Obama-nation

This post falls into the "wider world in general" bit in the description of this blog...

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama, who yesterday sealed his future in the White House with a monumental victory over the honourable Senator John McCain. Congratulations must also go to Mr. McCain, who not only ran a tough race, but also bowed out gracefully and with a message of the importance of a future of bilateralism in Congress. Both men would have been deserving of the role of President, but I suppose there could be only one winner on the day.

Thank God this is all over though, and now we can get down to business and get back to our lives. I'm so happy that I will be able to turn the telly on and not be barraged with political ads, and news snippets of the two men saying the same thing over and over again. For the last couple of months I have become increasingly frustrated at the so called "news" channels; their impartiality is disgusting, treating opinion as fact and largely feeding people information that they want them to believe. It's sad to think how easily we can become brainwashed, and with the large majority of the population never uttering the question "why?" we all seem to just take what they say as fact. The amount of people that I have come across recently that regurgitate what the major news channels tell them is true was unbelievable to me - and sure these channels are convenient, and sure they are accessible, but if we are unprepared to look at all sources of information or do some of our own research to get the facts then we are just as much to blame for a government/organisation/business' actions as they are. This is dangerous territory, and we all must stand up and take some responsibility. If a population refuses to wane to the agenda of a government/organisation/business, then that group will have to comply to the will of the masses. It is our own decisions and our collective action that forge the path forward, and we shouldn't take for granted how significant a small action like going elsewhere for information is.

Happy Guy Fawkes day all.