Media 10 Final Essay
Number of Journal Entries: 10
The Nature of Media:
The Constant Struggle Towards Understanding Each Other
It has been a long semester full of watching, observing & understanding; there has been a lot to learn about the state of media today. With the introduction of many social platforms on the internet, the exposure and circulation of news, information, and ideas has never been stronger. Because of the ability to spread messages easily, and the accessibility of those messages, social media has led to a higher frequency of social movements in even larger numbers than history has recorded. What I've learnt is this: The ability to realize real social change is the strongest it's ever been, and it will exponentially grow stronger.
This class has exposed me to the past social stereotypes that have mostly disappeared, meaning that although they still exist, they are a mere shadow of how things used to be. The times are changing, with society pushing for improvements for the LGBT and Feminist communities, and other non mainstream minorities. Although it has taken almost too many years to reach this point, it is common knowledge that change does not happen overnight; but what used to take years to spread a message for social change now happens within hours of being posted on the internet.
Based on the lectures in class that have shown racial and sexual stereotypes and their negative and real impacts, as well as the different media samples of the past, it is wonderful to see the vast contrast of what used to be socially acceptable in the past to be completely unacceptable today. As more people become exposed to other cultures and ideas earlier in their lives, we are moving towards an open minded society that will become more well informed, and hopefully more tolerant and understanding of each other.
Although there will always be the bigots and discriminatory hate mongers, there is no denying that their ranks have dwindled considerably. There are many other parts of the world that are not so fortunate to have the privilege of accessing the internet, but the far corners are starting to become participants who can voice their plights. Governments will do their best to regulate these channels, but this is an age where it is hard to hide secrets of deviance and malice.
Also, there is a lot more responsibility now for each netizen, as there are very real consequences for negativity that can extend past the virtual space and into the real one. Such problems are cyber bullying and stalking, which victimize people even faster and strongly. The internet is a powerful tool, and can have either positive or negative impacts depending how it's used.
The cautionary tale here is this: Society should bear in mind the larger direction it is headed, and keep to task when it comes to improving the quality of life for everyone around the world instead of getting lost in pointless debates or resorting to hate crimes.
The reason why I was unable to complete all my journal entries is due to my commitments and involvement in the student club "International Student Forum" where I was responsible for liaising with the AS, on top of dealing with loss in the family back home, it has been a difficult semester.















