Thanks to today’s media and popular culture, almost any person can find their idea of happiness on television, in a novel, or in the life of some celebrity.
These ideas and images are projected to us, and draw us in, inviting us to taste what we feel we truly desire. The problem is that it still isn’t attainable, and the media is only feeding us an illusion.
Those controlling the media have many ways to get people to identify themselves with something, keeping their paychecks large and steady.
"Media Usage and Consumer Spending, 2000-08." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
Based on the years 2000-2003, the chart above shows calculated and projected statistics for 2004-2008. We can see that as the average American spends more time seeing, hearing, or reading the products of the media, they spend more on those products. The more often a young person plays video games, the more dependent they become upon them and the more they will spend on that dependency.
We become convinced that these items will somehow better our lives, and so we look to them to give us what we desire. We turn to the media to give us fulfillment or happiness.
We become convinced that these items will somehow better our lives, and so we look to them to give us what we desire. We turn to the media to give us fulfillment or happiness.
Another large trap set by the media is “reality TV.”
There are countless programs lately trying to portray what “real life” is like. These shows are full of divas and unpractical solutions to ridiculous problems, with squabbling and hatred at every turn (Surreal).
In reality,"participants are often placed in exotic locations or abnormal situations, and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways…with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post-production editing techniques"(Abulude).
Does that sound like “reality” to you? Me either.
There are of course other examples but the reality of it is that not every fantasy we entertain is going to be real. Few situations played out in the media will ever actually happen, and as we realize this and start going out to live our own lives rather than living through the lives of celebrities, we’ll get that much closer to becoming a bit happier on our own.
Works Cited
Abulude, Samuel, and Solomon Nda-Isaiah. "After the Glamour, Glitz - a Reality Check on Ex-Reality Shows' Stars." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 27 Oct. 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
"Media Usage and Consumer Spending, 2000-08." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
Starobin, Paul. "In New Media, Image Is Still Everything." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 11 Sept. 2009. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
"Surreal Housewives: On Bravo's Hit Show, the Gender Roles Are as Artificial as the Spray-on Tans." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, Apr. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
By: Heather Johnson
By: Heather Johnson
This is a good post--I enjoyed reading it. If I were you, I might add another couple of pictures. Just to make it more visually appealing. Also, I think it would be okay for you to mention a few specific reality tv shows that make it difficult for people to attain happiness. Don't be afraid to go out on a limb a little bit; you're trying to add new information to the field! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback. I definitely understand the need for some color here. I also wanted to be more specific but the word limit made that a bit difficult. In my final paper, I'll make sure to add some detail.
DeleteGreat topic! I think I missed a little bit the connection between perfection and reality tv, since reality tv certainly does not portray perfection. There are definitely elements within reality tv that are stylized, and I think your argument would be stronger if you focused on these. Also, I was a little confused as to whether you were arguing that people spend too much money chasing perfection, or whether we would just be happier if we didn't watch the media's portrayal of perfection? Or is it both? Regardless, I enjoyed your post and I think it will make a great issues paper.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback Diana. I hope that I can better connect all of my thoughts when I have a greater amount of space available to me in the final paper.
DeleteThis is one of those topics that we all hear a lot about, but from your post I feel like I know more about this topic. But, like Kate said, make sure to really put some of your own input in the argument; it will enhance your claim in the end. You did a good job of covering quite a few subtopics thoroughly without being too wordy! I do think that you could have added in a more colorful image to make your post more eye catching. But good job overall!!
ReplyDeleteI will most certainly add some more color, and also try to put more of my own experience and opinion into the paper. I'm glad that I could add a bit of information to the topic. Thank you for your feedback.
DeleteInteresting topic, it's something I have not seen addressed yet. You had some nice points and it was quite thought-provoking. However, I'm somewhat confused to the "so what?" aspect of it. Isn't it alright if people use these modes of enjoyment? Are you arguing that they are used too much or should not be used at all? Or that it is wrong that media producers are using these means to grab our attention? I'm just a little confused. Also, you did a good job incorporating the graphic into your post and using it to support.
ReplyDeleteI found out after the Fight Club today that my topic isn't coming across as I had hoped it would so I will definitely work on the clarity of my points and overall goal for my final paper. Thanks for the feedback.
ReplyDelete