When I first saw the courses of DP1, I was wondering what TOK shall be. The explanation of the abbreviation Theory of Knowledge did not give much of information and still I had to know what is all about. In my search in the internet, I came across different theories and a lot of definitions of Knowledge but what really got my attention was the multiple meanings of freedom.
But what type of Freedom are we talking about? Freedom of the speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion… I realised soon that one simple word had many interpretations, different for each one. As I learnt later, many thousand years ago, Aristotle, the Greek philosopher had already explained that the truth is not only one and not the same for everyone. During my editorial experience in the magazine, I realised indeed other people might see things in a different way and they all believed in their own truth.
Apart from discovering many interesting definitions throughout TOK course, I realised that learning and understanding new things and ideas, gives you the courage to stand up and say your opinion. Or say what you think you believe is your opinion until someone proves you a new different way of thinking. And then it struck me that there is no right or wrong but your personal opinion, coming from your cultural background. All those experiences and hidden thoughts deduct you to agree or argue with the other. But, you need to have an opinion, your own opinion!
I think at that moment, I realised why all my life I want to become a journalist.
I am really glad I am following an IB education, as IB value creative thinkers, as part of the programme. An open minded student though should not accept anything without judgement. A critical mind is created by accepting and analysing different thoughts than the ones you had until now. But is that really possible?
Following the news the last couple of years, I see more and more luck of freedoms or violent interpretations of that. Terrorism is justifying its cruel actions by talking about freedom from western capitalism; democratic governments chase journalists for unveiling scandals in the name of national security; unstable minds give their own explanation to referendum and shoot politician because of her support to Bremain Vote. I have to admit that none of these make any sense to me but apparently it does to them.
1984 was a real lifelearning book for me, a dystopian novel living in a society without freedom, without emotions, without justice, where everything is recorded and changed in favour of the Party and Big Brother. During Ms Sood’s class, I learned about bias press and not bias. All of us, we had an example in mind to refer to but George Orwell’s quote was really inspiring: “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed… everything else is public relations”.
As young minds, it is not only our right to be awake but it is our duty to bring new ideas to change the world.
*Disclaimer: This is the editorial letter in my school’s e-magazine, Global, which I am the Editor in Chief.
evrofeli 