The Media We Want?

A question arises when the topic of media and society is discussed.  It’s whether we get the media we want, or want the media we get.  In my opinion, we want the media we get.  A word comes to my mind when I think of media and the people, that word is brainwashed.  The media almost always surrounds us, in the form of social media, , technology, language, and advertising. When we are not involved with media, we crave it whether we realize it or not.

Especially is true when dealing with social media, we are constantly distracted or glued into our social media websites.  It has transformed from a convenient online tool to a full-blown obsession.  It is intertwined with the theory of us wanting the media we get as we constantly want to be engaged in social media whether we know it or not.  Just by simple observation I notice humans can no longer sit still and enjoy what’s around them, instead they have there eyes down and focused on their device between their legs, constantly checking and updating their social media accounts and pages.

We even want the technology we’re given.  We all desire to get the hot new apple product of the year.  “Technological determinism is the belief that technological innovation reshapes social change.  Technology determines how society functions, rather than society determining how technology should be developed or used” (O’Shaughnessy, M., & Stadler, J., p. 116).

Our learning of the world through news and other sources is regulated by language. “We know and understand the world through language, through representations.  This is not to deny that the real world exists- of course there is reality- but it is to say that all our learning about the world is mediated by language” (p. 75).

No matter what we wear, no matter where we look, no matter what we watch, advertising will always surround us.  You can find a brand name or logo on almost every article of clothing, including almost all objects, which have the manufacturing company visibly displayed on the object.  When we watch TV we are bombarded by ads, this doesn’t just include commercial breaks during our favourite shows, our favourite shows have product placement in them.  This goes along with the theory as well because if it were the reverse, and we get the advertising the media we want, then there would be no product placement in our favourite shows, and there wouldn’t be so much effort to appeal to children.

When we think about the media, we want the media we get, instead of getting the media we want.  This is proven through social media, technology, language, and advertising. 

O’Shaughnessy, M., & Stadler, J.. (2012). Media and Society. 5^th Ed. South Melbourne, Oxford University Press.

1F25 Blog Response: Media Impact on Others

            After reading several blog entries from my classmates, it is evident that the mass media affects our worldviews significantly and our lives as a whole.  Some of the people had a positive view on the mass media while others considered mass media to be pointless and even a nuisance to society.

            In a blog written by Tyler Nakamura, he listed negative aspects of the mass media.  One of his arguments was that although it may be convenient to be able to view newspaper articles from across the world, there is no way of knowing if they are reliable.  He talked about a conversation he had that was evident to his claim, “I met a guy from Toronto, and he had told me that Canadians have a false perspective on the people in Somalia because of the newspapers articles that we see are filtered by their government.”  Another negative he talks about is the distraction factor that mass media creates.  He talks about his personal experience with mass media and distraction; “it took me an hour longer to finish this blog because I got distracted by Facebook while doing my work”.  One other negative he talks about is that it affects kids in a poor way, as they are so obsessed with the social media that they are becoming lazier and not reaching their daily exercise minimum.

            I noticed a significant difference in views on the mass media while reading other students blogs.  In a blog written by Sam Dixon, He really focused on the positives of mass media.  He mentioned how we can use mass media to help those in need, “With the introduction of mass media we are capable of sympathizing and offering aid to many of those around the globe that are less fortunate than ourselves.  We are capable of talking about these issues in a safe and controlled environment, but through the media we can feel more connected to the rest of the world.”  He also spoke positively about mass media in the aspect of him being able to communicate with his family back home.  “Approximately four years ago I emigrated from England and through the use of mass media I was able to keep in touch with what is happening back there.  I could communicate with my family more easily and effectively, which has made the transition manageable.” He believed the mass media was a very important and necessary aspect of today’s culture.

            A different opinion came from Ernest Coetzee’s blog.  He pointed out that the mass media is everywhere and involved in each and everyone’s lives.  However, he was very skeptical about the mass media and said, “Going through our everyday lives, what we currently think the world is right now through the window of mass media.”  What that means is that he believes the mass media doesn’t depict the whole picture, and that it only shows what the media wants us to see.

            Reading through the blogs of my peers it became clear that mass media is in fact a part of each and everyone’s lives, however, not all had a positive outlook on it.  Some of my peers agreed with me in saying that mass media is a good thing that is an improvement to the way we live, while others viewed it as a bad thing that just gets in the way and is ultimately unnecessary.  Despite whether it was viewed positively or negatively, it seemed that we could all agree that it is a huge part of our lives.

Peer Blog Links:

Tyler Nakamura: http://tylersmediaandsocietyblog.blogspot.ca/

Sam Dixon: http://samsmediaandsocietyblog.blogspot.ca/

Ernest Coetzee: http://jakecoetzeecpcf.blogspot.ca/

1F25 Post 1: Media Impact

Being able to know what is going on in the world we live in is great for humanity.  The mass media is a way to keep people informed around the world and up to date about things, people and events from around the world.  Forms of mass media include: the news, newspaper, advertising, magazines, books, radio, television, and film. Not only does it keep us informed about current events, but also it allows us to update the world on what we are up to by the use of social networking and blogs.

Technological advances have improved the way we communicate.  In the past the only way to know what your family and friends were up to were to actually face them and have a real life conversation.  It was nearly impossible to know what was happening across the world before mass media.  If you lived in Canada and wanted to know how your aunt Molda in Germany was doing, you had to travel across the ocean via boat, with the high risk of extreme weather conditions and scurvy.  Once you get there you talk to her and then after a week you realize she’s so annoying and you can’t handle the sight of her, but you don’t want to travel back to Canada because you just spent 3 months on a hostile boat ride so you move to France and start a family and a new life there.  Fast forward to 2013 where if you want to see how your uncle Moldy in Germany was doing, you could pull a device out of your pocket and press a couple of buttons to form a message and then send it and he’ll respond back with another message and just like that you’re having a conversation without travelling across the pacific ocean.  This entire process takes under 2 minutes and you can keep your regular family.

I feel like the news is a great way to get caught up with things around the world.  Despite it being a great tool, I rarely watch it, only because when I do I become depressed, as the majority of it is sad news about tragedy, death, and other displeasing subjects. On the other hand some people like to know what is happening in the world they live in no matter how sad it is.

Despite the fact that communicating nowadays is very simple, people are still thinking of ways to improve it.  There are many social networking sites and there are still new ones being developed.  There are more newscasts, podcasts, and broadcasts accessible to the public than ever before.  Just on my free time when I’m bored I just scroll Twitter, Facebook and surf the web and see a ridiculous amount of news articles from news companies I’ve never heard of before. 

The way we communicate and find out information has become such an easy task, all thanks to the mass media, and it's only getting easier.