Reflection

To be honest, I haven't paid much attention to what media has influenced us before starting a media blog. But now that I have paid a closer attention to its impact in our lives, my view is completely changed about the media.  I have noticed that the people who consume more media in their daily lives, are the ones who try to "fit in" and try to be someone else who they aren't.  They are influenced by people on TV shows and want to be just as cool as them.  The only solution they get from this is by being just like them.  They also begin to become more self conscious about themselves.  Always thinking about what people are going to think about them and are always going to be looking for attention.  They don't want to look stupid in front of other people, so they try to dress and act the way that will satisfy others, choosing society over themselves as an individual.  Compared to those that consume less media, they may still be influenced by media but have a better understanding of maintaining one's self. Those who aren't influenced by the media, understand what media can do to you and know what is better for them and not society.

Now that I am more aware of what media is trying to give off to us, I now see it through television and advertisement around us in the world.  You can see it on every street and on every show.  I could now tell what techniques they are trying to use just to get our attention and make us want that product.  I see many of the false ideas in advertising and what is fake.  Many things are beginning to do anything just to sell their product and get money. Now when i watch TV shows, i always see ads on products in their show and even when i am just playing a game on my phone, there are ads that pop up on my screen.

I do consider myself more media literate because i have a better understanding of how the producers enhance the product in their own way and what how we respond to this.  Many companies use unnecessary things in their commercials and advertisements just to get people's attention.  They have an idea of what certain people and genders want and try to squeeze that in to their products even if it has no relevance.  As media only showcases what people are attracted to, the audience becomes aware of this and it causes them to change so that they can be like every other person.  People tend to judge more as they see what people are "suppose" to look like or what they are "suppose" to use. Now when i see advertisements on TV and in magazines, i always am seeing how false the ad really is.  I'm always disgusted to see what these people are trying to trick us into thinking or doing something.

It's important to be media literate because looking back at before when i didn't know much about the truth about media, i was always amazed at the way they were emphasizing the product and always became interested.  But now that i know more about the media and the techniques they use, i feel the opposite.  I think twice before I really want something so i could make a better decision.  I watch out for things the advertisers do to trick us and without thinking it through, I would be wasting a lot of money buying products that i don't need or aren't even true.

The only way advertisers make most of their money is from the way they showcase their product.  It really doesn't matter if it's a really bad product.  If they showcase their product the right way and way better than their product really is, then it won't matter.  Overall, being media literate will be beneficial to me and others around who will understand that the way they are is just as good as the fake people seen on TV.