Page 199 - SST Class 07

they try to taint other brands or mock at others to (both officers and workers) take undue advantage
promote their own. Such deceitful advertisements
are called spoof ads .
Advertising can create an unhealthy demand for
things. People feel that owning a particular brand
of thing is absolutely essential. Children and
teenagers get very influenced by advertisements.
Many become brand conscious and spend money
on expensive things unnecessarily. Those who
cannot afford to buy expensive brand may feel
deprived.
Mass media like television, radio and the internet
have become nothing more then vehicles for
advertising. Advertising is seen as a major
nuisance by many as they are forced on them
while viewing TV programmes. Repeat telecast of
advertisements on television and web pop-ups can
be very irritating at times.
F ind Outind Out
How do advertisement influence people?
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND INFORMATION
The chief purpose for which a government is
formed is to look after the people’s well-being and
run the administration well. An individual has to
interact with various government offices from time
to time in order to meet his different needs. He
needs to go to one or the other government office
to open an account (bank), buy or send letter (post
office), get ration (fair price shop), get a driving
license (road transport office), travel (railway or
bus station), take an insurance (insurance
corporation), get a connection for water supply
(nagar nigam) or electricity (electricity department)
etc. Thus, we see that we have to interact with the
government for almost all kinds of needs.
When we contact a government office in
connection with any purpose, we want that our job
should be done on priority. The government has
fixed a certain system or procedure for all types of
jobs. The government has also fixed a time limit
within which all jobs must be completed.
However, many of the government employees
of their position. They delay the job on one or the
other pretext. Generally, a government procedure
involves a lot of paper work, and all citizens
cannot be expected to master all types of paper
work. So, these government employees ask for a
favour from the citizens to do the job. This favour
is generally in the form of money, and sometimes
in the form of a service.
We must understand that a government employee
cannot obstruct a task beyond the specified time
limit. However, it is out of our anxiety to get a job
done on priority that we give in to their demand for
money or service. This type of money or service is
called a bribe . Both bribe-givers and bribe-takers
tend to keep this ‘well-known’ fact secret.
Bribe is a chief source of corruption in our society.
It has shaken the very foundation of our
democratic society.
Info Bits
Info Bits
Bribe is a punishable crime; any government
employee asking for a bribe can be imprisoned and
fined by the court.
However, information can lead to the eradication
of this menace from the society. Let us see how.
Case Study
Shivam has recently married and wants his wife’s
name to be included in the ration card, so that he
can draw ration from the fair price shop for her
too. He goes to the concerned government
department (Block Development Office) and
submits an application for the purpose. The time
limit fixed for this purpose is ten days. Ten days
have already elapsed, he has visited this
government office several times, but his job has
not been done on one pretext or the other. One
clerk even hinted for a bribe to get his job done.
In this situation, he has three options before
him—(a) Keep visiting the office and requesting
the government employees there. (b) Report
against the concerned clerk or officer to the
superior authority (but often this does not result in
action). (c) Give a bribe to the clerk and get his
job done in no time.
Understanding Media
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