The pictures in my head...

1. How does your media usage function with the pictures in your head?

The people (gatekeepers) that govern what we, the public (society) see provide us with a contaminated view of the truth. What they want us to know and hear is what is provided to us. The pictures I have in my head and what my media usage conveys to me coincide with each other, although only to a certain extent; I find myself angry at the media when all that is presented are the negatives when there are so many positives in our society.

2. How is your reality limited?

I believe that the media dictates to us how we are supposed to live and gives us a certain though corrupted view of things that we have not yet experienced or that happen in a culture other than our own. Our reality is limited because the things that are unfamiliar to us we do not research or attempt to find more information on before making judgments and all we know is what we see or hear through the mass.

3. What happens if you engage more media?

I believe that engaging in more media is like a liberal arts education; you can receive a full spectrum of ideas about a subject (while learning a little something along the way) and perhaps grasp a little bit more of a the “big picture.”

4. What happens if you analyze message, the medium, and gatekeepers critically?

By analyzing messages, the medium, and gatekeepers critically, a person will encounter sources that do not agree with his/her views. Our society constantly searches for information that will confirm ones thoughts/biases. One can get more facts and receive a better understanding before making judgments by analyzing these three things.

5. What are the stereotypes in your head that help you navigate media and the world?

I was a bit stumped by this question and really had to do some thinking about what stereotypes I have in my head. I finally came to the realization that there are some things that I care to hear and talk about and there are some things that I could really care less about. The pictures in my head dictate that to me and also dictate what sources of media I use. Since I don’t care much about hearing the death toll of the War in Iraq, I choose not to watch the news because I believe the media is a big reason why there are such a large number of war protests. On the other hand, when a subject interests me, I will use various mediums to know more about it (i.e. medicine and Discovery Health/Internet).HoHo