It wasn’t a fish…

Tay Tian Yan, Sin Chew Daily

“We don’t know who discovered water, but it wasn’t a fish.” – Marshall McLuhan

There is no way a fish can choose to be in the water and be surrounded by it. Similarly, we are living in a modern world surrounded by all kinds of information. And sure enough this is not what we can choose.

To be honest, I was like a fish these past few days, swimming aimlessly in the world of information.

Indeed, information is like water, keeping people afloat but at times sinking, never able to reach the shore.

You’re right! I was talking about what happened after MH370 went missing. People are invariably inundated by an overdose of information although most of the time such information has never been verified or proven to be non-factual or fictitious.

McLuhan subsequently added: “The fish will be the last to discover water.” The fish is living in the water but it actually understands very little about the water. In a similar manner, we are living in an environment besieged by information but have very little idea of its authenticity.

Readers of #MH370 tweets are not any different: Initially people read that the aircraft had landed safely in Nanning, China. And then a Vietnamese naval officer said the plane crashed into the sea near a small island in southern Vietnam. The captain of another airliner said he had had wireless communication with the MH370 captain. Then oil slicks and life jackets were said to have been found. And next, China would send people here to take over the SAR operation. Others said the plane could have been hijacked by terrorists or hit by some unidentified missile, information that has all been covered up by the government…

There is an endless flow of information on Facebook, websites, TV screens but majority of it has been borne out of people’s imagination, not facts.

I tried to take out such unreal information, and sieve through rumors and hearsay, leaving only what I believe are FACTS. And all that I have are probably only these two: That MH370 has gone missing with 239 onboard, and that two passengers boarded the flight with fake or stolen passports.

Unfortunately these two facts–these two only–have given rise to 2,000 or even 20,000 others through imagination and speculation, most of their creators churning out the “info” in front of their computers, calling themselves “experts.”

And so, the holders of fake passports boarded the flight and blew up the plane. But that is mere postulation.

Fake passports are found all over the world any time of the year, and a bigger probability is that someone could have faked the passport to sneak into another country. Moreover, the itinerary as per his ticket is such that he would make a transit in Beijing for another flight to a favorite European destination among illegal migrants.

This is exactly what happens to a fish swimming in the water, being carried away by the superfluous information.

Information has spawned a variety of reactions. Some have found a convenient outlet for their frustration and personal political stand through this incident, MAS, DCA and the government being the primary targets.

Sure enough these institutions could be on the wrong side or accountable for the tragedy, but so far no one knows what has actually befallen MH370. And since no one knows anything about it, why should anyone be wronged in the first place?

Well, while we have the right to criticize and even reprimand, at least we should do so only after the truth has been discovered and when we know whom we should target our wrath specifically.

So, MAS and the authorities were hammered mercilessly, mineral water bottles tossed at staff on duty, calling Malaysians all liars. Why not cool down and do something more productive such as a prayer for the safe return of the passengers and air crew?

If those hurling curses on the Internet really care, they should travel to KLIA and utter a few words of consolation to the families of passengers, or leave a line or two of encouragement and comforting messages.