Reflection

I think that it's pretty crazy how much media us kids consume in a single day. I know that I listen to music a lot, watch tv, and see billboards and print ads everywhere. Tv/movies and music have a huge impact on my life just because they make my life more enjoyable. Music is something that I feel I can turn to for any reason, no matter what mood I'm in or what kind of day I'm having. Tv and movies are just great because they help me escape from my everyday life and just relax for a while. On the other hand, advertising in media doesn't have an impact on me that I can detect, besides my annoyance during commercial breaks. One thing that definitely does have an effect on me is the way that women are portrayed in the media, whether it be the news, tv, movies, magazines, or any other form. I am so disgusted by the sexualization and objectification of women nowadays. It's created so many insecure and depressed girls, just because they're comparing themselves to these women and they feel as if the only important thing about women is their looks. That's why the documentary Miss Representation really spoke to me. I wish that the media didn't do this, but they'll never stop.

I think one of the reasons that I don't believe advertisements have such an effect on me is because I've been so exposed to them my entire life that I just don't even really process them anymore. The only things that I am drawn to when it comes to products is stuff like cosmetics, clothes, and other girly stuff. Pretty much everything else I just block out at this point. I also have realized that I can detect what type of technique they are using and what need they are trying to appeal to, which is really interesting. That kind of makes commercials more enjoyable because I actually know what's going on and what they're trying to do.

Having this knowledge about media is important and has helped me understand the inner workings of advertisers and producers of TV shows or movies. I think that it's primarily important just because we should really understand what is being thrown in our faces every minute of every day, and we should be able to determine if we really need a certain product or if we just want it because it was such a well constructed advertisement. That is what being a smart consumer is. I'm lucky to have had the ability to learn about the tactics used by advertisers, so I think that I will be able to be a smart consumer from now on.

This blog helped me to do a lot of things: release anger about media experiences that suck, talk about my favorite songs/movies, express my views, etc. I thought that it was a really fun assignment because I've never had homework that was all online before, and it was a really cool experience. I also learned more about dissecting different forms of media and it gave me a lot more media literacy. Overall, this has been a really good way for me to learn more about myself (what appeals to me in the media and what doesn't) as well as media overall. I'm glad that we got the opportunity to do this. I hope that I carry the knowledge I have now with me for a long time so that I can understand this world of media for years to come.