Poor info breeds rumors: Consultant<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A lack of honest information is sure to breed
\nrumors, a management consultant from the University of Indonesia,
\nRhenald Kasali, said yesterday at a seminar on economics.<\/p>\n
\"Since people need information to plan their actions, the lack
\nof reliable information compels people to seek alternatives --
\nregardless of their merit,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Defining rumors as unverified information, Rhenald explained
\nthat rumors' intensities depended on their themes and importance
\nto individuals; combined with ambiguous information on their
\nthemes such as business jargon, symbolism and media self-
\ncensorship.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone can fall victim to rumors regardless of their
\neducational, cultural or economic backgrounds. Every rumor has
\nits own audience,\" Rhenald told reporters after his presentation
\nat the one-day seminar entitled Why Are Our Businesses Easily
\nShaken by Rumors?.<\/p>\n
Rhenald, a former journalist now pursuing a doctorate degree
\nin the U.S., said the changing roles of the press, from defending
\nthe interests of the weak to developing themselves as businesses,
\nhave caused more rumors because the press have their own
\ninterests to defend.<\/p>\n
Rhenald, who has written several books on public relations,
\nsaid that rumors thrive when there are disturbances and
\ninstability; such as in wartime, in suppression of minority
\ngroups, in economic and political crises and in natural
\ndisasters.<\/p>\n
He cited an example of the pork fat rumors in 1988, which were
\nstarted by a food scientist at the Brawijaya University in
\nMalang, East Java. The scientist, Dr. Susanto, found 34 food
\nbrand categories that contained pork fat according to their list
\nof ingredients.<\/p>\n
\"Dr. Susanto thought that shortening, gelatin, and lard were
\nmade of pork fat. He was unable to control the whole process
\nbecause in the collective transaction rumors got shaped and
\nreshaped,\" Rhenald said.<\/p>\n
Moslems were angered by the findings because the Koran
\nprohibits them from consuming pork related products. Within a
\nyear, the list had increased to 63, and the Moslems' anger only
\ndissipated after the government announced that its laboratory
\ntests disproved Susanto's findings.<\/p>\n
Rhenald said that sources of information should give only true
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
Rhenald also advised the public to develop the habit of
\nverifying any information which they wanted to use.<\/p>\n
\"In this era of information, many Indonesians read only
\nheadlines and hastily decide actions, thinking that they have
\nunderstood the matter,\" Rhenald said. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poor-info-breeds-rumors-consultant-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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