This image shows that one piece of information can be manipulated in multiple ways to convey different messages. Often what is presented as truth has been altered from its original state.
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power-because they control the minds of the masses.”
- Malcolm X
Mass Media
In modern America, media is all around us. It's on our phones, our televisions, radios, posters, billboards, and almost anywhere it can be seen. Americans today on average spend five hours a day watching television, and 67% have a smart phone. Much of the information we get is unavailable away from a screens, and it is information that is often required for jobs or education. We are deeply influenced by media, and as a result, our opinions can be controlled. Almost everything we hear about is subject to misinformation, contextual manipulation, and lies. The powerful (people or corporations), can control what many of us see, and can easily drown out anyone who disagrees with their message. Media is ever-present and is being sold to younger and younger audiences. Overall screen time for children has grown to almost seven hours a day. Many studies have concluded that screen time can be detrimental to children's physical and mental health. Increased screen time can reduce children's attention, impair performance at school, disrupt sleep, and lead to obesity.
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Children and teens can be strongly influenced by their environment. With the abundance of media, political ads and subliminal messages, children can be convinced easily of one opinion or the other. Much like the Hitler Youth, children can be manipulated into doing unspeakable things.
"What you want in a media system is ostensible diversity that conceals an actual uniformity." - Joseph Goebbels
We know that media is very important in our lives and can influence decisions. But, hasn't a national right to freedom of speech guaranteed that all sides of the story are represented? The answer is likely no. Ninety percent of media that people in the United States are exposed to is controlled by 6 corporations. Very few U.S. citizens know who controls their media. Citizens of the United States must stay vigilant and aware of the one or few voices dictating what knowledge we get. People exposed to this media must seek to understand the bias and credibility of their sources. Most importantly, we should not let the voices of many be drowned out by the yells of the few. As Roger Ebert said, "it's the responsibility of the citizen to speak out." As we have seen in history and literature, if few entities control our information, we are vulnerable to mass manipulation.
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