Wanted: The Media That We Need

Stemming from the original question of “do we get the media we want, or want the media we get” it is important to note that there are so many forms of media and media sources.   I would like to begin by quoting a classmate “A want is defined as a wish, need, crave, demand, or a desire (Dictionary Reference, 2013).  With the topic in mind of whether we “get the media we want, or want the media we get”, the definition of a “want” reappears within my mind” (http://cassandragrahamblog.wordpress.com/).  I think examining the definition of want and applying it to the context makes the way you think about media shift a little bit.  I personally do not like to watch the news for the typically daily source of news based media.  I feel there is way too much negativity and I do not want to start or end my day with stories about murders.  I do not want to be surrounded by sadness. 

                I am a very go with the flow kind of person and when it comes to my source of media I tend to revert to google.com to get the information about the stories I may hear around me or I see mentioned on social media sites such as facebook.  This way I feel a sense of distance between myself and what the world wants me to know and believe.  “The media will cater their message to the desires of their target audience.  This is a pivotal method of trickery that the media employs on us today” (http://lunterhackey.blogspot.ca/).  I could not agree with this statement more.  I feel like we do not actually have as much to say in regards to the media we get as we would like to believe.  With our generation being raised in a way never seen ever before with the introduction of all the technological devices and grown dependencies, I have determined that the claims of “brainwashing” are true.  The youth of today are surrounded by different forms of media telling them how to look, how to act, who to like, what to watch, what to believe, and are being directed through life step by step in the way the media sources want them to.  They are simply being trained to be mass consumers from the get go and media sources are taking advantage of every form they can. 

                A similar belief is shared by someone who posted the quote “the media is tricking people into thinking that they are getting what they want, when really it is the media that makes all the decisions” (http://melissasblogview.wordpress.com/).  I believe that with the evolution of quality of life or life expectations, the question of “do you have a cell phone?” no longer applies.  The more realistic question nowadays jumps straight to “what is your cell phone number”?  I do not think that we truly have an option to go without them anymore. When you watch commercials on TV they make it seem like you have the option to purchase an iPhone for example, or not, when really, it’s the option to have an iPhone or another brand of smart phone.   The decision of “you need a smart phone” has already been made by the media and you simply feel like you have a decision as to whether or not you do because you are provided with numerous smart phone options that all tell you what you want to hear. 

                In conclusion, I believe that commercialism controls the world and we will never necessarily get what we want, but more what we think we want.

1f25 Response 1: Media Impact On Others

After having read the opinions of my peers and their view as to how mass media has impacted them, I must agree with the very valid points that were mentioned.  I have many different opinions about the media and was unsure as to where to direct my focus while preparing my last entry.  The influence of mass media is around every corner you turn in one way or another.  “My worldview has been somewhat redirected in a way as I have become more enlightened and frustrated though on a general level I know it is difficult to judge whether there is more harm than good when analyzing the universal impact of mass media given how it is being used in the modern day society” (http://lt09mj.wordpress.com/).  I feel like this statement has summed my feelings towards the mass media in one sentence.  It is everywhere and the impacts on our lives and views are both positive and negative.

Celebrities’ views are impacted differently for they are the news that we read in our pajamas on the couch while we are procrastinating homework completion.  The immediate thought would be that they are against it for the paparazzi is always in their way and getting in their business while they try to complete everyday tasks as simple grocery shopping.  “This stems from countless stories of athletes and actors/actresses saying the common phrase: “The media are blowing it way out of proportion!”” (http://isaacc56.wordpress.com/).   Everyone has heard the secrets leaked about celebrities personal lives that are suddenly alter when said celebrity releases a statement to combat the reporter.  However, this same technology and media spread is what current celebrities have to thank for a certain portion of their success.  The news of their scandal or advertisement for their latest project is all spread and shared on the same pages.  I personally have not really had too much sympathy for celebrities and their lack of privacy even though I would never want that to be my circumstance.  I feel that many celebrities do an amazing job at avoiding the tabloids so they should all be able to if that is what they really wanted.  I can admit thought that I also never really considered the catch 22 situation for them too.  There is the saying that goes “no publicity is bad publicity” but with the vast speed of media news travel, the slightest move could hinder or boost their career in a moment.

            Before, I was very negative about what the media portrays, however not all of it is bad.  I think that may now the one main thing to pay attention while embarrassing the mass media culture around us is to just mind the time we allow it to take from us. “…my whole family gathered around the dinning room table to share a meal before going our separate ways. Conversation and wine was flowing, for awhile, until I received a text message and my sister’s phone buzzed with a Facebook update. My parents, who both own and attempt to use their own iPhone’s, are used to this brand of distraction. My grandmother however, was not impressed. What followed was a well grounded lecture on the importance of living in the moment” (http://emmagoegan.wordpress.com/).  I would be lying if I said I have not been in the same position before myself.  So while we read between the lines of what it fact and fiction, or important versus entertaining, stop for a minute.  Indulge in what is around you and the moment you have and tune out of the media filled world for a little while and see the beauty the real world has to offer.

1f25 post 1: Media Impact

The introduction and growth of mass media in today’s society has created a massive impact. People are able to receive information from numerous sources at any given time, from the newspaper at the corner store, to an application on your smartphone, all of which come with their pros and cons. The more media outlets there are the more you feel informed.  However, that also means it is harder to decipher between fact and fiction.  I think that even though there are plenty of media forms it is still very important to analyze everything specifically and apply “common sense” to sift out the truth from the filler or lies.

I personally do not pay too much attention to news per say.  I find that every time a story comes on it is always negative. If you were to sit down and watch a 6 o’clock news show, it usually starts with a local shooting or other violent act, followed by violence and war over seas, to the spread of disease (back when SAARS and H1N1 were threats), and topped with a poor weather forecast. I understand that it is beneficial to know what is going on in the world around you, but I truly believe that living a positive life is a happy life, and sad/depressing news stories is not how I would like to end my day.

That being said, it needs to be known that news is not always about traumatic world events but also includes celebrity gossip, advertising, and lies.  I am just as guilty as the next person and enjoy reading articles about these, although it needs to looked at as information and/or gossip and not news.

As mentioned the media expands to advertising and it is everywhere you go.  As a part of popular culture we as a whole have allowed the world to persuade us as the consumer to buy almost anything just because we can.  Whether you are online doing research for homework, trying to watch a youtube video, standing at a bus stop or walking through an airport, you are surrounded by the mass media of advertising, convincing you to purchase their product.

The speed of information delivery is something that has become unbelievably fast over the last few years. For example, as I sat in lecture the other day, my professor first addressed the class by asking if anyone was aware of the shooting that had just taken place in the US and was then surprised by how few people were. That being said it had only been 30-45 minutes since it had occurred and that is now considered a long time. Another example of how fast we can be updated through mass media is the way we can program instant alerts to be sent to our smart phones on any selected topic such as sports, news and weather.  You would be hard pressed to find someone who is not “plugged in” at any given time.

Overall, my view of the world with the spread of mass media has deteriorated as I have gotten older, have more access to media sources and all the negativity that comes with them.