Media Influence

In a society such as today’s the media is entwined within us to such an extent that we no longer see it as an external addition to our lives, but as an intrinsic part of it. This is a process which envelops one personally from the earliest stages of youth, leaving lasting perspectives on the individual’s life, culture and identity, which can be seen especially through the effects of watching animated films in particular.

Warren Ellis once stated that if we are to believe that our thoughts originate completely from our own accord, that it is the same as believing that television shows are produced inside a television set. This rather controversial statement is only one of many objectives to the media’s influence among youth in our society, and in particular, those of a very young age.

Psychologically speaking, some of the most influential researchers in child psychology and development, such as Abraham Maslow (1970), Erik Erikson (1963) and Jean Piaget (1967) all stated of the strong attachment between infancy and childhood to the outside world, and Piaget went as far as to state that it is between the early years of life that through experiences, one constructs their own perception on not only themselves but also the world around them. A similar finding came through in physiology, where researchers claim that a child’s cognitive development is not only genetic, but depends highly on their environment and influences.

The fact that the relationship between influence and youth form proportional to one another, creates an alarming remark towards the importance of decoding the media in which we as a society place before our children and highlight the negative influences that these media forms in the mindset of the future adults.

...

... middle of paper ...

... success amongst other age groups, there are very few little girls out there wishing to be Fiona the ogre or little boys who would trade in their white stallion and gold crown for a swamp; and so even with the increase of films breaking through the traditional barriers, their impact is limited.

It is evident that in the society we live in today, the traditionally stereotypical roles and identities that one grows up with through childhood experiences of the media, such as through animated films, remains in the perceptions and viewpoints of one on not only their own identity, but also that of the world around them and their position within it. Animated films, although continually changing in terms of storyline, continue to use the traditional narrative and therefore no matter how different the content, their traditionally negative effects will continue to prevail.