In general, "media" refers to various means of communication such as television, radio, and the newspaper .The issue on media and its influence on society have been debated over the past few centuries. No doubt, that in this age of new media, many of our activities and actions are the way they are, due to the influence of media. Like George Orwell said, “The people will believe what the media tells them to believe.” However, is it righteous to conclude that media is nothing but a pain in the neck?; that all it ever does is to promote values that corrupt our society? I, however disagree that media is corrupting our society, and below I will present my argument.
Media influence or media effects refers to the theories about the ways in which the mass media affect how their audiences, think and behave.Since the birth of the age of media, the influence of it has been felt worlwide.The mass media plays a crucial role in forming and reflecting public opinion: it communicates the world to individuals, and it reproduces modern society's self-image. Critics, majority of whom are parents of today’s youth, often attack the media stating that it is the major cause of promoting copycat murders, suicides and various violent behaviours in the society.Thus, leading to a corrupt society.However, more than often, do we fail to realise that these copycat murders and violent acts are the cause of individuals being raised in a violent, emotionaly neglected environment rather than watching certain programs, films or listening to certain music.
Many have also been fast to point a finger at the media, claiming that it is the root of all evil .More than often, we have heard of how corrupt governments manipulate the society through media to promote a political cause.However, based on these incidents, is it right to conclude that media does nothing but corrupt the society.The question here is that, does the society become corrupted just because of what the media shows them or is it just our mindset as to how we view the media?
Furthermore, there are countless evidence to prove that media does more than promoting negative values. The role of media in a modern society is not only limited to reporting and analysing specific events.It tracks and analyses trends in a society, keeps the audience updated on issues such as malaria,aids and HIV;which could be a matter of life and death. Without media disseminating important information to the general public would be a painstaking job. Besides, without media, is it even possible to know about the issues that are happening around the world? The answer is NO! We would be like frogs in the well. Does this easy access and availability of information corrupt our society or does it mark the rise of a sophisticated and educated nation.
On the other hand, media has also some negative influences on the society. For example, the violence portrayed by the media has led to an increasing number of undesirable acts in the society. Increasingly, younger children are killing their peers and then laughing and bragging about their exploits. An example would be the Virginia Tech Massacre. Furthermore, when television films on teen-age suicide were aired, researchers noted a significant increase in the number of teen suicides or suicide attempts (Boston Globe, Sept. 11, 1986).Thus, showing the negative influence of media on the society.To top that, the growing trend of weight-obsessed women of all ages is a problem of dramatic proportions. Of all women 56% are on a diet on any given day and "80% of girls have dieted by the time they reach the age of 18" (Wilson and Blackhurst). Though not all, but many of these girls and women are at an increased risk for developing an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa. This is undeniably the result of media which more than often promotes the ideal shape for women through slimming advertisements.
No doubt that media has made some negative influence on the society. Like many other things, media is a two-edged sword .It can be put to use in a meaningful way or simply used to corrupt the society.
Media is often made the ‘scapegoat’ to cover up for the undesirable activities that occur in our society. While it is easy to put the blame on media as being the cause of corrupting of society, little do we notice the good that it has done for mankind. Furthermore, the influence of media on people and thus, the society is a result of how we view it .Do we want to view the glass as half- empty or half-full? It all boils down to the way we see things. In this 21st century, where media plays an important role, it is impossible to accept the notion that media is corrupting our society.
Links:
http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine22&item=1104159913
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/politics_and_government/article_438.shtml
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.04/war.html
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