war in the wake of 9/11). Sometimes it is so contentious that government makes enemies lists and seeks to cut the press from its dealings. (Watergate and the Nixon era).

I think the press is just a bit too cozy these days - Repeating the message of government rather than reporting it with analysis and perspective. But it is trending better

Answer 3

Absolutely not! The government cannot be trusted, because all governments are beast that must be kept on a short leash. Unfortunately both sides of the political spectrum are trying to use the government for what appears to be different purposes, but they actually have the same goal. The New World Order.
The media cannot be trusted, because they are major outlets are owned by a few people who have exactly the same goal. The New World Order.

Answer 4

Let's put it this way.
You have your car for sell. I go over your house, check the car, I like it and I decide to buy it. Would you give me the car to go back home, pick up the money and come back to pay you?

Now, let's say that you have the power to make decisions that change the future of your country and change dramatically the lives of its citizens. I ask you to give me that power, that I'm going to do as the Constitution says. Then I ignore the Constitution, infringe each and every right granted by the Bill of rights, legislate against the Constitution and block every single chance you have to make a claim.
Why did you do that? You wouldn't give me your car but you gave me your life?

Think about that next time you vote (or not). Voting is like selling your life and expect a payment later, "no string attached". The reason for this is that the government has too much power, the government makes decisions that change your life and, unfortunately, for the worst.
Governments are not supposed to have that power. It's not necessary. You should go to vote for a good administrator of the public things, the republic. That's all. Now you have to sell your life to someone you know in advance that you can't trust.
We've seen them screwing things up over and over and over. It's a common joke, it's part of our culture, that the government administration is totally unable to solve one problem.
Why would you trust the government?
It took your life and left you waiting on the sidewalk for your payment... and it's not coming back, it never did.

Answer 5

We have more transparency in Govt now than ever before - but it is still not enough.
I think the press (decent not Murdoch's gutter press) hold the Govt to account most of the time and I apprectiate comment and criticism from various journalists. The Iraq dodgy dossier etc would not have come to light without the media rooting around.

Answer 6

The government will only release select information, and the media (especially newspapers) will twist it any way they see fit to sell the story. So in short, you probably should not trust them 100%.

Answer 7

i would love to be able to have faith and trust in our government. but sadly MPs,' particularly new labour MPs' are THE most dishonest people in society. we have allowed them to use clever word play. ( in other words ...deception). we have sat back in complacency while they have changed rules and passed laws which have made them virtually immuned to prosecution. Tony Blair 'for instance' has lied to the queen and the people. taken us into an illegal war. and for! that is responsible for the mass slaughter of thousands of people. and yet he walks free, and is still given a position of trust. still given respect, when in fact he should 'in reality' be charged with treason and sentenced accordingly. MPs can legally break all promises that they have made to the electorate after they get in...Deception.....breatch of contract?? yes!! if it were you or i. but for MPs its perfectly legal to practise deception. how can you possibly have trust in any organisation that is legally able to deceive you on a daily bassis? as for the media!!........the BBC have your say site actualy serpresses ' far beyond reason' the very thing they suposedly stand for, freedom of speach. you go on there as a muslim and say realy nasty stuff about the British and you'l get published. do it the outher way around and you wont. the BBC are in the government pockets because the government allowes them to legally force us to pay for them weather we use the service of not. that is 'in fact ( legalised extortion) of the kind you would normaly accosiate with a gangland protection racketeer. but finnaly!! the media is a business and will sell anything to any body, right or wrong makes no difference.

Answer 8

No and No - the government (any government) want us to keep voting for them so will not tell us everything they are up to.

The media are owned by rich powerful men who have their own interests at heart and will also not tell us everything.

Answer 9

Never 100%.

But we have little choice as we vote for the officials and we select the media that we prefer to watch/listen too.

Answer 10

No way, if you've not heard of the New World Order yet then I suggest looking it up on a search engine. Its very real and it spells the end for many of the freedoms that we take for granted.