TMJC 2024 J2 Prelim P2 Insert

1 Tampines Meridian Junior College 2024 JC2 Preliminary Examination H1 General Paper This Insert consists of 3 printed pages. Passage 1. An author considers the impact of the media on empathy and action. 1 2 3 4 5 Our grandparents could afford a comforting distance from tragedy. Oceans and weeks separated them, allowing misfortune to remain a distant murmur, easily tuned out. But for today’s generation, information floods our senses constantly – a child marriage in Chad, a drought in Delhi, a mine collapse in Mongolia … Of course, this excess of information is often criticised for fuelling anxiety. Yet, it is the very spark that can ignite a global movement for positive change. The internet has become the great equaliser for this generation. No longer is the power to inform solely in the hands of a privileged few. Social media platforms, with their algorithmic feeds and viral content, have made information more widely available t o everyone. To give just one telling example, note how ferociously the Arab Spring swept through the Middle East in a series of revolutions. Information in the hands of the many is a powerful thing. The internet has levelled the playing field for ordinary youths in these countries, empowering them to transcend borders and coordinate protests, share grievances, and mobilise support through social media platforms – a feat unimaginable in the face of the information blackouts of previous generations. What matters is that this newfound global consciousness fosters empathy that in turn, prompts collective action. The heart-wrenching image of a starving child in a war-torn nation, once confined to a blurry black and white photograph on a forgotten newsree l, now stares back at us from our smartphones in full, agonising colour, cultivating empathy worldwide. This sensitivity towards suffering enables us to channel our emotions to constructive acts such as donating to relief efforts or raising our voices in protest. This multitude of information comes with challenges. In particular, we fall for misinformation more easily since fake news travels faster and more widely online than facts. But here too, awareness is the key in detecting misinformation. The internet has birthed a generation of fact-checkers and critical thinkers, essential players in a world saturated with information. By staying vigilant and knowledgeable about the means and methods of misinformation, individuals can better discern truth from falsehood. Our grandparents might have preferred to act like the proverbial ostriches who stuck their heads in the sand to avoid danger. But we are not them. We can no longer afford to turn the page or switch off the radio when the news does not suit us. What we are doing instead is dissecting the noise to do what is necessary. W ho knows? The rest of us may be emboldened to take similar actions to bene