Sunday, October 19, 2008
Influence of mass media in society
In a typically urbanised area such as Singapore, a normal person wakes up, check the television news or newspaper first thing, goes to work, make a few phone calls, and makes his/her decisions based on information that he/she has gleaned from their friends, co-workers, news, television or financial reports.
Out of all the media that have been invented, television has been the most influential of all. We are constantly exposed to thousands of images of violence, sex, advertisements, celebrities and many other more. According to research, a child is exposed to 40, 000 ads a year. What about teenagers? What do the mass media do to the teenagers today?
Teenagers buy what they see on television, what their favorite celebrity advertise and think that what is acceptable to society based on fashion that the media has imposed is also acceptable for them. Yes, there are negative and positive influences by the television.
The media has a positive influence in one instant; if there is a particular sport that is getting a lot of attention from the media, and gains popularity among your friends and society, you will want to practice this sport and be cool in front of your peers. The end result is that you will have fun with your friends and be healthy at the same time.
Negatively, there are many celebrities who are taking cigars, adding to the 'cool' image that teenagers are so obsessed with. The constant exposure of sex images, excessive violence and exposure to numerous junk food ads are negative influences too.
Teenagers are in the stage of their lives where they want to be seen as successful and be loved. Above all, they want to be accepted by their peers. They feel that the media has created an ideal image of beautiful men and women, with their characteristics of a successful person. It is a subliminal way to tell teenagers that they are not up to the media's standards because they did not buy the products that make the celebrities look beautiful. Take models for example, only those who are extremely thin may be up on stage, or be seen advertising products on television. These teenagers will then be obsessed with going on diet and engage in eating disorders which lead to severe health issues and even death in order to look as thin and 'beautiful' as the models.
Is it worth you life just to live up to the media's image on what is considered beautiful or popular?
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1 comment:
The mass media is a powerful tool indeed. It influences people and changes perceptions and lives. However, it is a double bladed sword. When used appropriately, it can educate the audience about issues. However, when used inappropriately, it can distort perception and make the audience focus on the wrong issues instead.
Take for example the influence mass media has on teenagers. Don't we all want to look as hot and skinny as those actors and models on screen? It is not possible without remsembling a stick in real life.
Thankfully, some people are trying to show that you do not have to look like a stick figure to look good. One such person is the American actress America Ferrera. She is not stick-thin, but she still manages to look good. Perhaps with more actresses like her around, people will start to feel more comfortable with their body shape and themselves.
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