Given the current political climate regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict, significantly more people have been paying attention to international events than usual. As a senior International Relations student, here are the tips I have garnered from my experience for forming educated political opinions.
Do Your Research
A two-paragraph Instagram graphic or a single TikTok will not give you enough information to form an opinion. This is especially true when weighing in on a 70-year-long religious conflict, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. Instead, review several reputable news sources. Not everyone has the time to spend hours consuming the news, but it is important to do your research before forming a complete opinion and publicly expressing it.
If you want a quick news briefing, I recommend Up First by National Public Radio, which is available on Spotify every morning Monday through Saturday. The episodes range from 10 to 15 minutes and they report on both national and international news from a variety of sources. Personally, I listen to Up First every morning as I get ready. The report is also available on their website.
Check Where You Get Your Information
Picking a news source can be tricky. I recommend consulting a media bias chart like this one from All-Sides Media that ranks news organizations for their reliability and specifies any bias they may have. Using a tool like this can help you pick unbiased and factual sources for your research.
Another thing you must consider is whether or not you can trust information coming from a government body. In the United States, we have the privilege of being able to trust our government and our governmental news briefings. This is not the case in every country, especially those that are not democracies. Freedom House is a non-governmental organization dedicated to delivering transparent data on the state of democracy in the world. Their annual freedom report provides a score for each United Nations recognized country corresponding to their level of democracy based on several factors including the existence of free and fair elections, protection of human rights, etc. When determining if you can trust information coming from a country, check this database, particularly their score in terms of freedom of the press.
Both All-Sides Media and Freedom House are also transparent in their methodology, meaning that they explain their methods for collecting data. These are just two databases but there are thousands publicly available, but make sure to check that they report on their methodology as well.
Everyone Has an Agenda
When consuming political media, there are questions you can ask to determine if it is reliable. Consider the following questions. What is this reporter’s goal in this piece? What are they trying to get me to think? An agenda isn’t always a bad thing. Their agenda could be to educate, but that is still a rhetorical goal nonetheless. This is not to say that every news agency is lying to you and pushing some agenda. As my high school U.S. history teacher would say when we asked too many questions about the Kennedy assassination, “Take off your tinfoil hats!” Be wary and careful, but not to the point where you believe nothing any news organization tells you. Think back to the value of choosing a non-biased source: if the source is considered unbiased and reliable, it is safe to believe their reporting.
To Post or Not to Post
We live in the age of social media where it is normal, and in many ways expected, to post one’s political opinions on the internet. This is acceptable, but it is also important to recognize that someone not speaking out on something does not always reflect their concern over a topic. Personally, I have not posted on social media about the Israel-Palestine conflict, but this is not reflective of my care over the topic. Rather than posting online, consider the following alternative actions: read various news sources and personal accounts of the tragedy, engage in conversations with people, call your representatives and donate your money to crisis funds that support those causes. The most important action you can take is to vote. Examine how your congressional representatives and government respond to the crisis and vote accordingly.
Take Care Of Yourself
As someone who learns about the dark parts of the world frequently in political theory and government courses, I know that constantly watching the news can take a toll on a person. There is nothing wrong with taking a break to take care of your mental health. Try to find some of the good in the world, even when it feels impossible. While I encourage you to take a break, understand the privilege of being able to do so. The people currently living in the midst of conflict or with loved ones in danger do not have this privilege. Reach out to those that you know are hurting and offer comfort in any way that you can. When the world faces darkness, the kindness of humanity will prevail. Remember that we are all human and deserve to live without fear.