Does the Media Have A Positive or Negative Effect on Our Generation? “Whoever controls the media controls the mind.” -Jim Morrison Media has been around for decades now, but within the past generation it has become an all-consuming concept that kids rely on far too much. This infatuation with any and all things media related puts the power in the hands of those who produce it—so why do they choose to use this power for evil? Those in control of today’s ads, commercials, and other forms of media are partly responsible for this generation’s increased self-image issues, bullying, and suicide rates. It’s not difficult to see that insecurity is a problem with many of today’s youth, but in recent times these once small insecurities have opened doorways to eating disorders, self-harm, and a mindset that we should all look and act a certain way.
Everything that we do is apart of or transformed by our views from media that we watch, read or hear. Mass media is the reason for why the world as vast as it is can be considered such a small place. With the advances in technology it is easier for us to stay connected with not only local news and updates but those that happen around the world, and we have mass media to thank for that. Depending on what it is that we watch, read or listen to can determine what we think, how we feel and even how we react to those events. With TV, which is a huge contributor to mass media we are constantly being bombarded with what is considered to be socially accepted in the eyes of the media.
Loitering Parents How They Affect Their Children Joan Acocella brings the controversial topic of helicopter parenting to light in her article “The Child Trap: The Rise of Over Parenting.” Acocella gives good insight into the minds of parents, speaking about those who want their kids to succeed, but go about it in a suffocating way. One might even say she exemplifies how many guardians are trying to make up for their shortcomings. Say a parent felt ignored or snubbed as a child. Maybe their parents didn’t have the means to enroll their child in various different extracurricular activities, such as little league baseball, or horseback riding. This may make them grow into caretakers who are a little more aggressive when it comes to such activities that they may have missed out on.
Sue Palmer is another sociologist that believes the increasing impact of technology and the media over the past 50 years is causing childhood to deteriorate. Palmer argues that in modern society there is a ‘toxic childhood’ due to an excessively screen-based culture which she feels is why there has been an increase in developmental conditions in children. She has reasons for some of these conditions, for example ADHD could be caused to screen saturation as the rapid changes of images on TV can make an immature brain go into overdrive resulting in the child seeing real life as boring. Palmer also believes the increase in screen-based activities has made it more difficult for children to develop literacy skills. Also Palmer
This is because they are exposed to the media 8 or more hours a day typically. I know as I have seen it with my own children. They spend more time under the media’s influence than with parents, instructors, or even friends. As a result, these deliberate and unsettling messages rendered by the media are demolishing the mentality of teenagers today, as it alters their world views and their place in it. The powerful media is considered a leading influence in our society both directly and indirectly.
Television: A Distortion of Reality Television has become a false reality for millions of Americans and the majority of the global society. “The use of television to promote primarily materialistic values has become a severe, although largely unacknowledged, mental health and public health problem for the United States and the world” (Elgin 105). Duane Elgin speaks about the impact of television on the youth of our nation and how it is “being used to promote mindless consumerism around the planet” (Elgin 104). The negative effects of television are clear, and the reality is that this communication device is changing the important values of the global youth. The lucid shift in values has been from developing a meaningful philosophy in life to being well-off financially.
According to CBS news, “Media Violence Good For Children?” Dr. David Walsh, founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family, strongly disagrees with Jones, as do many other medical groups and people. Aimee Tompkins and Rome Neal believe that all this exposure to violence causes children to have an increase in aggressive behavior, become less sensitive to the people around them, have fewer hobbies, be less friendly to others, see it as an acceptable solution to
The media influences the viewers positively and unfortunately, sometimes negatively. The amount of violence and sex in the media has increased and many young people are exposed to this without filter sometimes. This can have a negative influence on them that can lead to teenage pregnancy and even someone getting injured or killed. If a child’s television intake is not monitored or not taught that not all forms of the media is “real life” related, then the child is left to be “raised” by the media. They’ll begin to emulate what it is that they see or hear on television which for the most part, lacks any type of moral values.
In our work we usually know what we have to do based on our experience and studies, however on our daily lives we rely on the media to get the current news and facts about what is important and what we should be aware of. We have put our trust on the media as an authority to give us news, entertainment and education. However, the influence of mass media on our kids, teenagers and society is so big that we should know how it really works. How does mass media influence young people? The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to.
Teenagers today depend on the media for information on everything; the latest gadgets, the latest fashion trend, the newest car in the market to coax their parents into buying, the best places around the country to eat out at, or to find out what their favorite celebrity is up to. The effects of media on teenagers is incredible, where it controls the minds of teenagers like a giant remote control. While it does have its share of pros, parents still need to approach this mammoth beast with caution. The Negatives Studies have shown that certain groups of teenagers are prone to act out violently/ aggressively because of media influences. They fall under categories like, sexually abused victims, those who are going through family problems (like separation / constant fighting / divorce), immigrants / minorities, and those with disabilities / mental instability.