Media at Its Finest (Rough Draft)

Jason Lim Cordero Language Arts September 20, 2011 Media at its Finest “Whoever controls the media controls the mind. ” Technology in all its forms; television, radio, cell phones, music, and art, all play a part in our everyday lives. What’s more, is that the media we see is not always accurate because we do not necessarily see the whole story. Media nowadays consists of what the news wants the public to see instead of the whole story. Mass media has even become so influential in the 21st century, that local news channels have become segregated to either leftist or right wing opinions.Mass media has attributed to every part of our lives.

From the morals we follow, to the political parties we choose to support, to the products we buy, and even to our daily routines. Every part of our lives is a direct repercussion of what we have been exposed to on the television set and the World Wide Web. A popular part of media lies in the music people listen to. Adolescents are influenced by many of the songs played on hit radio stations because of the content of their lyrics. Many songs that are played nowadays involve intercourse, clubbing, and/or getting inebriated.

According to recent statistics, “42% of the songs on the top CDs in 1999 contained sexual content – 19% included direct descriptions of sexual intercourse. ”(“Teens Sexual Behavior: Issues and Concerns”) This percentage has only increased within the last decade with songs such as “Promiscuous” and “Party Rock Anthem” by Nelly Furtado and LMFAO. These songs instill values of constant partying and sexuality: especially amongst teenagers. As of the latest generation, sex appeal has been one of the most effective amongst minors.Television shows of today have also contributed to the growth in sexual promiscuity.

Shows like “Jersey Shore” depict hormonal, irresponsible young adults spending their summers partying and “smushing” constantly. Others may say that there is nothing wrong with the reality show because it shows the actual life of American young adults simply having fun. While this may be true and while it may attract the oh-so-important ratings for MTV, adolescent teens are influenced by these shows because as developing minors, their minds are like sponges. Teenage kids are known to imitate these “role models”. And for the kids who watch and love this show its sending them a very clear message.

If you spend your whole life partying, getting drunk, having sex, and being a complete imbecile then you will get paid more for that than being a good, honest person. ” (Kraus) Is this the type of lesson America wants to teach to the new generation? On the topic of teenage sexuality, adolescents have questioned their preference due to increased news coverage on the topic. In 2008, Prop 8: a bill that argued whether or not to legalize gay marriage in California, was introduced to the country.The bill set the entire state on fire.

All media coverage of the year was dedicated toward the controversy behind whether or not the decision to legalize gay marriage in California would happen. Along with all the news coverage on the topic, celebrities including Steven Spielberg, Ellen DeGeneres, and many more also fought against the bill. “And so did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who have vowed not to get married until gay marriage is legal in the United States. ” (Weinstein) Celebrity testimonies have proven to generate massive appeal to a topic; especially toward the typical teenage consumer.

In direct reaction to the spike in gay/lesbian marriage controversy, teenage consumers adopted the battle between “for” and “against” simply because their favorite stars did. And not only did they pay attention to their favorite stars’ views, they began to believe in them as well. In addition to picking a side to fight for, there was also a spike in gay and lesbian teenage couples. There is nothing wrong with teenagers choosing their sexuality or being gay or straight. However, there is something wrong when the media creates a trend for teens to be a certain preference.

Because of the exaggerated topic of gay marriage, children have adopted the new trend to explore and experiment with their sexual preferences. “Researchers concluded that if in fact there was a "homosexual gene", it appeared to be passed down from mother to son. ”(The Genetics of Homosexuality) Many teenagers are becoming gay not for the sake of being born gay, but rather because it is the “cool” thing to be nowadays. Not only do the media influence viewers’ sexuality, the media also influences the political parties people choose and with the political parties we choose, it also influences which president we vote for.

As of 2008, Barrack Hussein Obama was elected the president of the United States. While the election left Republicans across the nation outraged, Democrats rejoiced at the sight of a new liberal president. Others rejoiced at the sight of a new black president. Since early American years, the media has continued to pour out racial conflict adding to the contents of “white guilt. ” With all the additions to the news adding to America’s racial turmoil in the 20th century, the large media build up of a black candidate was extremely enticing to an American community. “They made up their minds early that they were in love with him.

They were in love with him because they thought he was a good liberal guy and they were in love with him because he pushed that magical button: a black man who was articulate, liberal, the whole white guilt, all of that. ” (Congressman Joe Walsh) Constant coverage over the Obama, Biden campaign on MSNBC and other popular local news networks overwhelmed the opposition of John McCain and running-mate Sarah Palin. Come on; a liberal, change-promising, three-year-senator, hyped by MSNBC, CBS, most newspapers, who is black versus an elder, war hero, prisoner of war, senator for 21 years, conservative activist, hyped by FOX, who is white?The choice for most Americans was easy and obvious. Yes, Obama had a very persuasive campaign.

Along with that; several endorsements by celebrities and news networks. If celebrities and mass media were not enough, the man had a clothing line dedicated to his presidential running. Shepard Fairey, owner of the big-time clothing brand Obey Giant, printed several tee shirts that advocated the election of Obama. The shirts were immensely popular to Democratic voters. In addition to targeting a more Liberal consumer party, Obey Giant was already popular toward a teenage audience.The graphic propaganda played a large part of the election and with many teenagers wearing a stylish tee shirt that depicted the words “VOTE”, “CHANGE”, and “PROGRESS” in large, bold, red white and blue letters, under the face of a black presidential candidate; how could the man lose? On January 8th, 2011, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by a lone gunman: Jared Lee Loughner.

Loughner opened fire onto the Giffords’ meeting with her constituents wounding 13 people and killing six more outside of a grocery store.Giffords was put in critical condition after the shooting and is presently alive and well. Many people blame the shooting on the inflammatory rhetoric that politics have used over the past few years. "For example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action," (Giffords) Giffords herself addressed the issue with the rhetoric in many Republican campaign advertisements.In this case, inflammatory rhetoric is the suspected cause of the shooting in Arizona and while people may refer to the shooters as unstable or disturbed, it does not avert the issue that the words, images, and all propaganda the media outputs is seen by everyone.

Including the lunatics. Giffords’ shooting was not the first to occur in American history. On April 20th, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris assaulted their high school with bombs, knives, guns, and other homemade armaments resulting in what came to be known as the Columbine Shooting. The pair of students were seemingly normal teenagers.However, these “normal teenagers” managed to injure a countless number of students and murder 13 more including a teacher. “Many people have come up with theories including being picked on in school, violent video games (Doom), violent movies (Natural Born Killers), music, racism, Goth, problematic parents, depression, and more.

” (Rosenburg) According to many psychiatrists and recent studies in 2007, video game addiction was a definite cause of the Columbine shooting. Would the Columbine shootings ever occur if the two students had not seen movies like “The Matrix”?The music that they listened to has also been linked to their murderous plans. Harris’ WBS quoted many songs like “Power”. The lyrics of the music he listened to stated “Rivers of tears, Flesh and blood, An eye for an eye, That's all we've got” The rhetoric behind the verse “An eye for an eye,” challenged the thought of murderous intent. Mass media helped instill the thoughts and ideas of murderous intent on “normal teenage boys.

” Every aspect of life draws ties to the media. It directly affects the choices people make, the bandwagons people hop on, and in worst case scenario; the reasons people kill. Great minds don’t think alike, for that is why they are great” (David Weidl) It is imperative that people identify the problems with the things seen and heard in the world and respond appropriately. As opposed to the actions we as a community have taken to mimic Snookie from Jersey shore, the images we see on tee shirts, or the main characters of a videogame. Children and adults alike should be allowed to form their own opinions without being brainwashed by sex-crazed young adults and biased news reports alike.

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