The Role of Media in Shaping Our Culture - Literature review Example

The role of Media in shaping our Culture Introduction Culture can be termed as a means of life, which consists of aesthetics, institutions as well as beliefs of a civilization. In the current ways of life, media is a prominent entity in our culture. Recently, superior media theories that take into consideration audience reaction have been adopted, while the media theories that view the audience as a reflexive entity have been done away with. The media has been effectively ingraining numerous principles and essentials into a huge segment of our society regardless of cognitive capabilities of the audience (Manohar, 2010). With the development of technology, media control has increased exponentially in the last 50 years; primarily, there was the telegraph, followed by the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and most recently, the internet. We live in a society that relies on communication and information to keep us going in the correct course and performing our everyday activities like education, work, health care, personal relationships, traveling, leisure and anything else that we are obliged to do (Rayuso, 2010). As Manohar (2010) affirms, there is no reservation regarding the fact that there are certain media essentials touching our culture for good. This is because fast and easy flow of functional education and information would not have been achievable had it not been for media. The media has played a key function in constructive developments for example, the fight against gender prejudice, global poverty, spreading knowledge about the global tranquility and struggle against racism. Dervani (2008) argues that the media has become an important element of our society with unique progress in the field of science and technology, and has a key part to play. Nevertheless, it is up to us to decide the best of all that is flashed on television, radio or newspapers. It has also become almost as basic as food and clothing in the world of today. It is playing an exceptional role in strengthening the society in the present world. It is a mirror of the society. It helps us to be acquainted with whatever goes on around the world. It also informs, educates and entertains people. Journalists endanger their lives during attacks or a natural catastrophe, just to update us on the situation. It is partly because of them that knowledge is spreading in the society. Indeed, the media forms our lives since our lives would be deficient without it. The media is essential in expanding education, societal reforms and change, as well as in the maintenance of liberty. Media can enlighten people and provide them with the voice to be heard. For people to make preferences concerning their input in the State, the market and the civil society, they need information. People will make decisions rationally and take the right track of action helpful to them if they have access to adequate information. Both print and electronic Media help people to understand what is happening all over the world, mingle them with the principles of pluralism and prepare them with the basics of modernity. Moreover, media makes public services more receptive to people by publicizing information (Yadav, 2001). Dervani (2008) indicates that the media through television, radio and newspapers affects people’s point of view. Many messages with which we disagree certainly come to us from different constellations of media. They whet our perceptive and articulation of what we believe benefitting to us. Some political parties have turned news channels and even some newspapers as their mouthpiece. This confines the spread of the ideology of the party rather than giving correct news. People form a conclusion by judging on their own through looking and listening to different channels for the same news. The media crew makes a lot of money by means of the advertising we are exposed to. Thousands of the products that the media portrays as fine are what we find ourselves buying. Oftentimes, we make our purchasing decisions based on what we see on TVs, magazines or newspapers. Our buying decisions are also influenced by what everyone else that we know is buying. Surprisingly enough, their decisions are also based on the media (Rayuso, 2010). Manohar (2010) argues that various media messages are unfavorable to humanity. Though the media is a manifestation of the community we live in, it requires doing much further than reflecting the environs. It has to dramatize, belittle and at times even embellish the matters of paramount significance to create way for entertainment. When people say a certain type of movie or a certain type of music is well liked, it means that in the heart of that song or the movie lays a dogma or a notion that a huge number of people are following. In this case, one remarkable example is the fame of offensive and aggressive rap songs in the midst of teenagers. The eruption of fateful incidents has come about due to the elevation of drug abuse, pornography, aggression and other detrimental habits in which children have become tremendously brutal and out of control. There are astounding bands and music videos that portray the message that drugs and sex are unavoidable elements of life. These media-formed ideals might not be essentially suitable. Our assumptions, the things that we are familiar with as well as our own experience influence the majority of our principles, decisions and beliefs. People frequently know that they have to do their work based on their expertise and education. In their everyday lives however, most people depend on the media to get the recent news and details about what they should be aware of and what is essential. We have directed our confidence on the media as an authority to provide us with news, leisure and education. However, the impact of mass media on our children, youth and the community is so huge that we ought to realize how it actually works (Rayuso, 2010). Mason (2010) explains that the greater part of media substance dealing with the old presents a constructive message or image. Newspapers and internet articles are especially true on this. Newspapers are frequently considered to have a prejudice towards coverage of negative news, but the opposite was true when it came to covering older adults. The media both reveal and shape our culture. The aging in the media may provide two purposes and follow the image of older adults – it may disclose general stereotypes that survive in our society, and it may actually teach or strengthen available stereotypes. Children and young adults may develop values about aging based on what they see in the media despite limited contact with older adults, other than their grandparents. Too much involvement in everything is a matter of concern, despite media being an essential part of our society. Sometimes, the media gives extraneous news so much priority thereby overshadowing the real news, just for making money. Sometimes, some channels also transmit and print the messages such that the real messages are left beyond our hands. It does also entertain but again it is a controversial issue because by ’entertainment’ we mean healthy entertainment and not those nonsense TV serials. The media is a tool that we have to use by our judgment to offer utmost pleasure as we at the same time avoid harming ourselves. The other shortcoming of the media is the fact that sometimes it publishes or broadcasts some offensive news, and it sometimes serves unessential activities as main news and broadcasts them repeatedly. This does not expand the reach of media (Dervani, 2008). Mass media is an important force in contemporary culture, especially in America. The manifestation and creation of culture by media is referred to as a mediated culture by sociologists. Persons and societies are bombarded frequently with messages from a huge number of sources including billboards, magazines and the TV. These messages support products as well as attitudes, moods, a sense of what is significant, and what is not. Mass media also makes possible the notion of celebrity. Devoid of the effort of magazines, movies and news media reaching across thousands of miles, people could not actually become renowned (CliffsNotes.com, para2). In an era wherein globalization and liberalization have become the order of the day, we cannot overlook the importance of media, in spite of being sensational and partial. Tasks and duties of media are increasing gradually in this globalised world. A lot has to be done by the media for the betterment of the society (Dervani, 2008). Yadav (2001) indicates that a responsible media can help in the socialization of people into nationality, democratization of the State and political society, institutionalization of civic culture through free flow of information and efficient use of power in social relations. It can assist voters with the contents of civic and political education and strengthen the culture of democracy. This is the reason as to why Karl Deutsch, a political scientist, has described that the system of communication proves a nerve of the polity, and any collapse of the nerve may cause dysfunctional impact in the performance of the polity, causing governance decay. Conclusion It is evident that the media is a significant part of our daily lives. The media in various ways primarily shape our culture. Concisely, people develop different ideas and beliefs based on what they read or listen from the print and electronic media. The media also plays a great part in the socialization of people into nationality. Despite the positive effects of the media on our culture, it also has some negative influences. Issues of pornography and violent programs on the TV and the internet have actually deprived our moral standards, especially those of the youths. Media’s influence on our culture is therefore two fold: the negative influence and the positive influence. References CliffsNotes.com. (2010).The Role and Influence of Mass Media. Retrieved from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26946.html Dervani, S. (2008). The growing role of media in our society. Retrieved from http://www.merinews.com/article/the-growing-role-of-media-in-our-society/136579.shtml Rayuso, (2010). Mass media influence on society. Retrieved from http://hubpages.com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society Manohar, U. (2010). How Does the Media Affect our Culture? Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-the-media-affect-our-culture.html Mason, S. E. (2010). Stereotypes and Representations of Aging in the Media. Retrieved from http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201006/2084178161.html Yadav, B. (2001). Role of Media in Promoting Good Governance. Retrieved from http://www.nepaldemocracy.org/media/role_media.htm Read More