Societal and Political Force of Mass Media
Mass media is a huge societal and political force in today’s world. It is a broad concept that includes the entire set of technological tools and techniques, used to transfer specific information in one form or another. Media influences everybody’s life. It imposes gender stereotypes, values we should have, dictates how we should look and act.
The “Body image” material raises the question: how media changes and controls mass opinion about beauty, style, health and gender inequality. The following issues were discussed: icons of male and female beauty in the media; biased male and female behavior; gender, race and sexuality issues. The main goal of this material is to show how the stereotypes and standards, imposed on us by the mass media, influence our identity, perception of self and others.
Media creates unrealistic standards for both genders to adhere. The images we see in magazines, newspapers, on TV and the Internet show that in order to be successful and appreciated women need to be thin, beautiful and sexually appealing, men – strictly heterosexual, physically strong, masculine and dominant. Apparently, intelligence, personal qualities (honesty, kindness, generosity, politeness) and inner beauty are no longer the fashion.
Furthermore, the mass media often portrays members of ethnical minorities as criminals or at the list potentially dangerous social elements. I think that media destroys the image of real beauty by imposing false conceptions and negative stereotypes on the masses. Beauty is natural and it is individual.
Summary
Mass media is a powerful tool that has an immense influence on our society. However, it is up to us – mass media consumers and customers, to choose if this influence is going to degrade the society or reinforce real values in it.