In today’s modern society, media is everywhere. Even at an early stage in life, people are heavily exposed to media. According to a study concluded by Kaiser Family Foundation (2010), teenagers spend about 53 hours per week on different sort of media; such as television, internet, and film. As it has become a huge part of people’s everyday lives, one may question what role this plays in terms of shaping the opinions and positions of the younger generation.
In my opinion, the mass media has got a huge impact on teenagers. Some influences may be positive, such as access to information and overall awareness. On the other hand, a society has been created where teenagers blindly follow trends, advices and norms that have been influenced by the mass media.
Let’s take my typical morning as an example. The alarm clock goes off after 8 hours of sleep, which I’ve read is the recommended amount. When taking a shower afterwards, I use a certain shampoo, which I bought because it was presented by my favorite actor in a commercial. Having done that, I will put on my makeup which is carefully selected from one of the brands recommended by my favorite magazine. I will also style my hair in a certain way, inspired by a trend. After that I will carefully select my outfit according to fashion which is presented by the different sorts of media. For breakfast I will have some bread and juice, which is healthy and full of nutrition’s according to a newspaper.
As clearly shown in the example above, media has affected my life in many ways. Things, such as my way of clothing, selection of makeup, and even my diet, are inspired by media.
Even though there may be different or even better options for me in terms of preferences and lifestyle choices, there is a big chance that I will base my decisions primarily on what is presented to me through media instead of basing my decisions on facts and personal interest. This is because I’m constantly being exposed to a certain ideal in terms of lifestyle, opinions, etc. which I could be heavily inspired by.
According to Teen futures media network, a teenager will have seen around 350 000 commercials by the age of 18. Also, a major amount of hours will be spent by the TV or the computer. This constant exposition to trends and ideals will shape people’s opinions and view on things in various ways. A survey in People Magazine showed that 80 % of all female respondents felt that women in movies and television programs made them feel insecure about their bodies.
Basically, the mass media has got both positive and negative impacts on the younger generation. It influences decision, preferences, and decisions all through people’s lives through advertisements, televisions and magazines among others. No matter what consequences the mass media brings to teenager’s lives, it is undeniable that media does shape the opinions and positions of the younger generation in various ways.
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