I can't hide it. Media undoubtedly consumes much of my every day life. I cannot remember a single day where I have not checked my phone or gone on certain social media apps such as Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. There is also hardly a day where I do not watch at least a bit of television and go on my laptop to watch videos on Youtube. Being exposed to all these different forms of media in my every day life really affects who I am as a person and how I perceive the world. I am a product of modern media.
I do not believe that keeping this media blog has changed the amount of media consumption I expose myself to. However, I do believe that my perception of what I am watching, seeing, reading, viewing, and listening has changed. Prior to keeping this blog, I would just see an ad and not think much about it. Now, I have a tendency to really notice the certain ways in which advertisers manipulate their audience. One of the biggest things I have learned about myself is how susceptible I am to the certain implicit messages advertisers are sending my way. I really thought I was immune, but such is not the case. I love Nike products, including clothes and shoes. I have been so inundated with creative and effective Nike advertising that I have come to blindly assume that Nike gear and clothing is better than that of their competitors. But I have no empirical evidence to support this. I have simply become a victim of the Nike advertising.
Having media literacy is a key component to being an educated consumer. When one has media literacy, he is more aware of the certain pressures and messages advertisers are sending to him. One effect of having media literacy is understanding how companies will persuade you to buy a product when the product is not actually important at all--or at least not necessary. Another thing to add is how companies try to attack an insecurity of the consumer and explain how their product will fix that insecurity (but in reality it does not actually fix it). For example, a certain makeup company will persuade women that their product will give them more attention and be more desirable. I do not believe that I will never be susceptible to media messages, however, the concepts I have learned in class this year helped me gain a certain media literacy that allows me to question the messages that advertisers are bombarding me with.
It is impossible to live in a capitalist society and have no media. Capitalism goes hand in hand with advertising. The whole goal of advertising is to sell some sort of product. The question that has really been bugging me for quite a while is whether we should blame the media for sending us certain messages or whether we should blame ourselves for being so gullible and falling for these messages. I cannot say I have a clear answer to this question. However, the thing I am most grateful for in taking this class is understanding that it is the responsibility of each individual to think and be aware of messages that are directed at us from the from the media.
It would be easy to blame the advertising industry for creating insecurities. It would also be easy to blame the advertising industry for playing on these insecurities. However, I am big on personal responsibility. Just like I am unwilling to accept the easy way out that violence on television or video games is responsible for violence in real life, I am also unwilling to accept that advertisers create and corrupt our collective societal values. We have been given free and it is our personal responsibility to exercise it prudently, intelligently and responsibly and not blame external factors like the media when we fail as human beings.
I totally agree with the points you made, but how do you expect people who haven't taken a class like this to understand the essence of media. You said, "it is the responsibility of each individual to think and be aware of messages that are directed at us from the media." How do you propose making everyone media literate? Anti-media groups have been working for years to get companies to stop basing their advertising off of consumers insecurities, but it hasn't changed. So instead of attacking the companies, steps need to be taken to educate the consumers. There have been no steps taken to educate the public on media. Instead they are told to shorten the time spent on it or protect yourself and your child by following them on every social media account or blocking certain websites. I totally agree on the fact that its personal responsibility, but you have to educate people on media before you start blaming them for something they didn't even know they were doing. Prior to this class you said that, "I would just see an ad and not think much about it." Don't you think people who haven't had a class like this are doing exactly that? So don't you think that the best way for media to lose control over the vast majority of people would be to educate them?
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