Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Can distraction really affect our actions?
In Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman argues about the media and how big of an impact it has made to our lives. He believes that television and technology has a huge affect on communication, conversations, and actions. Neil Postman's metaphor of the smoke signals shows that the media uses distraction to shape, influence our choices on the world. I completely agree with his argument that media is persuasion and distraction. I agree because there are commercials and billboards out that persuades and distracts adults and children to do what they want. For example, in the beggining of a movie at the theater they show pictures of popcorn and soda that persuades people to buy. Another example, is that there are cigarette commercials of popular adults smoking that persuades people to think its a popular thing to do. In conclusion, Neil Postman believes that distraction and persuasion are secret messages shown through the media. Do you believe that distraction and persuasion affects people?
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I agree with what you're saying, how can it not? For example, If Angelina Jolie got a new tattoo, there would be pictures of it all over magazines. People will see it so many times and soon want a tattoo as well. It's not such a good thing. Our choice can be altered in an instant depending on who or what is doing the action. If the media shows something alot of attention, then it draws our attention as well. They have power which many of us don't even realize and it happens right before our eyes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your reasoning. The media takes full advantage of things that capture our interest to manipulate the general public in their favor. Granted that not everyone is easily swayed by shallow advertisements; most people just ignore them. But if you think about it, there are a lot of commercials these days that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the object of advertisement. The media gets so caught up in enhancing the splendor and flashiness (by incorporating celebrities or computer graphics) of the commercial that they lose sight of the main objective. But the fact that these commercials still exist only proves that people are actually enthralled by them. So yes, I do believe that distraction and persuasion affect people.
ReplyDeleteDistraction and persuasion does affect people. Those commercials for all those different medicines and treatments like Yaz, Lipitor, and Abilify have people talk about how the medication has helped them and changed their lives. Then they go off and show distracting images of a family having fun or talking to the doctor while they talk really quick and list all the side- effects of the medications. The commercials paint a positive image while they distract you from the possible side-effects that they have to list to avoid any law suits.
ReplyDeleteHollywood creates an image of young, beautiful, slim people. There are constant reminders of how many people look better than you as you're watching TV. The incessant flow of images and videos of how much weight this celebrity has lost, how good she looks how, and what diet and exercise plan she's on, countered by the media bashing on new mom celebrities who've packed on some baby weight, and aging stars looking flabby in their bikinis screw with young minds to believe that everyone looks this way and that they have to stop eating and constantly exercise. The twisted image the image-obsessed media creates pushes teens into anorexia and bulimia to fit into that image of looking perfect, fit, slim, tan, tall, and beautiful.
Yes, the media is overwhelming, but part of living and surviving in this media-crazed world is by knowing how to sift through the garbage. If you can’t differentiate between what’s important and what’s just trash, you’re not going to be happy ever. We’re constantly bombarded by commercials for prescriptions and makeup and the latest and greatest way to lose weight. To most people, these seem stupid and pointless, but to the person who has been depressed and always thought there was no way for them to ever feel normal again, that Zoloft commercial may convince them to seek out treatment. Media can have a positive effect. We are reminded of this by the Amber alert system. Hundreds, maybe thousands of children have been rescued just by having their picture in the news and on freeways. The examples of good media are tarnished by the images of “perfection,” but that’s no reason to do away with media altogether.
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