The Media: Does The Media Exist To Inform People?

If one changed their hairstyle and they wanted to know how it looked, there is a strong chance that they would ask their friends and family. This is primarily because they trust them.
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They will value their feedback, and while this might not completely define how they feel about their hair, it is still going to have an effect. This is not to say they won’t listen to the people they don’t know very well, but their views might not be seen in the same light.

Other Areas

Along with this, one can look towards the people they know for suggestions on where to eat, where to travel and whether they should go on a date with someone, among other things. It might not matter whether the people they ask are experts when it comes to these areas, as well as others.

The only thing that could matter is that they are close to them, and this means that they will trust their judgement. What they hear from other could then be something for them to reflect on, and when this happens, they will still be thinking for themselves.

An Expert

If one is close to someone who is an expert when it comes to a certain area of life, they could just go along with what they suggest. This could relate to something complex and one could then believe that it is better to listen to the other person.

What this shows is how one can be influenced by the people they are closest to, and through being so close, they might not take the time to come to their own conclusions. As this relates to the people they trust, it shouldn’t cause them to experience problems.

Opinion

However, even though the people one is closest to may have their best interests at heart, it doesn’t mean that they will always know what is right for them. At times, one might be doing the right thing by following their advice, and at others, it could cause them to do the wrong thing.

Therefore, it could be said that is one listens to the feedback from others and listens to what is taking place within them, it will give them a better chance of making the right decision. The best approach to take can take can all depend on the context.

News

When one wants to know what is taking place in their own country and around the world, they can end up looking towards the mainstream media. This is primarily because they trust what they present.

At the beginning of their life, they may have been brought up by people who did the same thing. If these people wanted to know about what was taking place, they would have turned on the TV, listened to the radio or looked through a paper.

The Truth

On one hand, they may have believed everything they heard, and on the other, they may have questioned certain things. If these people questioned what they heard, it may have encouraged one to do the same thing.

Whereas if they believed everything they heard, it may have set one up to do the same thing. What they were being exposed to would then have been seen as the truth, and there was then no need for anyone to question anything.

Informed

Through these kinds of experiences, one can grow up to believe that the media is there to inform people about what is taking place in the world. The media could then be seen as the messenger, and this means one has no reason to question what they are told.

Therefore, if one pays attention to the mainstream media, they will be well informed; but if they don’t, they are going to end up living a life of ignorance. At the same time, this outlook is not something that is going to sit well with everyone.

Overlooked

One thing that one can say is that the media gives more attention to some things that it does to others. This can then cause them to feel as though they are being manipulated, and that they only find out about what the media wants them to find out about.

If they were to say this to other people, they may be told that the mainstream media can’t cover everything, and how the most important things are covered. When this happens, they could end up agreeing with what they hear, or they might disagree, and this could cause them to take a deeper look into what is happening.

A Half Truth

Another way of looking at this would be to say the mainstream media only gives attention to the things that it believes are important. Based on this, it could be said that while it is informing people, it is only informing them about the things it wants them to be informed about.

As a result, even though one can believe that they are informed, they might be informed about things that have no relevance to what is actually taking place in the world. The beliefs that they have created through absorbing this information can then stop them from being able to accept to what is actually taking place.

Brainwashed

It then won’t matter if they come across what is taking place, as their mind could end up blocking it out. Their priority is then going to be holding onto what they have been told to believe by the media.

If they were to come across someone who has a different outlook, they could say that they don’t know what they are talking about. When in reality, they could be someone who has simply taken the time to think for themselves.

Critical Thinking

What this shows is how important it is for one to question what they are exposed to, and to bear in mind that the mainstream media always has an agenda. To think critically takes energy, and this is why it doesn’t always take place.

However, when this takes place, it will give one to the ability to own their own mind as opposed to it being controlled by an outside source. Not only will this benefit their own life, it will also benefit the rest of humanity.