Effect of Media Images on a Culture - Essay Example

Thesis statement: This paper will tend to show how the images used in the social media affects the society both positively and as well negatively and how they influence the culture of a given society. It will look at both the images in the print media such as magazines and those aired in the televisions and other forms of media.

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Introduction

The society is reflected by various images that are attached to it. These images are reflected through the TV programs that we watch, the magazines that we read, movies, newspapers, through the internet, through the video games that most of the young people are playing, the music that we listen to and also the various forms of the social media. These different forms of media tend to provide a wider range of issues towards the cultural and as well as the analysis of the society. The images used in these different forms of media will tend to affect a persons behavior, his attitude and also his thoughts about a particular event. The message that is passed by those images will tend to reinforce one's beliefs or even change them. Not all the images lead to change some can have a positive or adverse effect on an individual while others will result in a long-term effect. These pictures can as well lead to stereotyping in the society.

Description

This topic deals with the different forms of media that are available in the society and how the images that are used by them while passing information affects the community as a whole. The information was gathered through the observation method whereby I observed the different types of media and how they portrayed different images in their airing of messages.

These pictures will tend to affect one's perception of how one eats, how one will dress and also the language that one will use while communicating and as well as the religious beliefs of a person. For example in the current society, people are using different types of soaps and detergents, people are now taking different kinds of drinks, both men and ladies are putting on various hair styles. It has been impacted by the images they see in the media like the TV programs and the movies, and hence they want to practice what they see. This has led to some people being rejected in the society. For example, the dyeing of hair by the men is considered as illegal in most society or a person putting on different types of hairstyles. It has led to some people being rejected in their society as they believe that men are supposed to shave their hair. In various TV programs, for example, they go for commercial breaks they bring different types of advertisement which are accompanied by images, for instance, they advertise a variety of drinks, different kinds of clothes, perfumes and also types of food.

Some of these media programs have contributed to rivalry in the society. For example, most of the video games consist of fighting. We also have programs aired through the T.V such as wrestling which is all about fighting. After watching these programs, most people are going to practice what they see. Hence the media is having a negative influence on the people in the society.

The print media which consist of the magazines and books use different types of images while passing their information. We have a lot of magazines such as fashion magazines and the sports magazines. The fashion magazines have pictures of the different ways of dressing. Some of these images are not appealing to the society since some of the clothes are either too short to be worn by a lady while others portray a person as half naked. In the current generation, most of the young people are copying what they see in those magazines and dressing the same way. This is viewed as obscene in the society, and most of the religions do not allow people to wear short clothes which tend to be above the knee.

The various forms of media have led to changing the way most of the people talk. Some of our mother tongue languages have now been replaced by the various linguistic expressions that we see on the television and the videos that people watch. It is contributing to the diffusion of the culture as the children tend to copy what they see on TV and copy how mostly the celebs talk while featured in various programs. It is because people consider them to be more superior in the society and believe that they have a higher status.

Various TV programs also help in the promotion of the culture of a given community. Different television stations are using different languages to communicate. Some are airing their programs using the native language, and some programs are bringing in the elder people who are teaching about the various norms and beliefs in different cultures which are related about for example about how the rites of passage are carried out in a particular society, how a marriage ceremony is conducted. It is helping educate the young people about their various cultures, and this will assist in the continuation of it even in the future.

The images have contributed towards the gender stereotypes in the society. Most of these pictures have been used as a means of advertising so as to persuade the viewers more quickly. Society gives different opinions concerning other groups, and this contributes to stereotypes. It is becoming difficult to differentiate the roles of people based on their gender. In the old days, there were specific jobs that were meant for the men and those that were meant for the ladies. Women were mainly stereotyped that they should do house chores and cook while the men go out and work. Today we have programs that air the men while cooking this is helping to do away with this stereotype in the society. The ladies are being featured doing the same work that a man can do.

The media images have helped in bridging the gap that is created by these stereotypes in the society. However, the media is still promoting the traditional gender stereotypes. It is because it has a greater impact towards shaping the attitude of the people. They tend to create individual images which appear to the viewers as a reality. The women are mostly used as commercial models this is because they are considered as the people who make most of the purchases in the market sector. Most men are portrayed in images related to cars or investment activities. The main reason as to why the women are used in these pictures during advertisement is because of their beauty. For example, we have seen most women are advertising products related to cosmetics just because they are beautiful.

In conclusion, the various cultural images that are aired through the different forms of media can have a positive or a negative impact on the society. Some of the groups while used in the images they tend to be underestimated or even ignored, and this sets how a particular culture is viewed by different people. People know the impacts that are contributed by such generalizations, but since the media acts as the mirror of the community, they tend to submit to it.