I have been questioning myself about the media's impact on society for a bit now. When I think about the technology that has effected us innocent human being's the most, I came to the conclusion of television. Long before the television, the most direct visual media were paintings. Everyone perceived the paintings a different way. Imaginations were soaring when assuming the purpose and meaning of a painting. The "Assumptions concerned: Beauty, Truth, Genius, Civilization, Form, Status, Taste, etc."(Berger,11) The television on the other hand, limited our imagination. It shows us exactly what the evil mind gamers (companies, producers, advertisers etc.) want us to see. I think I went a little too far by saying evil mind gamers though, as it is a helpful source of information. Anyways, back to the argument, in time, television has made most of the population in North America visual learners. It has proved that "it is seeing which establishes our place in the surrounding world; we explain that world with words, but words can never undo the fact that we are surrounded by it."(Berger,7)
I thought about how the television can be explained in different ways. The television can enhance yet has change us from normal to abnormal. I will explain what I mean.
Television's role is to enhance the source of entertainment and allow access of information across to a large public at one time. For example, news stories and weather. Now with sound and visuals, people are happier than ever. The news educates us about important decision's being made around the world . The weather is always updated to inform us of how the atmosphere will appear in advance so we are able to make plans if wishing to go out. The reality show's and music video's keep us entertained and the advertisers keep us buying and owning newer, more advanced and latest products. Hence, the television enhances the effect of how people can be plugged into one channel at once. We think television is an enhancement because it makes information available to a number of individuals at one time at various timings. I wont lie, I think the television is an extremely convenient piece of technology, but being the Postman fan that I am, I will argue against the medium. Television shows content that will eventually teach reality to its audience. It is basically a story teller. From cartoons and soaps to advertisements and films, people gather together to tell stories to reveal messages whether they are moral or immoral, real or unreal. No matter what it is, it becomes the new truth. As Postman says about television, ‘Has the power to fly far beyond (its original) context into new and unexpected ones…It imposes itself on our consciousness and social institutions in myriad forms. It sometimes has the power to become implicated in our concepts of piety, or goodness, or beauty. And it is always implicated in the ways we define and regulate our ideas about truth.’ (Postman,1985). For example, the new soaps like "90210" or "Gossip Girl" indicate that being stick thin is the new beauty. Reality shows like the "Real World" or "Big Brother" emphasize that everyone has one distinct trait that sets them apart from everyone else. A person can only have one kind of effect on people, the "good girl" effect, the "bitch" effect, the "bad boy" effect, the "Emo" effect, etc. Dialogue, camera angles and sets are all used to bring these fake characteristics to life on screen for the everyday average viewer. As the main stream television shows change, so do the people watching.
Works Cited
Goldstein, Jonathan. "Neil Postman's Criticisms of the Television Medium". Aber. 2nd October 2009. Web.
Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books, 1972.
0 comments:
Post a Comment