BOYLE INTRO1 JEREMIAH SUCGANG

          Media and information are two very important factors in today's society, and to me being "literate" in these two things is a vital skill for being part of society. For me, one can be literate in these aspects when one can essentially understand, interpret, and use media and information intellectually and responsibly.

          Being literate in media and information is somewhat easy to get started at this point of time, with how advance technology is and how fast the modern generation can learn how to use them. But what most people seem to fall short on is being fully literate in media and information. People easily learn how to essentially understand and use these two, but being able to use them with intellect and responsibility is the part that a lot of people tend to forget about.

        A lot of people tend to use these skills recklessly and without thought, most noticeable on the internet, which is the most accessible media and information outlet we have. A lot of people, particularly on social networks, have a tendency to just post anything they feel like posting without a second thought out in public. It's similar to having a person stand in the middle of a crowd and then scream whatever that person wants. It's not pleasant, isn't it? It's not really the best way that person can convey their thoughts, especially when there are clearly plenty more ways of doing so in a better, more civilized fashion, presented right in front of them.

          Something I keep in mind in order to avoid such scenarios is to always think before I speak. I validate if my thoughts are comprehensive, then I see if they have to go through the risk of offending someone, and lastly I decide if making these thoughts of mine known are necessary. Is it comprehensive? Will it hurt anyone? Is it necessary? Asking myself these three questions before I speak my thoughts help me be a better media and information literate. Examples of scenarios where I practice this thought process are when I think of rebuttals in debates. Using this thought process also helps me in writing my speeches, making me revise them to be easier to understand and more concise. And lastly this thought process helps me in surprise scenarios where I get into an argument with someone and I want to essentially settle such with little to no grudges from either party.