1F25 Media and Culture

I believe that mass media plays a big role in my worldview due to the fact that many stories I find out about come from the news or the internet. A lot of the stories I hear about are blown up by websites and reporters; finding our more information changes my view on each situation. For instance with the Boston Marathon bombing I thought it was terrorists, but then new information came out and I started reading what other people thought and posted online. Needless to say this all changed my view and I was very confused. I am still very unsure what to think of the ordeal but I am saddened to know that innocent people were hurt, whether it was terrorists or a scam by the United States government. People blow it up so much and make a lot of fake accusations that I have all this information in my head and don’t know what to believe is correct. I am sure many others feel the same way I do and the media makes me question other events that have happened. How do I know that events such as wars overseas or the JFK assassination were not planned.

Another reason mass media affects people such as myself is role models; you see an actor or athlete do something in the news and you want to do as they do. Growing up in a small town I was taught good family values but when I saw a role model do something wrong I also wanted to do that to. I am a big hockey, lacrosse and football fan and when I was growing up I loved Lawrence Taylor. He would go on the field week in and week out and dominate his opposition. He did whatever he wanted on and off the field and didn’t listen to anyone not even his coaches. He would stay out all night partying the night before a game, get caught with drugs and even have high speed chases with the police. I learned real quick that wasn’t the way I wanted to live my life. I read his biography and in it he said “I regret a lot of things I’ve done in my life…” and that helped me realize that if he can admit his mistakes which are blown up by the media every time he did something wrong then I can too.

-Wes