In Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman argues that the media uses distraction and persuasion to influence our choices. His argument can certainly be considered. The media does tend to take full advantage of things that capture our interest to manipulate the general public in their favor. But it can also have good effects as well.
We’re constantly bombarded by commercials for prescriptions, makeup, the latest and greatest way to lose weight, etc. To most people, these may seem stupid and pointless. But to the person who has been depressed and always thought there was no way for them to ever feel normal again, that commercial for antidepressants may convince them to seek treatment. Media’s positive effects can also be seen in the Amber alert system. Hundreds of children have been rescued just by having their picture in the news and on freeways. The examples of good media are tarnished by annoying commercials, but that’s no reason to do away with media altogether.
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Absolutley right Roxy, the media targets those who their product might interest. Like those kiddie commercials with Hannah Montana brushes and toothbrushes. A person of our age may think "What the heck is wrong with the toothbrush my little sister has now? What will a dumb Hannah Montana sticker on it make it any better?" But the the children (who the commercial is really targeted at) will love it! They will beg and plead and pray to get that toothbrush! Why? because the media is smart, they are manipulative and they know their effects on fat, ugly, young, old, and depressed humans. Of course just because we hear one bad song on the radio doesn't mean we should burn all radios in existence, just as there is no reason whatsoever to do away with media because a few lousy commercials.
ReplyDeleteWell I don’t think that the commercials that you say are positive are really positive. Weight loss, prescriptions, make up, and other stuff is what Postman said is an easy solution to solve to a person problems and in fast rate. Instead of actually doing it the normal healthy way or accepting that you’re not young any more we force nature to change its ways. The media/commercials goes for these people with the full intention of getting the buyer to believe that what they sell is the best and get them to buy the product without thinking about. Once this person buys this product they continue to force them to buy other stuff because they use the same idea that it’s going to make everything better in your life, when the reality is it’s not that easy. Also the media doesn’t really alert you to the whole truth because it picks out what they think people like to hear. Media nowadays is gossip about what happened to she/he, or what nation is suffering and how we should be involved with them. When the media gets involved in disasters such as Haiti it gives the situation awareness and helps the cause, but once they leave Haiti is still in trouble. By that time the Media has moved onto something newer and fresher. It seems every celebrity now has their own “cause” they are trying to promote in the media. How good are commercials/media when they are controlled by their own motives? They say it is for your good, but really it is for theirs. After all they are making money off of everything they sell you in some way. They tell you if you are depressed take this pill that cost $100 per bottle, but the truth is there is another pill that will work just as well if not better that is cheaper but they don’t mention it because there is no benefit for them. They tell you what to wear and what to eat. Where to shop and where to go on vacation. Do you ever stop to think how many ideas you that have are your own? Or are they all just something the media has told you?
ReplyDeleteIf people get affected by those commercials and buy overpriced and noneffective product, it is the consumer's fault that they bought the item. This shows the consumer did not research and carefully choose what was getting bought. In this case, media has a fault but the consumer has bigger responsibility.
ReplyDeleteThere was a news i saw that got the chills going down my back yesterday. I was watching the korean news and one of the announcements was how the twitter saved a woman's life, who was about to give birth to a baby, along with the life of a new born baby. What happened was the woman needed type B blood, so she posted of her need on twitter, and people far and near responded to her post and went to the hospital to give her blood. I wanted to share a solid example that media can be good and save people's lives.
People say that media make people feel bad and depressed because only the good looking people get to be on TV and on billboards, but everything ultimately come to the hearts of the the people who has the dark thoughts. Everyone has good and bad traits, and they need to live with it and think of how their life will get better instead of thinking, "oh, I want to be pretty like her or him."
To what Jessica said about Haiti awareness,,, everything ULTIMATELY come to what the people think and do. Media does not tell people what to do, if people knew of any bad situations and was devoted to want help, people would have done and will do it.
Human have tendency to blame other things so that they don't feel remorse, and i think what we are doing now is blaming the media. We have brains and given the choices. We should not be swayed by every waves of the commercials and changes happening, and be smart about taking advantage of the media.
From the media, it is clear how competitive and restless America is; or how it's trying to be. The latest fashion tells of the 'need' for showing off, buying expensive clothing, or wearing makeup to flaunt a materialized being. The latest weight loss program tells of the 'need' to fit in; the 'need' to be appealing. It also tells the story of how the self concious person learns to feel secure in whatever the media dishes out. The ads are all smiles and laughter, happiness and security, confidence and approval. for some, T.V. is not just a toy, it's a set of standards on how to live one's own life. Those people, from the very beginning, have to find that inner peice and the easiest way to do so has become T.V. Yet if you step back, hopefully you soon realize how ridiculous this is. Listening to a man-made machine; moreover, following millions of others' opinions for the way i should live? i don't need that. Humans have some instinct, don't they? For me, it is very easy just to step away from that mesh of tv, phones, social networks, and electronics, and just enjoy every passing day.
ReplyDeleteIn the world before us has been presented the idea that we will never die. Though countless cinema and shows encounter some sort of death, does it really affect us? Reality shows never show footage if the person actually never made it (if they died); that would be wrong; too personal. Then why would we ever watch that station anymore? TV has become a getaway from our own lives, because once you start watching, it's hard to stop thinking that your life sucks. One example would be ICarly, among plenty others. I am absolutely against any of those shows. Competition, fashion, lying, and just plain wrong ideas--what are they trying to do to this up coming generation?! Surely i've never heard of such behavior in the Bible, or from my parents. Plus, i just don't see any point in the show being around at all. What does this show teach me? That is the first question i always ask myself when wandering to a new program. As for ICarly, i could not think of one clear cut answer. I could go on, but there are other things to speak of.
We've all heard the protests--that media is trying to change who we really are. i don't care what anyone has to say about that, i have my mind made up. i know what to believe or what i shouldn't, because i follow my instinct. it doesn't fail (duh). One thing that bugs me is when the commercials speak of a product you'll 'love'. Would you die for that product? Would you care for it when it gets old and falls apart? Yeah right. i don't care for someone's sales pitch if they have to try that hard to get me to buy that product. Also, i don't trust anything any actor says. They could be flat out lies for all we know. Money, money, money, it's what makes the world go round.
The post, POWER OF THE MEDIA, had me thinking about the play Julius Caesar. Marc Antony was able to direct the focus of a whole crowd to favor his point of view because of its appeal. Also, in Lord of the Flies, one little chant turned into a murdurous riot that left Simon face down in the water. Also what comes into view is simply the term 'mob'. Therefore, like a selective speech or persuasive peer pressure, media derives its power from its ability to 'distract and persuade' people.
Luckily in this world, there is always an option B. This is also in relation to THE POWER OF THE MEDIA, being the Amber Alert System; among other non profit organizations, the ASPCA, and so on. But yet again, it is money that makes the plane fly, the water brought, the children fed. Hopefully, in the future, senseless commercials will be replaced with such charitable air time, and still further into the future, there won't be a need for those non profit organizations at all.
I absolutely agree with you Roxy, your point is very thorough and is exactly how I also feel. Even though the media can sometimes be used for frivolous things of unimportance doesn't mean it should be gotten rid of completely. Sometimes it can be used as a form of information, or as a way to influence people to feel better about themselves.I feel that those are the things that count. Although Neil postman makes a valid point in his book he mainly focused on the negative things aout media and not the more important, positive things.
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