Questioning the Media 1

Q: Using music or television as an example, identify a performer or program you once liked but began to dislike as you grew older and your tastes changed.  Why do you think this happened?  Do you think your early interests in popular music or television have had an impact on shaping your identity?

 

A:  Way back in the day, Power Rangers came on the air, and for some reason I was enamored by the violence and unrealistic concepts presented by the teenagers in colored costumes.  Aside from the strong influence of my parents not to watch the show, I believe as I approached the early stages of grade school I realized the superficiality that was involved.  The terrible acting and cheesy effects lost their appeal to my maturing mind.  Eventually I discontinued my Power Ranger karate kicks in the outfield during my tee ball games, and went on to engage in a normal baseball career.  Luckily I grew out of this media influenced state of mind and it did not end up shaping my identity.

 Q: Make a critical case either defending or condemning Comedy Central’s South Park, a TV talk show, professional wrestling, a hip hop group, a soap opera, or TV news coverage of the US occupation of Iraq.  Use the 5-step process to develop your position.

A:   Comedy Central's South Park is a cartoon comedy about a bunch of kids and their families in small town Colorado.  It employs  satirical situations with mature comedy in attempts to bring a sense of relief to real life issues and current events.  It often sets up kids getting in to unrealistic mischief and causing problems on a larger scale than they would actually be capable of.  Its this element that brings humor to the show and causes the viewer to often realize the humor that people in society unconsciously bring about.  I feel this type of expression is important to a society in order to realize the rights wrongs and stupid decisions we all make.  Therefore I believe South Park positive and not just cartoon nonsense.  It employs an educated look into simple minds and portrays the uses its popular comic style as a key way to convey the writers opinion to viewers. 

Q:  Although in some ways postmodern forms of communication, such as email, MTV and CNN, have helped citizens participate in global life, in what ways might these forms harm more traditional or native cultures?

 

News networks and forms of electronic and digital media can alert citizens with breaking updates twenty-four seven and at the convenience of virtually anywhere they fancy.  Indeed these forms of communication have helped transform our culture into a learning age for all.  But what happens when some things are not supposed to be learned?  And where do traditional values get lost?  The media has a habit of rubbing its own commercialized thoughts off on other viewers- especially the naive.  And when traditional and native cultures see these images of scantily clothed individuals doing provocative dances on MTV, they may begin to question their own clothing and rituals.  With this great traditions can be lost  and values be destroyed because the new generations will want to emulate these actions in order to fit in with the surrounding societies.