Killing Us Softly...

We live in a society where we are constantly bombarded by the media. There’s no escaping it!! The music you listen to, your favorite TV shows, the ads you see in the magazines, all play a significant role in who you are. When you really think about it the media determines how you dress, what you view as “cool” or “un cool”, the way you talk, who you date, and even the way you view yourself. What you consider to be YOUR own sense of identity is really only what has been fed to you through the media. Others would say that it is not the media that forms your identity; rather it is the person that is attracted to that type of music because they relate to it. Perhaps that can be a valid explanation for teenagers, who have formed their own sets of beliefs already. But what about children whose minds are like sponges? Of course they will find it acceptable to beat up other children in their class if they are exposed to violent images from video games all day.

Television can be a powerful entertainment and education tool for children…IF it is used correctly. Put it in the hands of money-hungry corporations and it can lead to obesity, fears, aggression and anti-social behaviors in children and teens. Young people are in a stage where they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be loved and successful. The media paints an ideal image in our minds of what a successful man or woman is. It is their subliminal way of getting you to buy whatever they want you to buy, because until you get it you are not “cool enough”.

The media not only brain washes us into buying more than what we need, but has also distorted women’s body image. For instance, advertisements always portray women in a certain way, generally focusing only on their attractiveness. These images make us create unattainable standards of beauty. This is where Anorexia, Bulimia, and low self-esteem come into play. These images of course can also affect the expectations that men have regarding how women “should” act and look. It is no wonder many men view women as just objects of sex and lust. Think about the Barbie dolls little girls play with, what woman on earth actually looks like that?? And Disney Movies that give children false illusions of life. They have classically conditioned every child to believe that every bad situation has a happy ending or that there will always be a fairy godmother to turn their pumpkins into carriages. What happens when children grow up and realize that their beloved Disney movies are far from reality?


^^ And you thought Disney was innocent?....