The Media’s Subtle Power over your Brian & Happiness
There was a time, not too many decades ago when you truly had the ability to choose what you wanted to watch. Wanted something educational? Sure, PBS. Wanted something sexual? Sure, Playboy. Wanted some news? Sure CNN. Everything belonged to it’s own genre, and to each their own.
That was 1980 or possibly the 1990. Today is 2017. A world in which everything sells with beauty, sex or yeah.. sex. Nickelodeon use to be a purely kids platform at 3am or 3pm. The commercials were appropriate for that particular audience and that audience only. Today however, we’ve grouped sexuality and all other advertising content (short of nudity) into the channels that have the most viewers. We’ve changed what used to be purely kids and preteens into time-based programming with almost no true filter of our ads. Our children are more susceptible to what their friends do and what their heroes on television do. If Demo Lovato who is a great singer and accomplished person showcases her thoughts, styles and demeanor on Nick as her agent signed her up for, she is great! But what about our kids? Your kids are stuck idealizing these characters (who, yes, have a right to do or say whatever they want)—but what should your kids do? Your kids will do what Demi does or Miley or Nick Jonas.
Everything that happens on “child tv” becomes suddenly acceptable and desirable to your child. They are taught to stay away from the other channels, but what happens when ABC Family, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network start to show endorsements from their idols who show a side of them that probably wont be to your liking or theirs ten when looking back at it ten years later. Our media has played a subtle manipulation into what’s acceptable and what isn’t. We live in a world where you cannot tell your child to not watch tv nor can you tell them to watch tv comfortably.
And then.. there are the shows which depict the narrative of a producer. We get it.. It’s fake.. But do these tv shows still not elicit emotion? Fear? Tears? They do…
So when you see every Marvel villain be of Russian descent on the big screen, I’m sure you don’t think their all like that.. But subconsciously, you do put the thought to it. So the next time you see something that’s unfortunate, you subconsciously have to dissociate their nationality from their crime.
It is the same for religions. Is it fair that the minds of millions are influenced at the desires of 1000? Should Hollywood and programming in general not keep politics, race and religion out of the picture?
We unfortunately don’t. Instead, we reinforce stereotypes that are honestly sometimes quite hilarious, but we forget that they are a tad bit funnier because it doesn’t include YOU. The humor is great, but it creates subtle messages that actually carry weight in the minds of millions… So essentially, we’re watching FICTION that slowly manipulates our REALITY.
Think About It for a Second.