Anthropology is the study of the past, present and the future. Cultural Anthropology is one of its sub-branches that studies people living today, their cultural beliefs, practices, and values. With technology advancement, culture spreads rapidly, and some of the technological methods used in diversifying culture include the use of mass media such as television sets, radio, and newspapers. Television plays a great role in spreading cultural information to diverse areas. It is the main source of entertainment which can also influence the thoughts and decisions of many individuals who are exposed to it for long hours each day (Berger, 53). It competes with other forms of interaction like school, church and family in advancing culture in America. It also contributes to developing the creativity of young individuals.
The American people started to use television as early as 1950’s, and since then it has contributed greatly to the spread of not only cultural but also social change in America. Use of television has also impacted the creation of culture via leaving great and renounceable marks in books and newspapers. It greatly influenced the way people perceive race, gender, and social classes. Television also plays a great role in spreading American cultural practices around the world. The information which is conveyed via movies, sports and news from all over the world play big roles in spreading and exchanging cultural norms and beliefs. In addition, the gathering of diverse groups of individuals in occasions that involve watching football games contribute to cultural practice exchanges as it brings diverse groups of individuals together, who end up interchanging cultural practice.
Television has also proven to have a great impact on the lifestyle of American families as social units. This result was proven by the research carried out in most families in America. According to the research, majority of the young adults together with children spend a lot of their time glued to the television (Biagi, 78). By watching television, the children and young adults learn how to relate with each other by copying what they see on the screen. For instance, the fact that they spend much of their time glued to the television, children end up spending less of their time interacting with friends, hence developing poor social skills. Television also contributes negatively to the advancement of young children’s thoughts. Majority of the children end up behaving poorly due to the characters they pick up from the movies and programs they watch on TV.
The fact that the majority of the youths in America involve themselves in illegal activities such as consumption of drugs and involvement in violent acts can be linked to news they watch on TV. The television media has also impacted greatly on the reasoning of adults, the majority of the people are dictated on what to eat and drink via television programs. It also extends into authorizing individuals on what to wear and where to go, acts that have greatly influenced American culture.
Through television, some Hollywood programs lead to dissolution of American culture. Most of the Americans tend to behave as Africans, characters that they pick from African movies.
Studies have also shown that through Hollywood movies, majority of the Americans end up developing good morals. Through watching movies, Americans have developed good characteristics that include right methods of treating others.
Music also contributes both positively and negatively in society. It influences our way of communicating and how we relate to each other. Throughout America’s historic time, American culture has greatly been implicated by the variety of music played from different national origins. Through music, the Americans not only find it easy to convey their feelings, but also to express their thoughts enhancing the diversification of American culture (Bower, 43). In addition, apart from music that aids in bringing together the emotions of an individual, it leads to coming together of people of the same interests enhancing the exchange of cultural practices in America. Through music, people from different ethnic groups come together, socialize and enhance sharing of cultural practices which helps in giving individuals a sense of belonging.
Music played on television has negative implications on the citizens of America. Majority of the artists use explicit words in producing songs that negatively develop the conduct and behavior of young adults. Explicit songs contribute towards growth of crime in America, this is a result of the youth implementing what they hear and digest from these songs (Huston, 37). For example, majority of the musicians love producing songs that preach evil in society. Due to this, music also contributes greatly towards altering the American culture and the way the Americans communicate with each other leading to introducing young children into the use of drugs and participation in violent acts.
Video games also have a substantial influence on the culture of America today. Through the use of computers people are able to socialize with diverse groups of individuals worldwide. Video games also enhance the innovativeness of participants in advancing technology. However, by spending a lot of time playing video games, young adults end up being lazy, hence the limited contributing to the development of the country. Participation in video games also contributes to negligence of exercises by young adults leading to deterioration of one’s health. So, through involvement of youth in video games, the American culture ends up being neglected for the quest of new practices leading to America being known as one of the laziest countries in the world (Hill Rom, 77). In addition, video games play a great role in creation of new culture among young generation, different from the live (offline) communication.
Theater, as one of the elements of entertainment, plays a significant role in bringing together a large group of people. Through it, people from different ethnic groups come together enhancing the exchange of cultural practices. In socialization, while in theater, many young people end up neglecting their cultural values and adopt new practices that meet their desires. Therefore, theater contributes greatly to occurrence of a diversity in cultural practices in America today.
Majority of the population in America spend much of their time watching television at the cost of their responsibility in the society. Most of the parents in the United States spend very little time with their children leading to the lack osf the essence of culture values in children. The overuse of the television has also hampered with the normal view of natural things by program viewers, majority of American citizens take much of their time in front of the television watching movies. Such movies result in loss of contact with the immediate society and cultural aspects, hence the decline of cultural values among American citizens.
Works cited
Berger, Arthur. Ads, Fads, and Consumer Culture: Advertising’s Impact on American Character and Society. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011. Print.
Biagi, Shirley. Media Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media. New York: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Bower, Robert. Television and the Public. New York: Holt, 1973. Print.
Hillsrom, Lauie. Television in American Society: Almanac. London: Uxl, 2006. Print.
Huston, Aletha. Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society: University of Nebraska Press, 1992. Print.