Mass Media and Culture – A Criticism

From the subtle to the extreme, our culture and our values are under unrelenting attack from the media. -Tammy Bruce

Mass media is an outlet of the generally accepted values or something that attracts the attention of the masses. Culturally, it is the decadence of personality, character and human nobility, replaced with the generalizations of conformity. As an educator, it serves under the boundaries of commercialism, without representing the fruits of higher cultural achievements. And the interviews of the famous, from a politician to an actor, PR and media training can be seen on every line.

Despite these obvious failings of the media culture, the repeatedly represented generally accepted values and behavior generalizes and enforces beliefs to be without intellectual bravery. With enough funding, the media can be harnessed to change the political opinions of the people. And with psychologically engineered speeches and advertisement, mass media uses the minds of the masses as a battle field between brands, people, beliefs, political agendas and to serve the vanities of reality stars.

Mass media is the decline of culture. Since the more generally accepted values and ideas receive waster reception, the generally accepted values and ideas are conservative at best. Even to the extent of them to rise to be the dogmas of this era. But why are these signs of the decline of culture? Because the peaks of our intellectual achievements do not reach the attention of the masses. Because too localized problems are not news worthy. And because it can be used as a psychological tool to engineer the conduct of life.

The mass media means that it is the media of the masses. And because we learn, create memories with or without the use of critical thinking from the environment, mass media can be considered as the most influential force that shapes the modern humanity. Because of the wide influence it has, it carries a great responsibility over the consequences it creates. The worst part of this is all is that you cannot separate your own mind away from the mass media. Its outlets are everywhere, and as it shapes the people, the opinions and the conduct of life who follow the mass media, you cannot be free from its effects. Though I might be cynical over the mass media, when the spring comes, it does not only mean that the season is changing. It also means that the new season of the culture I can purchase from our master, the commercialism is coming.