News, truth, and “truthiness”!

“Every ‘joke’ contains within it some truth” is one of the only pieces of advice I can remember my mother giving me the summer before I entered into high school. Although I never really had the opportunity, nor desire, to truly reflect upon the quote until beginning this post, I now realize its range of validity. In regards to the concept I am being asked to explore, I see a strong correlation between comedic news reporting and the reliability and truth behind it, as too it seems did many of my peers.

            Specifically, a majority of my peers seemed to believe that satirical news reports , such as the Rick Mercer Report and Saturday Night Live, are shows that are not only more attractive to viewers but also better sources of information. Blogger (http://hb123na.wordpress.com) for example, wrote about the way in which satirical news reports are clever as they “include [the] story telling of world news while using a twist of comedy to keep audiences interested”. Within this very same paragraph this writer touched upon a theme I found common amongst many of the blogs I read. She, along with many others, stressed that satire within news reports is an effective form of culture jamming which makes news better broadcasted as “people are more capable of paying attention and remembering current issues if they are more interested in what they are learning or being informed of”. Shaian Richards (http://shaiannrichards.wordpress.com), another blogger, further emphasized the benefits of satirical news reporting as she pointed out that “satirical news gives people a chance to display alternative views to what is going on in a given society and at times this may be controversial”. I found this point to be especially interesting considering that with approximately 7 billion people living in the world, there are bound to be many differentiating and unique views. These diverse perspectives are typically held on the virtually limitless array of topics discussed on these shows. Thus concluding that not all views expressed on these shows are reliable or consistent.

Lastly, (http://hma95.blogspot.ca) made a point that, in this instance, made me consider the implications of this sort of news reportage for the continued viability of our contemporary public sphere. She pointed out that “culture jamming identifies the corruption (and sometimes, just plain ridiculousness) in the logic of other media, which helps its large base of consumer audiences form better informed opinions on what controls their society”. This made me uncomfortable as I finally realized that the public will always be rather dependent on the news to tell them what to think; whether in satirical or traditional contexts. And though my classmates, a rather fair representation of the population, can draw up example upon example in which comedic news reportage is beneficial, I think that they too would be rather alarmed by this realization.

 

Is The Fake News The Real News?!

As far back as I can remember, my older bother has been watching The Rick Mercer Report religiously off of CBC, EVERY Tuesday night. As the youngest child of the family, and he, the eldest, the significant age gap between us has always meant that TV time has had to be shared. Ultimately, this means that I, sitting patiently alongside him-waiting for my turn, have watched a few more episodes than I’d like to confess. Surprisingly though, I do not consider this time ‘wasted’. Even as a young preteen who admittedly did not understand much of the satirical or political sketches about Canadian politics, I have gained plenty of new knowledge however trivial some of it may seem. Perhaps it is my previous experience with a similar program that has led me to developing my opinion about the correlation and importance of satirical programs in culture and society.

I do not believe that satirical news reporting, which is normally aired weekly/biweekly for only about a half-hour, is a form of mainstream culture jamming. Instead, I’d like to present the idea that these satirical news reporting’s are useful sources of entertainment that provide relief and a sense of voice for viewers of the public sphere who choose to indulge in its’ content. I make these arguments in consideration of all demographic preferences and by taking into account programs’ consistency of ‘air time’. You see, it’s pretty common knowledge that most Canadian citizens watch factual news reports for a variety of reasons; whether it is to gain knowledge of the weather for the day, information about the traffic, the stocks, or to hear about international events, individuals in first world countries are becoming largely more dependent on the outsource of news provided to them by institutionalized news programs. Also becoming gradually more worrisome is the fact that the demand for the daily release of this information is increasing. Watching news reports is an action that is programmed into most people’s routines. In turn, this is making news programs increasingly more popular, demanded, and widely consumed. Just about everyone with a television watches the news and unfortunately, it seems as though just about everyone knows about the multiple horror’s occurring in the world because of the constantly updated and released info.

Naturally, instilling a sense of fear within the viewing population, these news reports do more than just inform the public. For those who are critical of such information, these programs make them question the information they are provided and the integrity of the individuals about which information is being released. These inquisitorial individuals can turn to satirical news to provide small amounts of reinforcement and relief as these programs are cleverly designed as entertainment sources to be linked with “comedy [that] can be subversive as it attracts attention in memorable ways and allows jesters to challenge authority”(223). Satirical programs also make “use of humor [which] might suggest to audiences, though, that the issues themselves shouldn’t be taken seriously”(223). Simply put, I believe that satirical news is vital in society to keep a sort of ‘light hearted’ and easy-going feel for all of the chaos constantly being reported. In regards to its contribution to the public sphere, I believe it is important. It provides a source of relief and “include[s] consciousness raising (raising awareness of social and political issues) as well as using the media to criticize the media and dominant culture”(214).

While there is no doubt in my mind that satirical news is a form of culture jamming, there is question about whether it is a form of mainstream culture jamming. Not all television viewers need such programs as is represented by the lack of demand and distribution of such shows. After all, how ‘mainstream’ can a show that is only aired once a week be?  How ‘mainstream’ is a program that only has a limited audience tuned in weekly?

O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Stadler. Media And Society. 5th ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.

Response 3- Demonstrable Demographics

Retold at just about every family gathering is the story of how my 3-year-old self played Barbie. Supposedly, I did so by stealing my moms’ favorite shoes and dress, hijacking my older sisters makeup, and locking myself in the bathroom, only to come out when I was ‘picture ready’. Just as I presume any other person would feel, the embarrassment that dawns upon me today when my parent’s pull out the old picture is immeasurable. Unfortunately, upon reflection, I realize now that the embarrassment does not stem solely from the ridiculous content of the photo. Much of the humiliation that I feel when I look at that photo comes from the memory of the oddly satisfying feeling of being ‘done up’. I realize how worrisome it is that at such an early age I showed susceptibility to female expectations. I can still vaguely remember the un-comfortableness of the shoes and the irritation from the wool of the dress, however; I also remember that the unfavorable feelings never once made me take off the clothes. Instead, with each compliment, the itchy dress and six-sizes too big shoes became more and more bearable. In fact, it was almost as if the awkward sensations were completely forgotten after a few shallow compliments. As I look back at it now, I realize that this was one of the first lessons I learnt about societies outlooks of young women. It was also when my first hand experience taught me that, as Alexandra (http://alexandradeyman.wordpress.com) points out, “women will go to great lengths and are willing to try anything to be attractive”.

Plucking, waxing, priming, and manicuring are now verbs that don’t only apply to a handyman’s job of finishing wood. They also describe the various esthetic practices that women part-take in. Now, more than ever, more emphasis is being placed on physical appearance and thus, women are spending millions of dollars each year on beauty products, makeup, clothes, and shoes. Particularly conscious of their physical appearance are those in my demographic, women aged 17-35. This particular age group self-persuades themselves to look ‘perfect’ as they are “curious about these things especially at an influential time in [their] lives” as (http://cpcframblings.blogspot.ca) writes. Advertisers are aware of the initial curiosity these women have and try to appeal to them, and in the long run companies capitalize on them. It was interesting to note that the vary same blogger wrote that these ads “play on [women’s] insecurities and desires”. She expressed opinions similar to my own and touched on how advertising campaigns, as intended, often lead to a cycles of consumerism. I believe that next, in order to convince the consumer that they will benefit from the product; advertisers change the way in which their demographic is represented. It is for this reason that advertisements can be seen with the ‘flawless’ or airbrushed skin of models in the focal point. These displayed advertisements then lead women to be expected to look as flawless or have fantastic hair through the use of the product as the model in the advertisement did. The two mentioned bloggers both looked at the way in which advertiser’s hail and interpolate women in this category by targeting appearance. It was interesting to see that they shared a similar view point as me.

Of the blogs that I have read, most of my female classmates agree that many women are left feeling inadequate because of societies and medias’ expectations of them. To rid themselves of this feeling they give into ads and products which they believe will make them better and thus their representation in advertisement’s change as well. A blogger that seemed to share many similar beliefs as those of my previous post was (http://lp10gl.wordpress.com). She wrote about the power of the incorporation of celebrities in advertisements. This blogger concisely wrote, “Celebrity product endorsement is one way companies try and gain exposure to their product”.

As a previous dance instructor, I have seen 12-year-old girls with stick thin legs that had not yet undergone puberty, complain about being fat. I have seen 15 year olds who ‘would kill to have Mileys’ old hair’, and cousins only a few years younger than I, yearn for the new Victoria Secret push up bra. Realistically, the advertisements directed at my demographic are affecting the self-conscious nature of more than just those individuals in my demographic. There is a bigger problem here. Advertisements are, perhaps un-intentially, beginning to hail more than just their target audiences. By unrealistically portraying their actual demographic, they are affecting the way thousands of women and young girls think.

Blog Post 3- What the Hail?!

As an awkward preteen, I can remember sitting in my basement glaring at the tv screen as music video after music video presented images of skinny girls with strapped on stilettos, dancing to upbeat music. I can also recall being put off by the sight. Brought on by the realization that I would never fit into society’s expectations of the norm, I remember being upset with myself for being too tall and thus knowing I would never be able to wear stilettos and a mini skirt.  I realize now that I was simply “internaliz[ing] ideologies as a response to being hailed or addressed”(185). Perhaps this is why I remember, so vividly, the first time that I saw one of Taylor Swift’s videos. The pretty, tall, blonde haired girl, only a few years older than I, walked barefoot outdoors in one of her first music videos. The way in which she presented herself was so different from all the other pop star’s famous at the time. ‘Fifteen’, one of her first hits, served as the starting point for her career. Over the next 7 years, she managed to build up an army of loyal fans. This audience has grown up with her and continues to sing alongside her. Only this time, they sing ‘22’. She has become the epitome of success over the past few years. With a strong fan base supporting her every move, virtually nothing seems impossible for her.
Once an average teenage girl and now a multimillionaire, Taylor has numerous companies and popular agencies fighting for her to indorse their products. Using her identity, which is “formed by things such as height, weight, attractiveness and so on”(184), sponsors who sign her attempt to appeal to teenagers and young adult audiences. Imaginably, this is why in the past she’s been seen in commercials promoting things such as: perfumes, foundations, and cameras.
Taylor’s most recent partnership with Diet Coke, however; takes on a different approach and attempts to appeal to different demographics. They have presented a video that infuses her famous charming attitude with her ability to write catchy and unique songs. Clips show her writing lyrics in her bedroom, in a dressing room, and as she is about to preform on stage, providing viewers with a better understanding of who she is. In each shot, Taylor can be seen either sipping on a diet coke or she has one conveniently placed near her. Within the short 30 odd second long advertisement, ‘regular’ people are also shown in different settings, happily singing along. The light and cheerful faces of the people that accompany the product and cheery tempo of the music interpolate the idea that the product can be consumed by anyone, anywhere, and will make the consumer ‘extraordinary’. It hails the average individual and encourages them to consume the product. It is successful in the sense that it appeals to a range of demographics and not just teenage girls. The music is attractive, cheerful, and effective. The use of an amiable celebrity contributes to the effectiveness of the ad as viewers are more likely to trust an individual that they recognize. Audiences can easily acquaint a light-hearted feeling with the product and the celebrity. Though I don’t necessarily trust that audiences literally believe that they could become ‘extraordinary’ by drinking the product, I do think that the ad is effective in representing the lifestyles of the average citizen.
The young singers ability to write her own lyrics, play catchy tunes on her guitar, her visual appeal, along with her natural ‘country’ innocence, are all characteristics that have attributed to her becoming the celebrity she is today. Her identity, which becomes associated with the product, adds to the overall effectiveness of this advertisement. And as Diet Coke presents: anyone, anywhere can consume this product and ‘be extrordinary’.

Citations:

Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqZLWUetLWg

O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Stadler. Media And Society. 5th ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.

Blog Response 2- Wanted: the media that we need

Information available through various media sources such as the ‘net, the television, and an array of mobile devices is leading mass populations to becoming better-informed individuals. The newly developing technological age in which we live, is cultivating a variety of media that is benefiting individuals in many ways. Primarily, it is enhancing the ‘connectedness’ of people (through social media) while also focusing on making information more readily accessible to the general public. Conceivably, these can also be seen as the reasons as to why I believe there are so many benefits that come from my media choices. Chief examples include the way in which these media choices educate me about matters occurring in both my local and a globally community as well as the way in which these media choices benefit the construction of my knowledge and provide a foundation for my education.

With the Internet literally at our fingertips, many individuals are taking advantage of the fact that “Googl-ing”, “yahoo-ing” or “bing-ing” a term or a phrase can lead to the finding of hundreds of thousands of results. Whether a person be searching for academic information on “Google Scholar” or seeking entertainment from humorous cat videos on YouTube, the Internet use is easy. Media sources such as this, openly share its’ seemingly endless resources with consumers and allow people to early find information about virtually any topic they’d like. Thus, I believe that if a person were to truly want to better inform him or herself about an important matter, they would be more than capable of doing so.
It is interesting and very imperative to note, however; that not all individuals want to utilize these medial tools, nor do all people have access to digitized television and Internet forms of media. An idea that was commonly referred to in many of my classmates’ blogs referred to the power people have to acquire information. Brooke Harnum (http://brookeharnum1.wordpress.com) was one of the bloggers who supported this idea. She wrote that “People can choose whether or not to become informed about media by: for example, choosing not to watch the news or choosing not to read the newspaper”. In her blog post, Brooke also wrote that“… people select what media issues they will become informed about” which eloquently reinforces one of my points in support of media as a powerful informant and the choices consumers can make. Individuals will seek the media they want.

The looming dangers that are associated with media are mentioned in Justin Gideon’s blog (http://justingmsblog.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-media-we-want.html). This blog intrigued me as it took on a perspective that I hadn’t bothered to consider. Primarily focused on social media, Justin’s blog post pointed out that “[The internet] has transformed from a convenient online tool to a full-blown obsession”. Self-reflection on this point proved it valid! I myself can admit to getting wrapped up and consumed by the media. Even now, as I attempt to write my response, I have to stop myself from checking any one of my social media accounts, skyping, or emailing.

After looking at my classmates blogs, I have solidified my opinion on the immense benefit media is to society as it provides easily accessible information. As years progress, we can only hope that this system develops even further and then allows for even easier access (if possible). Blogger (http://kgonez.wordpress.com), looked at the fact that “as society develops and our way of life changes, we begin to feel the need for items we never knew we wanted”. And because of this I could not imagine students in any stage in their academic career surviving without Google, I could only begin to imagine what new technological advances will lead to a more interconnected and socializing world in the future.

Blog Post 2: The Media We Want?

Upon moving to St. Catherine’s from home, I have had to learn to live on my own and assert my newfound independence. Not surprisingly, I have been exposed to plenty of new experiences that have led me to developing a better self-understanding. In these short 8 weeks, I have learned more about myself than I could possibly care to know: I like my sleep and coffee, my favorite colour is blue, and as annoying as it is, I’m probably one of the most indecisive people you’ll ever come across. Particularly interesting and helpful though, was learning that being the youngest child of my larger-sized family may have actually, in a sense, prepared me for ‘residence life’. I’m not so naïve as to think that it was by ‘fate’ that I somehow managed to be placed in the dorm room next to the ‘lounge’; but, however odd it may seem, I am thankful. You see, this placement has made me realize that instead of being bothered by background noise when focusing or studying, I am calmed by it. I am accustomed to having people interacting in a shared surrounding environment while I am studying and thus, I truly prefer hearing background sounds to absolute silence. It is for this reason that I sit here while it is eerily quiet in Lowenberger, writing this post with my iPod playing, my phone placed perfectly parallel to my laptop, and my TV switched onto the news channel. In this moment, I am alone and completely surrounded by my thoughts…or am I really? I have various media sources switched on and at my disposal and furthermore, each is sending out a particular message. This leads me to questioning: are my thoughts actually my thoughts? Or have they been created and projected onto me by the media? Have I chosen these thoughts or have they been chosen for me? As a society, are we getting the media we want or do we want the media we get?

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to decide whether an individual’s thought is unique or if it has been encoded into their beliefs by another individual(s) or media source. This is especially important because the structural organization of media and “the process by which media producers set up the issues – the agenda – that the media will focus on and that audiences will subsequently perceive to be important” (25).  Media messages are extremely influential on medial audiences. The struggle of determining whether we get the media we want or want the media we get, especially for indecisive individuals such as myself, requires looking at the benefits and drawbacks as well as the uses of media distribution in itself without bias-which is essentially impossible.
As an important industry in the world today, the media tries its best to supply content that will satisfy consumer demands. This is how, through our consumer choices and individual preferences, we largely determine what media we ‘get’. Popular television shows are a prime example of consumers receiving what they want. With the up rise of more prominent liberal thinking amongst North American societies, shows like 1 Girl 5 Gays and Teen Mom have been aired and run successfully. These shows are following the shift in cultural ideologies and simply giving the masses what they want: “The media producers, in constructing their images and stories, are reflecting various social ideas and beliefs that are held by different social groups.”(59). Two decades ago, if the average North American had heard about a television program in which homosexual men spoke about their sexual experiences as well as other lifestyle choices, or had they heard about young girls having unprotected sex before marriage, they would have a heart attack. Today, it is becoming more and more socially accepted. The following quote is taken directly from Media and Society Fifth Edition. It accurately depicts my point: “… the audiences influence, if not control, media output through their choices of what media products to consume”(38).

As a society, we primarily stress the idea of media as an entertainment source; however, sometimes it is overlooked that we also gain vast amounts of knowledge from these sources. It is important to recognize that without the news, not many people would know about the events occurring on other continents. It is only because of the demand for information that we have this kind of information available to us. We  benefit from the knowledge provided to us in various degrees. “As media analyst Heather Hudson points out, ‘Access to information is critical to development; thus information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a means of sharing information are not simply a connection between people, but a link to the chain of the development process itself'” (5)

In conclusion, just as many other industries’ that are driven by desire for monetary reward, the media industry is no different. This industry simply looks to capitalize on the beliefs of the masses by giving them what they want. Thus, we are the driving force; If we ask (and pay), we shall receive!

Literature Cited
O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Stadler. Media and Society. Fifth Edition. South
Melbourne, Australia: Oxford, 2012. Print.

1F25 Response: Media Impact On Others

Yesterday, I saw Brock’s Academic Integrity Presentation for the fifth time since the fall 2013 semester commenced. I sat in my seat, with my laptop ready and Microsoft Word opened as the campus Academic Integrity Officer, Mr. Troy Brooks, addressed the sea of students in front of him of “the basics” of academic misconduct. He encouraged students to ask professors for detailed explanations in order for us, students, to better understand exactly what is expected of us. He proposed that in this way, we would not require the help of our classmates and therefore, we would not be able to, even unintentionally, commit academic misconduct through ‘collaborative learning’.
This short but rather dull presentation I had to sit through probably seems irrelevant to the topic at hand, but I believe it had a significant impact on the way I will complete not only this blog response, but also others in the future.  It was in this fifth, and hopefully final presentation, in which the realization of the uniqueness of CPCF 1F25 finally dawned on me. For once, I am not only allowed to, but in fact, am required to, look at my peer’s work and opinions and compare them to my own. Realizing this brought me to starting this assignment and ultimately, creating this post.

Reading through my fellow classmates blog’s made me appreciate more than just the varied different perspectives and opinions that circulate in the minds of the people around me.  It also highlighted the broadness of the category of “media”. The simple string of words: “how significant is media on your world view?” evoked dozens of different responses from my peers. It seems as my fellow bloggers have actually explored all the cracks and crevices, properties and characteristics of media; many that had never even crossed my mind!
As it turns out, a few of my classmates actually did share some of my very same ideas and touched on a few of the same concepts. Many also investigated both the positive and negative impacts media has had on their lives. I found that http://noubayan.wordpress.com and I had many similar understandings.  This blogger briefly considered and explored the educational benefits of mass media.  Cleverly, they pointed out that media allows “…us [to] gain knowledge about life around the world. It keeps us up to date on the economy and things we can expect in the future”. In my piece, I also expressed my concerns about the way I believe fads and other esthetic practices largely shape society’s ideals.  It was great to see that the very same writer as mentioned above had a matching idea. The quote“I guess you could say that because of the media and the image that has been implemented on society I feel like in order to fit in with my peers, I have to act and dress a specific way” taken from his blog demonstrates my point. I’m glad to say that the direct correlation between media and the way in which people react is as apparent as I had believed!

The impact of advertisement media and the importance of informing oneself rather than always trusting media were two very predominant, associated, and reoccurring themes that my classmates wrote about. In particular, I found, t7ums (http://t7ums.wordpress.com) perspective on media intriguing.  The following quote taken from t7ums blog could summarize what this writer believed, the post wrote: “to say that the mass media has influenced my view on the world is an understatement- it’s pretty much created my view”.  I spent a lot of time reflecting on this individual’s blog; it was accurate and still genuine. The blogger was direct and concise with his audience and managed to effectively convey his message. The author of this blog said: “I should know better than to believe everything the media tells me, however it’d be unrealistic to say that I could obtain all my knowledge of the world from first-hand, double-checked resources”.  Though I had investigated the problem with believing media information, t7ums elaborated on this point very well.

The way Veronica Fields (http://veronicatmeow.blogspot.ca) connected personal experience to media and its impact on her life made her post about media impact one of my favorites.  I had only skimmed through a few posts before coming across her page, yet somehow I was drawn into her writing. Veronica lured me in and then kept me captive by examining the aspects of media impact that I hadn’t bothered to look at. Body image and self-esteem were two of the core components of her post. Unfortunately, I saw that this opinion was shared amongst more than just a few other blogs. It was particularly upsetting because she mentioned that the media’s portrayal of what a ‘woman’ should look and act like made her feel uncomfortable with herself.  As a female partaking in a society where advertisements for diet pills and new weight plans are constantly being promoted, I can understand how Veronica feels. She also explained that media inflicted various stereotypes and wrongly shaped her beliefs as she was growing up. This was a point that not many others people mentioned. She said that: “The media has helped me be afraid for the future, it’s helped me hate people (hordes of people) for reasons that I couldn’t even rightfully explain to you now. I grew up at just the right time (sarcastically speaking) to learn why everyone but us is bad”. I think that Veronica’s blog was so appealing to me because I found it relatable. She shared her personal experiences and made strong connections between topics.

In looking at different blogs, I found that a majority of CPCF 1F25 students claim that media has had a significant impact on their lives. I am proud to say that even after reading so many different blogs, I continue to stand by my opinion that media has influenced me immensely. I actually feel as though after reading all the different responses I could actually develop an even stronger argument for my case.

Post 1: Media Impact

The sun is blinding and I’m still a bit groggy from my late awakening as I make my way into the David Howes lecture hall just before 9am on Monday, September 16^th.  Surprisingly, I’m not late and by some miracle or another, I spot a vacant padded theatre seat at the end of one of the rows and decide to make my way over to it. As I do so, I pass by dozens of students. I mumble, “I’m sorry’s”, “excuse me’s”, and at least a handful of “pardon me’s” as I shimmy my way through the narrow walkway to get to my seat. My fellow classmates pay no attention to me nor does a single person acknowledge my effort to be polite. Their eyes stay glued to their laptops.

Briefly I wonder if this is how my parents feel when they speak to me when I’m watching my favourite TV show or when I’m texting and I pay no attention to their attempted conversation. I make a mental note to apologise to my parents. For a short moment, I see what they see. It’s worrisome that media has that much power over people. The thought is interrupted and dismissed as I reach my seat and my professor arrives. The large and rather annoying group of chattering students silence and the synchronized tapping of the computer keys with accompaniment of the professor’s voice begins. Standing in front of a group of over 500 students, the lady upfront starts the lesson by asking for those who had heard about the ‘news’ that occurred just a few minutes before the lecture had started, to raise their hand.  Obediently and shockingly, over 300 people in the hall raise their hands above their heads.

This is the manner in which I learned about the shooting that occurred in a Washington navy yard a short 45 minutes earlier. Unfortunately, in the society in which I live in, this also meant that I was late in learning about the occurrence and perhaps also meant that I’m not as connected as my peers. What I experienced in lecture that day speaks volumes about the technological age in which we currently live. Only 45 minutes after the fact, and already, a majority of people in my local community knew about what was happening in another country. We are privileged that with the ‘magic’ of technology, we can stay interconnected with various global circuits. These circuits have largely become integrated in our cultures. Media is no longer limited to just news. Now, more than ever, mass media is shaping individuals hobbies and interests through various channels, allowing those with similar interests to connect. It is acting as a binding agent. However, the issue of mass media is that now more than ever, people are starting to become progressively more reliant on it. We look to media for knowledge, entertainment, advice, and even trivial things such as weather forecasts. Wherever you look, there is a form of mass media, sending a message to you. Some even argue that mass media, though maybe unintentional, subliminally shapes our ideals. Fads and other esthetic practices are reflections of this point. The more time people choose invest in a certain medium, the larger the effect that medium has on their personality and ideals.

Whether the impact of mass media is positive or negative is a controversial topic for many individuals. Both pros and cons of the topic must be weighed and taken into account. However, I believe that the power and ability to acquire knowledge through mass media should be taken advantage of. If examining and working together through mass media can lead to new technological advances that help others, why not? Mass media impacts almost every aspect of my everyday life. For this reason, I am quick to realise that my education is largely dependent on media as well. I am thankful for the knowledge it makes accessible to me.