The world we live today is very distinct from the one man lived many centuries ago. A lot of changes have taken place almost in all facets of human existence such as social, economic, and political hence influencing peoples’ way of life to a greater degree. In the ancient days, man used crude weapons and less advanced tools to produce food and protect himself from wild animals. But as time moved on, more sophisticated tools and machines emerged that helped in improving the living condition of the people.
Through innovation and invention of new ideas, better transport and communication network was installed to facilitate the transmission of information and transit of goods and services from one place to the other. It is through this initiative that the world has been transformed into what we see today. These tremendous changes taking place in the world can only be credited on the efforts done by the media to the people in general.
Therefore, it is regarding this brief over view on the topic of under discussion that in this paper we would wish to discuss the impacts of media on peoples’ thinking and modalities to the extent that it has been referred as a vampire as well as provide workable recommendations in addressing the issue at stake.
Media is not a new phenomenon in society because it has been in existence for many years now. It has been used in various capacities such as the passing of information, entertainment, educating the public and in the advertisement sector. It is more of the most effective methods of passing information to a large group of people hence commonly used by the business fraternity.
On the other hand, politicians, government agencies, corporations, and learning institutions depend on the media to inform the public about a given issue and at the same time obtain feedback from the public through same the media. This point affirms the fact that media creates interconnectivity between varied sectors and harmonize their operation through communication.
The advancement in science and technology has also helped in the transformation of the media industry to the level in which it is today. The introduction of the internet has been established to be another effective method of advertising goods and services to the public compared to the use of televisions, radios, and billboards. However, it is compounded with many challenges because it is still in its initial stages of development.
The integration of internet in the world of advertisement came on board through the introduction of computers in recent years and the development of soft ware that enhanced graphics designs. The existence of competition in the market has compelled the producers and advertiser to come up with other means of advertisements that are effective in attracting the attention of customers. The use of internet has been established to be one of the effective methods of advertisement that can cope with such challenges in the business world.
To achieve this, resources have been mobilized towards the publication of magazines, articles, and wide spread use of televisions and radios in passing information to the public.
The advancement in science and technology is another facet that has immensely assisted in turning the entire face of media into what we see today. Through the use of media coupled with technology people from distant regions in the world have the opportunity to share information, ideas, and opinions by just clicking to an icon in the computer hence turning the world into a global village.
At this point, it is evident enough that media and technology are changing like the speed of light and that they both impact positively and negatively to the lives of many people. Nothing in the universe can be credited based on only having positive outcomes in life without its negative implications. But the suppressing question that needs to be addressed is this: to what extend does media influence peoples’ modalities in the society?
Research indicates that human beings are products of the environment in which they live in and that it has a great influence on the process of growth and development. To elaborate on this point further is the fact that the human mind is structured in such a way that it can interpret two or more scenarios that are similar differently.
This concept depends on the prevailing situation together with the information inferred to the brain from the surrounding, which, in most cases, emanates from the media. Depending on what we perceive through the media, it is certainly sure that is what our minds conceive and produce while interacting with other members of society.
Sometimes people do listen to music, watch movies or other programs on the television to be entertained. During the interaction process with the media interface, people get emotionally transferred into a new world full of fantasy hence detaching them from the realities of life. The unfolding events in the movie coupled with the visual and sound enhancement are transferred and interpreted by the mind to give the full meaning of the events hence influencing one’s behavior.
It has come to the attention that watching of violet movies and listening to rowdy music among the children, has a great impact on their behavior in their developmental stages. Research affirms that children who are mostly exposed to violet movies end up showing aggressive behaviors such as fighting and bullying towards others during the interaction process.
The same effect is manifested in adulthood if one was exposed to the violet environment during his early stages of development. These are some of the long term implication of media on the society, but more precedent crisis is presumed to emerge shortly highlighted in literature materials.
Literature plays a crucial role in guiding any given society towards the realization and achievement of its long term goals. It is referred to as the mirror of society in the sense that it is through literature that communities get to know what is happening around them as well as infers the outcome of an event shortly. In this case, the concept of media has been addressed in the past by many researchers giving varied approaches about the same issue. This enhances a better understanding of the issue, which plays a key role in resolving the problem.
Most of the literature materials together with vast collections of movie series have been brought to the board, addressing the myth of vampires. In most of these collections, vampires are explicated as immortal creatures that have thirsty for both animal and human blood.
But have we ever thought to what extend has media influenced ourselves that we can’t live without it? In other words, media has now turned into a vampire that is about to wipe out the modalities of the society completely. However, the Twilight Movie gives a clear illustration of how the concept of media vampire lives deep within us.
Stephanie Meyer, a renowned American author, is credited for his effortful work in trying to relate the impacts of media in the society with that of the vampires in a four movie series called Twilight Saga. He has published more than four literature books that all revolve around the theme of vampire fantasy romance. But the one that gained popularity among the young people is the publication of Breaking Dawn in 2008. It is about this book that the concept of a vampire can be related to the media as highlighted below.
The scenario of the media today can be compared to Twilight Saga, where vampires are illustrated as immortal creatures addicted to blood. Comparing the work of Durham and Kellner, both affirm the fact that most people today are addicted to the media in the sense that they lose connectivity with the realities of life (Durham and Kellner 34).
For instance, most men like watching soccer in the media where each person is affiliated to a specific team. In case the team loses, one is affected emotionally that in some instances, has pushed people to commit suicide. On the other hand, women are more affiliated with soap opera movies that highlight issues of romance. This, in turn, has made many women be detached from the reality by demanding more from their spouses hence leading to family break ups.
It is evident enough that people fail to talk about how they have been affected by the media and instead criticize others based on perception. In the Twilight novel, Isabella desires to be a vampire, but Edward is against the idea because he feels it is not the right thing to do.
Unfortunately, he fails to understand that his deeds as a vampire in one way or the other influence Isabella’s behavior. The same concept correlates to the fact that most people who are compelled to engage in media issues result from the effect of peer pressure. Conformity is the overriding factors that influence people to change their perception on matters related to the media since it gives a sense of belonging.
It has been ascertained that media not only mirrors the deeds of the society but also helps to establish the culture of class that is grounded on perception. Human beings like associating with people of high class and desire to be like them. According to Stephanie, he contends the fact that through the media we have been conditioned to believe that politicians and celebrities are role models figures in the community and that the poor should never be accorded attributes of praise (Meyer, 2008).
This fact is clear in the Twilight Saga where the author echoes the blurring on what is real and not real makes people to imitate the wealth people and shut down both working and poor people in the society. This element is evident in the novel when Isabella decides to be a vampire, marrying Edward Cullen, who has high-class status compared to Jacob Black. Media indicate that the affluent live a better life which should be enumerated by other people.
Media has also influenced the way people shop for goods and services. Most companies use beautiful girls for marketing their goods and services. In most cases, the model is portrayed as being sexy and attracts the customers to purchase the exhibited goods.
This culture has taken deep roots in our society in the sense that people like associating a certain good with a prominent person or a celebrity. If one happens to purchase such goods associated with highly reputable people, there is positive feedback from others that encourages this behavior to develop on.
Nowadays, it is fashionable for people to wear T-shirts and pins that indicate their political parties during election campaigns. All these things are propagated through the media and have a great effect on peoples’ judgment and decision making. The contesters who give T-shirts and pins to their supporters end up emerging as winners because they enhance their popularity through the media about their counterparts who use other methods.
Media has played a big role in integrating the whole world into a global village mandated to achieve common goals and objectives for the entire population. However, due to the lack of effective policies and rules that govern the daily operation of media, it has been manipulated by the affluent people in society for their interests.
For instance, politicians have used media inappropriately to tarnish other people’s image and at the same time hind their mischievous deeds from the public. In this case, people have developed a different perception of the individual that is inconsistence with the realities on the ground hence affecting the decision-making process.
Consequently, we must affirm the fact that media has brought numerous changes to the world today, but at the same time, it has inflicted many problems to the people. The bottom line idea is the establishment of a balance between these two concepts that would work towards lessening of negative impacts associated with the media and improve peoples’ living standards.
In conclusion, media has been in existence in the society for many years now. However, with the advancement in science and technology in recent time, it has changed people’s ways of life and thinking to a greater degree culminating to a society controlled and manipulated by the media.
People cannot reason and think based on the moral values of the community without the influence of the media and technology. It is high time effective policies are formulated and enacted by the act of parliament in mainstreaming the operation of the media and safeguarding the interest of the people. This would help to create a balance between the media and the core values of the society, thus enhancing sustainable economic development in the nation.
Works cited
Durham, M. and Kellner, D. Media and Cultural Studies. New York: Blackwell Publishing, 2001.
Stephanie, M. Breaking Dawn. New York: Little and Brown Company, 2008.