Merry christmas and a prosperous 2010

The impact of TV in our life

We have really come far with Information Communication Technology (ICT) one media being television. When you talk of accessibility, availability and knowledge, there is still a big disparity in the part of knowledge. How, When, Why and What are the questions which go an answered and have a big impact in our society.

Today I will tackle the subject of televison and its impact in our society and focusing on these two questions why and when? Why shouldn’t we control the information we take? When do we allow our children to access television? Does all information we watch on television have a positive impact?

Televison has really contributed to the 21st century super highway through delivering information to our society and has brought some positive impact in the way we dress, socialize, and generally how we live etc. On the other side of the coin most people are afraid to tackle the negative impact it does contribute if not put in check.

The word accessibility will be less used in our neighborhoods in the coming future. Some years back owning a televison set was something precious and one would be counted among the rich (where I grew up, Mathare slums in Nairobi, Kenya). In this world of today information is readily available from your finger tips or by a click of a button through internet, television, magazine, books etc. which means there is accessibility and availability what about knowledge?

It is time parents, teachers, brothers and sisters get educated on what they consider useful by reading, watching or listening. What we need is to educate our children and empower them to make sound judgments and be responsible. This won’t happen by hiding the remote control, punishments or hash words etc. but through education and empowerment of our sons and daughters the reality of life out there.

There is nothing in this World as powerful as the POWER OF THE MIND…

My own opinion some of the soap opera on the televison addresses issues of life like it is a ‘piece of cake’ when for example talking about love, wealth etc. I urge all the youth of the World to get real and live within their means (Don’t live like a king yet you don’t even have a ‘job’). Secondly don’t imitate all you see, hear or read. Please borrow the ‘right’ cultures that won’t discard your own and get the right content from trusted sources.

The programmes on television some have age restriction note written in big bold font but still this does not help much when you consider our children whom might be as young as 10 years controlling TV channel with a remote control.

To parents and guardians please play your part in controlling the content your sons and daughters get their hand on or even watch?

All in all television plays an integral part in Information society and is a great medium for advertisement; creativity and employment just to mention a few.

Lastly relate televison with computer, is there anything in common? Just to mention one, I usually control my mouse on what I click and read. I might return to the website or not depending on many factors. Can we do the same for televisions at home?

Content written and published by Wilson Masaka

Take a glimpse at the future, don't look back!

Soon it will be 2010 and 2009 will be history. As Alex Haley puts it “In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future”.

Ask yourself did you meet your plans or resolutions this year? And what were the major obstacles? For best answers always listen to your inner-self and consult with people you Trust.

Let us look at USP (Unique Selling Point). Have your ever done a self evaluation and gotten your USP? How did you use that something in you to make a positive impact in someone’s life (anyone)?

Something to remember for the faint-hearted, everyone has got the potential to achieve anything in life provided if you have the Desire and Faith in yourself.

Take time and reflect back and focus on the future, how can use your USP for even better results in 2010? Soon it will be World cup and believe me or not, if we had started planning and saving 10 years back we could have seen ourselves in South African in some few months to come. I know this is somehow vague and it is tied to many factors, but the point here is, we shouldn't be afraid to Dream and desire what we want to achieve or even who we want to become in future. You should always have courage and believe in yourself. On the other hand you can always make a long term plan for example, where do you see yourself in the next 4 years to come? Fear is part of the human emotion but it can be controlled by none other than YOU.

There is always light at the end of the tunnel, my short story growing up in the slum area was not an easy task with an arrays of vices surrounding my environment ranging from diseases, poverty, pollution etc. But I haven’t stopped there despite the environment wasn’t favorable for learning or aspirations in life, and I know somewhere out there in the World someone might be in a worse situation than mine but if you put your heads as TEAM you will always sail through, be it in a community club, family, peer group etc.

The rule of the thumb as the famous saying “charity begins at home” let us obey, respect our parents and in cases of difficulties let us give dialogue a chance before pointing fingers.

Before I conclude close your eyes and ask yourself this question;

- Is there anything that you could have done better?
- Are there any steps that you made towards the betterment of yourself and others?
- Being a young person how did you deal with the challenges in life 2009?
- And if you didn’t do this before, what is your USP (Unique Selling Point)?

“To be a millionaire depends on how you spent your first shilling” (Quote and photo by -Wilsenx)