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Effects of media on modern culture
Need and importance of impact in mass media on culture
The role of media in all aspects of globalisation
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Popular culture and media are concepts deeply intertwined, as media often acts as the driving force behind the ever-strengthening phenomenon of a universal culture. Assisted by modernisation, the importance of media and popular culture in contemporary society has shifted, demonstrating that the concept of modernity is integral to an understanding of popular culture and media. Furthermore, popular culture and media are interrelated with the concepts of power and agency, as they are fundamental players in society (Habermas, 1989). The concept of ‘celebrity’ is also interweaved in this. Whether popular culture and media are positive or negative forces in contemporary society is debateable. Some perspectives argue the connective nature of media, claiming that it has enabled globalisation. However, other perspectives demonstrate that media and popular culture have spread detrimental problems in society.
Media, as an increasingly global sensation, cannot be understood or explained unless viewed through the lens of modernity. Indeed, the spread of popular culture can similarly be attributed to modernisation throughout the developed world. Significant technological and social advances have accompanied modernisation, resolutely altering the role of media and popular culture in contemporary society. However, its impact is widely debated.
Positively, modernity has promoted globalisation, therefore increasing the importance of media. Individuals previously segregated from the world have more opportunities to unite with it, particularly through the Internet and television. Beena Sarwar (2008, p185) argues the television gave those who could not read agency to be informed about national and global occurrences. She further indicates that tel...
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...n blamed on violent music and movies that were characteristic elements of popular culture at the time. The widespread availability of such destructive popular culture, enhanced by modernisation, arguably promoted destructive and antisocial behaviour in adolescents, subsequently resulting in events that drew media and public attention (Scharrer, 2003, p51).
Therefore, an understanding of popular culture and media, particularly its benefits and downfalls, cannot be achieved without a comparison to modernity and the process of modernisation. It is evident that popular culture and media, in regards to modernisation, act as positive and negative influences on contemporary society. Although the concepts are attributed as influencing constructive societal change, it can also be argued that the models are responsible for many aspects of society that need to be altered.
Film critic, Michael Medved is aware that by publishing his book, "Hollywood verses America," he will not only enrage mostly everyone in the show business industry, but he will also loose some of his friends because of what he wrote. His strongly opinionated critique of popular culture examines the recent shift in the content of today's television, films, music and art. He has gathered statistics and opinions as well as shared personal experiences, all to illustrate one major point; popular culture has taken a turn for the worst.
The impact of mass media within the contemporary society is a process that can neither be underestimated nor presumed. The exposure to media and its subsequent influence on the life of human beings is evident in every sphere of their lives. The invention of the first printing machine to the latest discovery of mobile gadgets is proof of how this industry as revolutionized over time. In Canada, the media are solely responsible for mirroring the happenings and undertakings of its citizens. People are able to keep themselves informed on current trends, breaking news or even new discoveries through the media. At the same time, individuals also get to learn how other cities are progressing in terms of economy. There have been a lot of positive and negative impacts of the mass media within virtually all societies. This paper is a brief essay that
According to Dr. Jean Louis Ntang Beb and Dr. Shantella Sherman, people are largely impacted by entertainment and different forms as media when they become more readily available and prominent in people’s lives. Postman refers to this as ‘media – metaphors’ that “classify the world for us, sequence it, frame it, enlarge it, reduce it, color it, [and] argue a case for what the world is like” (10). The media is able to do this because it knows it has a heavy influence in an individual's life. When an entity has knowledge of power, it is able to manipulate its delivery in anyway it wants. This is because at the end of the day, even if the information received is not practical, society will still end up talking about with
Looking the historical moment we are living at, it is undeniable that the media plays a crucial role on who we are both as individuals and as a society, and how we look at the...
The issue of the relationship between the mass media and the popular culture has always been a controversial issue in social sciences. The political economists insist on the role of the media industry in the creation of this phenomenon of the twentieth century. Though, advocates such as John Fiske, argue that popular culture is actually the creation of the populous itself, and is independent of the capitalist production process of the communication sector. Basing his argument on the immense interpretive power of the people, Fiske believes that the audience is able to break all the indented meanings within a media message. He also believes- by giving new meanings to that specific message they can oppose the power block that is trying to impose its ideology to the public. Consequently, this anarchistic activity of the audience creates the popular culture as a defence mechanism. Even when we accept Fiske’s ideas, we can not disregard the manipulative power of the media and its effects on cultural and social life.
The media, including television programming, cartoons, film, the news, as well as literature and magazines, is a very powerful and pervasive medium for expression. It can reach a large number of people and convey ideas, cultural norms, stereotypic roles, power relationships, ethics, and values. Through these messages, the mass media may have a strong influence on individual behavior, views, and values, as well as in shaping national character and culture. Although there is a great potential for the media to have a positive and affirming effect on the public and society at large, there may be important negative consequences when the messages conveyed are harmful, destructive, or violent.
Is pop culture actually good for you? Have you ever been in a situation where the adults in the room are shaking their heads at the things young people discuss? We can all relate to our own parents sharing stories and life lessons of “when I was a kid.” Television has an enormous impact on young people and often at times it may seem like their options to engage in an educational program are non-existent. Has the access and usage of social media overcome us to the extent that we no longer interact face-to-face? Some might think that popular culture is associated with poor education or even lower class, as opposed to higher education with the upper class. Although there are many who would defend the argument that pop culture
There is an association between the development of mass media and social change, although the degree and direction of this association is still debated upon even after years of study into media influence. Many of the consequences, either detrimental or beneficial, which have been attributed to the mass media, are almost undoubtedly due to other tendencies within society. Few sociologists would refute the importance of the mass media, and mass communications as a whole, as being a major factor in the construction and circulation of social understanding and social imagery in modern societies. Therefore it is argued that the mass media is used as “an instrument”, both more powerful and more flexible than anything in previous existence, for influencing people into certain modes of belief and understanding within society.
It is increasingly clear that media and culture today are of central importance to the maintenance and reproduction of contemporary societies. Cultures expose society to different personalities, provide models, which display various forms of societal life and cultivate various ways to introduce people into dominant forms of thought and action. These are the types of activities integrate people into society and create our public sphere. Media and technology surround our society; engrained into the fabric of our existence so much so, that it has become hard to find an aspect of life not influenced by its effects. For this reason, media controllers, wield extreme power and influence over the lives of everyday people. Although, they increasingly continue to feed the audience trash, despite their authority as the creator of our social/cultural interactions, and justify their actions by calling themselves industries. Reducing themselves to just businesses whose sole purpose is to create a profit. This admittance of what they feel to be their true purpose however does not hinder their control and power but instead adds to it. Creating a need for there to be some way to analyze and discuss whether they are using their position and power wisely. Filling this void, scholars have theorized ways for individuals to be critical of the media that they intake. One of these critical theories is the “Culture Industry” theory. Using Cultural Theory, as well as other complementary neo Marxist theories, it is possible to determine how Stacy Peralta, once urban youth culture advocate, became incorporated into the superstructure through media use, thus making him a tool for the continued commoditization of society, and a youth marketer for industries l...
How mass media is using both Ideology and Popular Culture to develop societal expectations and social identities. This essay will look at how Ideology, Hegemony, and Popular Cultural Theory shape common values and expectations of society and media’s influence and compare and contrast differing approaches to understanding the relationship between media and society. The discussion will be contextualized through the use of gender roles and expectations, and how these theories develop and affect the female social identity.
The mass media has played a key role in shaping people’s lives. The modern society’s use of mass media including TV, radio, newspaper, as well as print media has largely influenced people’s ideas regarding themselves and the society at large. This is evident from their behavior towards themselves and their community as well as their treatment of the environment. While some experts believe that the media is to blame for most of the negative behavioral traits among the active members of society, the majority agree that the media makes people understand and develop a positive sense of association with their society within which they live, making it easy for them to identify and get their role in it.
“Culture” is a term that over the years, has taken many forms, served many purposes and has been defined in a variety of contexts. At the rise of the industrial era, inhabitants of rural areas began to migrate to cities, thus starting urbanization. As this new era began to unfold, urbanization, mass production, and modernization became key ingredients in the transformation of culture. As more people became literate and the production of mass media such as magazines, pamphlets, newspapers etc. increased, many had the option and desire to identify collectively – popular culture began to rise. Popular or “mass” culture can be described as a “dynamic, revolutionary force, breaking down the old barriers of class, tradition, taste, and dissolving
Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change” (John Podhoretz). It encompasses the advertisements we see on T.V, the clothes we wear, the music we listen too, and it’s the reason Leonardo DiCaprio has not won an Oscar yet. It defines and dictates the desires and fears of the mainstream members of society; and it is so ingrained into our lives that it has become as natural as breathing. Moreover, adults never even bat an eyelash at all the pop culture and advertising that surrounds them since it has become just another part of everyday life. Pop culture is still somewhat seen as entertainment enjoyed by the lower class members of society; but pop culture standards change over time. A notable example of this is the sixteenth century author, William Shakespeare, since his works were considered pop culture, entertainment that could be enjoyed by everyone, but now they are considered literary classics. While pop culture encompasses most aspects of our lives, its influence is most obvious through each generations reaction to media,
Mass media, including TV, radio, newspapers have a great influence on people and especially on the younger generation. It plays an important role in shaping the opinions and position of the younger generation. In the present, the younger generations are influenced by mass media, including TV, radio, and newspapers. They think this is the model for them because in daily life it is necessary for everyone, therefore, it is not unusual that it has a great influence on the people and especially on them. It plays an important role in shaping the opinions and position of the younger generation. The younger imitate the mass media and it has an impact on the younger on they way they dress, speak or behave.
It incorporates the daily interactions, needs, desires and cultural moments that make up the everyday lives of the society. It finds expression in day to day practices such as cooking, fashion, newspapers, magazines, television, mass media and the many facets of entertainment such as sports, music, dance and literature. Thus popular culture becomes “culture actually made by people for themselves” (Williams 111). In the essay “Notes on Deconstructing the Popular”, Stuart Hall defines popular culture as all the cultural activities of the people, or their “distinctive way of life” which is considered as popular within social context, and is popularly accepted within the society in any particular period (449). Popular Culture also accommodates cultural texts and practices which fail to qualify as the high or elite culture. This residual nature makes it a site of struggle between the marginalized and the dominant groups in society, where forces of incorporation and resistance against them come into