Opposition-less, Opinion-less

The power of the press and media to mold public opinion, to focus public attention on a few key public issues, is an immense and well-documented influence. Newspapers provide a host of cues about the salience of the topics in the daily news. These cues repeated day after day effectively communicate the importance of each topic. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The press is the best instrument for enlightening the minds of man and improving him as a rational, moral and social being.”

Unfortunately, there is apparently no one in Mokokchung ready to make use of the press, or the media, to express his opinion and thereby help mold public opinion. If you follow the state newspapers, you will see that there are a number of people expressing their views and opinions on various pertinent issues. Through these writings, they are molding public opinion which slowly but surely influence policy makers in the government. Sadly, there are no contributors from Mokokchung. Leaving aside the state newspapers, it’s a shame that citizens in Mokokchung are not even making use of the platform offered by this newspaper, as if the citizens of Mokokchung do not have any opinion on any matter at all!

For instance, we know that there is an opposition-less government in Kohima. For all the reasons that the government may give in favor of forming the opposition-less government, there is plenty of reason to justify that an opposition-less government is not healthy for democracy. Many concerned citizens from various parts of Nagaland have shared their opinion on the matter, and the opinion that you have on the matter, if any, is being influenced by those writers whether you know it or not. Not surprisingly, you would’ve noticed that no concerned citizen from Mokokchung has publicly aired his opinion on the matter in writing. There is a government that is opposition-less in Kohima, and there is a citizenry that is opinion-less in Mokokchung. What a tragedy!

The issue is not just about the opposition-less government. For any given issue of public importance, people from various parts of Nagaland and elsewhere are sharing their views publicly, thereby molding public opinion, while the citizens of Mokokchung keep silent on almost every issue. This is not healthy for our society. In a democracy, public opinion ultimately wins. And those who have opinions will naturally trump those who don’t.