3 Ways Mass Media Influence You More Than You Think

2 Fair Info team slowly grows into something very promising. One few to join us was bitter voiced, media Superman in making Gary McGuire. I liked his piece on the mass media influence so much that decided to share it here. Partly to employ more eyeballs before he builds up his profile online, partly to promote www.2fi.ie, mother-ship of everything 2 Fair Info (website is currently in development) and once all done will let everyone know. Enjoy

The world we know as today is in many ways shaped and perceived in society through the medium of mass media outlets, from everything such as your average school textbook, or the living room television, all the way to your daily news updates on social media networks streamed on the latest smartphone device. We as human beings, being intrinsically susceptible to making impulsive decisions combined with a commonplace gullible nature, which on some scale lies within each of us, are often making decisions to act without proper foresight, or in other words, we fail to think outside the box.

 Human species has evolved in a manner which carries with it a well-known idiom: “Monkey see, monkey do.” To tie this quote into my argument, I will scale it down in brief. One simple example, the advert is promoting an energy drink, and the caption claims that it gives you wings. As well as the caption making such an important, clearly false claim, the advert has a clever use of animation, color, and enthusiastic vocal tone. All of these intricate promotive details combined, lead us to feel compelled to make a purchase for the product as advertised; It seems fine, it says it is good, therefore, it must be good.

 That is where many of today’s consumers continue to fall short on making wise financial decisions on a more-than-often basis. Again tying into gullible nature, we want to see the big bright light and the clear as day title, with a fine full stop. Do we ever think to read the small print? We tend not to. Even those who appear to be more in tune with the silver linings of product promotion, often continue to purchase goods at the extent of their health, or the value of its true worth. Why is this so, you might ask? There are a few reasons to explain this particular motive.

1. Advertising and Need to Fit In 

This secondary concern I wish to discuss in line with societal influence as a result of the base effects of mass media exposure is the issue of what we refer to as peer-pressure. The human race struggle with individualism, as it is deemed unusual to stick to your guns, so to speak. Many people feel that to ‘fit in with the times’, they must have or do what other people do or have. We see people shooting up a sidewalk with a hover-board and their headphones on, surrounded by a group of similarly acting seemingly confident and assured individuals. Suddenly we find ourselves wanting to have the same thing, for the hope of feeling you could then belong to a, what is perceived as, ‘cool’ modern culture or counter-culture. This impulsive desire often leads young people to get involved with a rebellious lifestyle, frequent intoxication and harassment… so on so forth.

 2. What PR is About

Further elaborating on the concern of peer pressure: I not only intend on discussing it influences on lifestyle choices from an economic perspective but again re-addressing mass media as the primary base for its relative societal reaction. We also collectively find ourselves having, either knowingly or otherwise, swaying our opinions and beliefs about a vast array of societal happenings, races, groups or motives. Everything we learn, or at least for the most part indeed, is acquired through our access to forms and usage of mass media sources. Gone are the days when newspaper texts provided the factual information. As the year's progress and nations grow economically stronger throughout, it now seems that the elite play an incredible, and well-shadowed role, in manipulating the news we read today. It often seems that many articles are biased in support of a group or community seem in line with bottom line objective.

3. How Wording Changes Meaning 

 It might be, for example, a newspaper article in defiance of asylum seekers. Through my studies in University, having studied some articles regarding said topic, so I could closely examine the underlying labels and evidence of bias as displayed in this particular topic discussion, the “asylum seekers” being discussed, were in fact consistently labeled instead as “immigrants.” This of course, as we all should be aware, is entirely politically incorrect and unfair, but is presumably a tactical orchestration to sway public opinion against the target community. Again, many of the Commonwealth and upper echelon classes of consumer, fail to recognize the small detail, and instead read it for what it has been made to portray precisely. In summary: (Asylum seekers are becoming a threat to the working class in need of suitable accommodation, and they do not belong in this country), therefore might be viewed as the rival. 

Is it ever the case that we hear the point of view or perspective of a representative of the group defiantly targeted? It is indeed extremely rare to find such a non-bias report. The reason for this is because (allegedly) controlled news outlet is far more prominent and nationally exposed, therefore leading one to question who pulls the reins, not only in this country but through first-world nations worldwide. The same principle applies not only to small groups but from this same action results in racial tension and religious conflict, which as we can clearly see is growing far out of hand, purely as a result of how our perception shaped by mass media and the way in which it shaped. Questions must be asked, who is really behind the curtain? What is the small print? If we continue to follow the pack, without thinking of the bigger picture, will we continue to be permanently controlled and influenced by the unknowns of which we do not challenge?

www.2fi.ie will be a hub for artistic expression of all sorts and sometimes not necessary fitting schemes we use to. It is there to evoke dialogue and come up with a solution to together as a group and not to impose our opinion. Therefore, treat it like a piece of art in your nearest contemporary art museum. If I do not understand it, does not mean it is bad.