The Difference Between Media Presentations and Real Life Politics, Essay Example

I have been a constant follower of the television series 24. Starred by Kiefer Southerland and also produced by him, this series deals with the crucial points of politics and the condition by which social security is being assured. Considerably, in the process of watching this series, I have had a constant question in my head, “is politics really that dirty; does protecting national security impose a necessity to always have a lost cost or a sacrifice just so to save the lives of many?” This particular inquiry continued to linger in my head as I watch the episodes of the series. Nevertheless, I never dared to actually ask them to someone who might know the truth. Perhaps I do fear the fact that they might ignore me or my thoughts and render me to be rather too caught up with what I am watching and how media represents the actuality of the political aspects that are related to the American system of governance as it connects to the control of international politics around the globe.

I never thought I would dare ask the said questions until today. For the completion of this project, I then decided to attend a political-lecture held by a political adviser from New York at the community social hall near my residential location. I thought that this would be the perfect chance for me to possibly get the opinion and perhaps the response that I have been longing to get for a long time. The theme of the speech was about the information that everyone needs to know regarding terrorism attacks and how they should be able to protect themselves and those who they love during emergency situations in line with the cooperation that they are supposed to render to the program of the government dedicated to protect them.

I came in late as I never thought that it was a closed meeting only for the members of the local officials of the communities being visited. Luckily I got a pass because of having a friend inside who knew I had to complete a project regarding the topic involved in the lecture. I was asked to sit right at the back and I took down as many notes as I can for the whole length of the lecture hoping that I would be able to get bits and pieces of information that could respond to my question hence making it easier for me to deny the possibility of the need to ask questions to the speaker at the end of the lecture. However, the specific answers to my question have not been answered and I knew I had to push through with a brief interview with the speaker which I am not much comfortable doing.

I then pushed myself to approach the speaker and ask him of my question and specifically told him that it would just be a brief inquiry. He then allowed me ten minutes for the said interview so I proceeded immediately. I asked him immediately if he was familiar with the television series 24 and he said he was an avid fan. I felt at ease and told myself at least we have a common ground. I then told him perhaps he was also familiar with the theme that the program suggests which is specifically directed to the creation of a specific procedures dedicated to protecting national security. With the utilization of the power of one man, the series suggests that making a difference is hard but is possible. However, with the contradicting situations happening behind the political stance of the American government in the middle of international relations, alliances and biases when it comes to nations not enjoined in the United Nations Organization, the said representatives of supposed national security issues become compromised to make specific decisions that are at some point could jeopardize their own safety. He agreed to this, but said that at some point, the series 24, like other media presented programs are designed to exaggerate some issues in the actual life situations so as to get the attention of the viewers. Nevertheless, it could be realized that since the writers are persons who have political backgrounds as well, there are reasons why they represent situations the way that they do.

He even insisted that at some point, the relationship of the American government with other nations around the globe have been questioned over time, over and over again and thus have insisted on the situation by which the government had to compromise certain matters for the sake of the safety of the majority of the people. He even added that it is not always necessary to have some sacrifices or lost cost when the ideal assumption of national safety is being carried into consideration. Nevertheless, in times when the government is faced with such adversities and decisions, it is always a necessity to carry into account the number of those who would benefit from a particular final conclusion. In this case, the welfare of the majority always gets specific attention.

At this point of the project, I realized that the series I was watching could have indeed been refined and at some point over plotted so as to make it more exciting and specifically attractive to the target viewers. Nevertheless, in line with the real situations that the American government had to deal with especially when it comes to protecting national security, specific issues are supposed to be carried into consideration and crucial decisions need to be made. In line with this, I also realized that the American politics is defined in line with the desire to serve the welfare of the majority and not to simply carry into consideration the process by which the officials were directed to follow particular protocols. Being the administrators of the nation, politicians had to make decisions that somehow may question their integrity in some cases.