Media’s Influence on the Society
Media’s Influence on the Society
Problem Statement
The media presents the most effective tool of communication in the modern society. People depend on the media for current affairs, sports updates and even connecting with other people. Traditionally, television, radio and newspapers were the predominant forms of media. However, the internet has virtually redefined media in today’s world. Through the World Wide Web, people can access information in seconds. Despite the critical role played by media in the society, it is vital to note that some of its influences are undesirable. This is one of the most daunting issues in sociology. Some of the negative implications of the media include moral decadence, political sabotage and minimal social interactions among others. This paper seeks to examine the different implications of the media on the modern society.
Literature Review
Haythornthwaite, C. (2011)
The author of this article examines the implications of new media on the society. Firstly, the article asserts that the media has strong influence on the nature of social interactions among individuals. The author also describes the various ways in which the media might enhance social interactions among individuals. Similarly, she highlights the internet as a media platform that might undermine the quality of face to face interactions among individuals. The article also highlights some concerns about the manner in which the youth do not have value for social interactions (Haythornthwaite, 2011).
Anderson et al. (2003)
This article examines the implications of media violence on the youth. Most people in the modern world have great preferences for violent movies, dramas and other forms of entertainment. However, this is affecting the social behavior of youth. For instance, the authors associate the high rates of juvenile incarcerations to violence in the media. When the youth develop violent behavior, it is complex to transform them as adults (Anderson, 2003).
Klass, P. (2011)
Writing for the New York Times, the author evaluates the positive implications of social media. According to the article, social media opens up numerous opportunities for the society. These gains outweigh the different pitfalls or shortcomings that result from social media. For instance, the article examines the ways in which people can easily stay in touch via social media. This is because the social media go beyond geographical boundaries. Additionally, the author asserts that social media is an excellent tool of communication for the users (Klass, 2011).
Discussion
It is essential t examine the topic of media and society from different angles. This encompasses an evaluation of the gains as well as shortcomings of media upon the society. Firstly, the thought of a world without media is simply unthinkable. This is because it has become part and parcel of daily. During prime time, most households are glued to the television. The society also looks up to the media as the main source of entertainment. Modern media provides options for all age groups. Kids might watch cartoon while the parents are watching reality television or soap operas. On the other hand, the young people are spoilt for choice when it comes to music, sports or even blockbuster movies. The internet is a unique invention in the last half century.
In the current world, almost everyone has an account in one of the social networks such as Twitter. Emails are also gradually replacing postage mail. With such kinds of implications, it is easy to see why the society has been virtually transformed by the media. On the flipside, the media has an extensive range of negative implications on the society.The young people would rather chat with friends of Twitter than go visit their relatives. The addiction to social media also undermines the levels of concentrations in the classroom. At the workplace, most employees cannot wait for the boss to walk out so that they can connect with pals on Yahoo or other social networks. These kinds of implications show that the media has strongly undermined the quality of communications in the society. Malicious people can also use the media to plan political sabotage for their rivals. These perspectives highlight the sensitive manner in which the media affects the society.
Conclusion
The different sections of the paper present the different ways in which the media affects the society. This is a critical issue in sociology because the media has beneficial as well as undesirable implications on the society. The three articles provide different viewpoints pertaining to the influence of the media on the society. The internet is a media platform that might undermine the quality of face to face interactions among individuals.There are also some concerns about the manner in which the youth do not have value for social interactions. Although the media has numerous negative implications on the society, it is more or less impractical to disregard its importance. Consequently, it is essential to leverage upon its merits in order to enhance its influence on the society. Additionally, enlightenment initiatives would help in enhancing positive perceptions towards the media in the society.
References
Anderson, C. A. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth, Psychological Science, 4(3)
Haythornthwaite, C. (2011). Strong, weak and latent ties, The Information Society, 18(5)
Klass, P. (2012). Social media as a portal, The New York Times, Accessed on 2ndNov 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/
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