In the general sense, I have changed my use of media in very specific ways- and this is only when I view ads. Much of our media unit has been focused around analyzing ads and not so much social media- so, in line with this, I focused much more on my consumption of ads on all platforms- such as TV ads, social media ads, etc. To expand on this, I became much more aware of the implicit and explicit messages and appeals used in each ad that I saw. In addition, I began to observe why certain ads aired on certain stations. For example, I was watching ESPN with my dad, and the only ads that aired were ads for testosterone pills, fitness gear, and for beer. I now know exactly why- ESPN's target consumer is a middle-aged man who is looking to get fit and admires athletes, but is obviously sitting there watching TV, and these offer simple solutions to being like the athletes they see. Now that I have become more aware and attentive to the ads I watch, I have noticed that I consume so much more media and advertisements than I believed/wanted. However, the media has become so integrated into my life that I likely will not limit my use, and I have not limited my use since beginning this unit. However, I have realized that I view myself through the lens of the media- I compare myself to the images I am surrounded with everyday, and this was an eye-opener to me. The outfits I wear are based on what I see on TV and in ads (which, by the way, there isn't much of a difference).
On a separate note, this unit has made me realize just how important media literacy is. Ideally, I would like to be my own individual that is separate from the media. However, I am not- I am just a product of the media. Very few people would be able to realize this unless they took a course similar to this one- we have to be aware of how much the media influences us in order to begin finding our individual self without the influence of the media. They set the expectations and promote them- and in order to free ourselves from expectations, we have to be aware that the media sets them in the first place. Being an educated consumer is just as important. One who lives in a capitalist nation, such as America, should be aware of how they are portrayed by advertisements and how they are convinced by ads. We have to learn how to be critical thinkers and we must think outside of what we are told to think. Keeping this log made me relate common events in my life to the influence of the media, and the logs helped me discover my own opinions separate from what an article is telling me to think. The logs taught me to explore a world outside of the two sides the media presents. Separate from this, I believe that the media has been shaping me even before I was born- we all are born into a world of expectations. The media has also shaped my entire family, and continues to shape the whole world- and we have to do better at being responsible with it, and more so, we have to be aware of who we are away from what the media tells us we are. We have to be able to recognize the harms of the media while we are surrounded in a world that runs on the benefits of the media and technology. Change can begin with the media, and we can find ourselves through becoming fluent in the media.
On a separate note, this unit has made me realize just how important media literacy is. Ideally, I would like to be my own individual that is separate from the media. However, I am not- I am just a product of the media. Very few people would be able to realize this unless they took a course similar to this one- we have to be aware of how much the media influences us in order to begin finding our individual self without the influence of the media. They set the expectations and promote them- and in order to free ourselves from expectations, we have to be aware that the media sets them in the first place. Being an educated consumer is just as important. One who lives in a capitalist nation, such as America, should be aware of how they are portrayed by advertisements and how they are convinced by ads. We have to learn how to be critical thinkers and we must think outside of what we are told to think. Keeping this log made me relate common events in my life to the influence of the media, and the logs helped me discover my own opinions separate from what an article is telling me to think. The logs taught me to explore a world outside of the two sides the media presents. Separate from this, I believe that the media has been shaping me even before I was born- we all are born into a world of expectations. The media has also shaped my entire family, and continues to shape the whole world- and we have to do better at being responsible with it, and more so, we have to be aware of who we are away from what the media tells us we are. We have to be able to recognize the harms of the media while we are surrounded in a world that runs on the benefits of the media and technology. Change can begin with the media, and we can find ourselves through becoming fluent in the media.
Comments
Post a Comment