Media Blog

In writing this blog, I have been able to put into action what I have learned in class over the last semester. This course has really opened my eyes to how much the media affects they way that I see the world and how it ultimately shapes our popular culture. I really enjoyed being able to express my opinions through this blog even though not very many people will ever see it. Maybe especially  because not a lot of people will ever see it. But, my views are still out there and it feels good.  I know that the media has a very firm grip on today's society. Previously, I wasn't sure about where I stood in that equation: whether I was just another mindless consumer or a buyer with healthy skepticism. But now, after expressing my opinions through these blogs and learning about media messages,  I feel more confident about my ability to tell the difference between what I want to think and what a company wants to make me believe. Though the distinction can still be incredibly d...

More teenagers today have anxiety than any generation of teenagers in the past. In an article I recently read called, "How Big of a Problem is Anxiety?," the author states that the average high school student today has the same level of anxiety as an average psychiatric patient in the 1950's. Because this article was written in 2008, it is possible that anxiety levels have increased since then. I suspect that they have. At school, it is impossible to miss the anxious aura that most of the students in my classes let off. In HISP, the workload leaves many of us stressed all the time. I am so constantly stressed that I often worry when I do not fell stressed. Such stress gives me a constant sense of anxiety that I can't seem to shake during the school year. Even while writing this, I feel a tiny bit anxious. Though school definitely contributes to the overall anxiety that teenagers feel, there are other societal factors that leave many teens to feel stressed, anxious, ...

The other day, I was at the doctor waiting for a vaccination when an unsightly image caught my eye. On the cabinets in the pediatric section of the doctors office, I saw two stickers. One was of Mickey Mouse, wearing his normal clothes and looking pretty normal. In contrast, to the right of Mickey I saw Minnie and I was a little disgusted to be quite honest. The sticker was of the picture above, where Minnie Mouse is coyly leaning back as her skirts seem to lift in the breeze. Her eyes are pointed upwards as if she is looking up at someone taller than her and it is reasonable for one to assume that their person is a man. This image bothered me because of how an innocent child cartoon character can present the message that women are supposed to be docile and be okay with being sexual objects. Although I would not initially consider Minnie Mouse to be a character that portrays detrimental messages to young children, this image made me begin to rethink my first verdict. Because of the ...