American Values
Before one can decide how entertainment media affects American values, one must discern what exactly American values are. In 1965, Sociologist Robin Williams identified 12 American values: o Individualism o Achievement and success o Activity and work o Efficiency and practicality o Science and Technology o Progress o Material comfort o Humanitarianism o Freedom o Democracy o Equality o Racism and group superiority
In 1975, Sociologist James Henslin added three more values o Education o Religiosity o Romantic love (Schissler, 2008).
In what ways have various forms of entertainment media shaped American culture and its values?
When people watch a TV show, the events depicted are already happening around them, they are already
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Whether entertainment media has a negative or positive social influence depends upon the individual participants and their perspectives. Because everyone is raised differently and has different experiences in their lives they also have a different perspective of events; therefore, no two people see or hear the same thing. This has been demonstrated numerous times by witnesses of a crime. If you have five witnesses and ask each of them what they saw, you will get five different responses because each of them saw the event differently.
Some people may see a video game as being a negative influence on violent behavior. While others see it as an opportunity to do something they would never do in real life, or a positive way to take out their daily frustrations. Some shooter games have helped people to become better hunters because they can practice their aim without accidentally shooting an unintended target or wasting expensive
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I tend to see things differently than anyone else. I do not think entertainment media does shape American culture and values; I think American culture and values shape entertainment media. The events we live through on a daily basis; war, poverty, homelessness, crime, sacrifice, random acts of kindness, these are the things that shape the American culture. Our values begin at home, things our parents, churches, and society instill in us. As we go out on our own, sometimes those values can change because we learn that life is not black and white, it also comes in many shades of
Medved proves he's not the only one who is not pleased with what's happening in today's media. Figures prove that the American public is showing dissatisfaction with television, film and music. Major television networks' ratings have decreased, movie theater ticket sales are down and so are the sales of tapes and CDs. The recent loss of audience is blamed on the abandonment of traditional values by the media. Medved consistently receives letters from moviegoers expressing their frustration with the industry for this reason. Hollywood no longer portrays what most American families believe in, but instead it promotes foul language, sex and violence. Not only does it promote these vulgar behaviors but also it insults traditional values such as patriotism and religion and labels their supporters as conservatives and fanatics.
When asking yourself which media outlet continues to offer the most influential presence on our culture the answer is obvious. Television serves as the leading unifying media instrument in our society. Television has always reflected cultural changes and the increasing popularity of certain networks is due to reality television. This genre of television creates the concept of the “instant celebrity”. One example of a reality show that literally promises its participants fame and fortune is Project Runway.
The media has been a part of the daily life of the American people for the longest time, because of this fact, the media influences the decisions and views of how people should live. One big part of the media that tends to start to develop a sense of how the day-to-day American should live is Disney. Since kids are the main source of Disney’s billion dollar industry children have become an important dimension of the social theory (Giroux 1999: 65). “Within this context, television emerges as a consumer-oriented medium that reflects advertisers’ desire to reach a young, upscale, and primarily White audience” (Goodale1999; Henderson and Baldasty 2003: 100). As a result other races and ethnic groups other than white Americans are often put aside when it comes to the social media view of how Americans should live.
Media plays a key role in American society, it shapes, manipulates, and influences us as individuals. Media can come in all forms such as the Internet, things we read, see, and hear. Media can have good effects and bad effects but it seems like media has been taking over recently. We see media everywhere, on our cellphones, in the news, even just listening to the radio. The media influences us as individuals and we respond to it in different ways.
The United States is the biggest economical power in the world today, and consequently has also the strongest and largest media industry. Therefore, it is essential to take a look at the crucial relationship between the media and the popular culture within the social context of the United States for a better understanding of the issue. For a simpler analysis of the subject we shall divide the media industry into three main branches: Entertainment, News and Commercials (which is the essential device for the survival of the industry, and shall be considered in integration with Entertainment). Researches have shown that the most popular reason behind TV viewing is relaxation and emptying the mind.
Media can influence every home in America. Not only is it capable of influence through television, but it can influence through magazines, newspapers, word of mouth, even clothing! The qualities of a person media tends to influence most, is their self-esteem and personality. Women are especially seen as being influenced, but men are in the bunch as well, although less published. Children are being brought into the influence as well at younger ages each generation. With more media influence in families, we can expect more social problems.
Today, the media impacts almost everything we do. It tells us to act a certain way or to beh...
One of the greatest exports of American culture is American media. American media is one of the most widely distributed and consumed cultural forms from the United States. This means that not only do Americans consume large quantities of their own media, but many other countries in the world consume American media, too. People in other countries will not interpret or understand the media in precisely the same ways that Americans will and do, nonetheless, many aspects of American culture and American reality are communicated to numerous viewers as part of the content in the media. The media is an important tool in the discussion of race, class, and gender in America. It takes a savvy viewer to discriminate between and understand what media accurately represents reality, what media does not, or which aspects of experience are fictionalized, and which elements ...
One effect TV has had on how we view things is in the area of advertisement. A few weeks ago in English, my class had quite a discussion on the subject of commercials. A person can tell what type of society they live in by simply watching the commercials during any TV program. One example, in America, is the numerous ads for various types of medication. From this, it is easy to see that our society cares a lot about health care and making sure that they feel healthy.
Postman has valid points when he claims that television and media are destroying the American society. Postman is right to assume that television is manipulating the way Americans think. However, television can provide Americans with both right and wrong morals. Since this book was written in 1985, Postman could not have predicted the influence technology has on the current American population. The theory he applies to television is similar to the theory he probably would have used on modern day media. The dependency we have on media reiterates Postman’s thesis that Americans are losing critical thinking skills and basic human values.
Media has become a major part of our lives. Indeed it has shape the way we perceive other races. Minority races such as Latinos, African American, Native American and Asians are being misrepresented in media. Media has a huge impact on race, by presenting race stereotypes media is telling us that certain races behave a particular way which shapes the way society sees them and in many times the way they see themselves. We tend to believe everything media says about us and other races without questioning if it is actually true.
The media, including television programming, cartoons, film, the news, as well as literature and magazines, is a very powerful and pervasive medium for expression. It can reach a large number of people and convey ideas, cultural norms, stereotypic roles, power relationships, ethics, and values. Through these messages, the mass media may have a strong influence on individual behavior, views, and values, as well as in shaping national character and culture. Although there is a great potential for the media to have a positive and affirming effect on the public and society at large, there may be important negative consequences when the messages conveyed are harmful, destructive, or violent.
...nize that entertainment in a fundamental part of American culture that allows for the diversity that makes our society unique and functional. If we were to rid the world of these influences, who is to say that that would have a positive effect or be any better for our country than what we are exposed to now?
Media also influences the thinking of people and society in general through entertainment as well as advertising and marketing campaigns. It is the creative ideas and boost to the imagination that people get once they watch a television show, movie, commercial or listen to a certain song. The impact any of these forms of media can have on an individual’s thinking can change in that most of them view the various stars in the movies, TV or the music industry as role models and as a result, they start imitating them. This type of influence oftentimes will influence the way someone views a political
become more concerned of their own pursuits of happiness and security. Most people perceive mass media as quite negative, cynical, and unimportant for everyday life’s survival. The media reveals the degradation of society, our government, our politicians, and our celebrities. American culture is now filled with images of drugs, violence, and sex.