Media In Today’s Society Essay, Research Paper

Being a teenager living in today?s modern society is no easy task. Today?s generation of youth is continually being faced with more obstacles to overcome than in previous generations. Growing up in the information age of the Internet, cable television, and violent video games, society?s youth are being repeatedly exposed by the same media that seems to capture its imagination and attention. The way youth see and interact with the world is heavily influenced and constructed from the present day barrage of information. The media and its outlets have become a major factor in the development of today?s youth, collectively shaping the minds of young people all across the world. Despite some of the advantages the information age may present, the positives have not have not justified the negative consequences. As a result, the media in our society must be controlled and seen with a more cautious eye, to avoid the social dangers the media presents for young people, which include producing inactive citizens, constructing moral and values and influencing consumer habits

The modern information age has produced an inactive generation where teenagers today are more inclined to curl up in the front of the television for the afternoon than enjoy activities outdoors. It is this type of behavior that has lead to the skyrocketing of the obesity rate among people today. It is estimated that 25% of young adults in the U. S. are overweight. Researchers have blamed recent modern creations such as video games and cable television as the primary reason for this staggering statistic. Television has long been an ?electronic babysitter? in our homes and this has stemmed the voyeuristic behavior we have today. This generation is more inclined to ?watch? than lead active, healthy lifestyles.

Likewise, the information age we live in has influenced morals and values held by today?s youth. The way teenagers perceive the world generates their behavior in it and thus, this is why the media is such a powerful tool. The way youth dress, the way they talk and ultimately the way they act and think is a direct product of our music, television, and video games. Recent studies conducted by the American Psychological Association have suggested that people who participate in violent video games were more likely to experience aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior according to the two studies. This statistic is very scary because video games are more influential than television in the sense that the participant is more involved, engrossed, in the action and the games require the player identify with the aggressor. Recent violent acts committed by youth have reinforced these findings and promoted controversy on the issue of censorship

In the same way, today?s advertisers are more aware of the purchasing power teenagers? hold, and thus are catering more advertisements to teenagers to take advantage of this lucrative market. In an age where Tommy Hilfiger and Nike dominate the marketplace, advertisers have convinced the youth to buy into their social ideals such as image and instant gratification. By careful marketing, advertisers have attached and associated social status with there merchandise and that has in turn, affected the consumer habits of teenagers, who are more likely to be cool if they have this type of shirt, wear these type of shoes and so on. It is only in North America where teenagers? lives are taken just for the fact that they have a pair of Air Jordan shoes that somebody else wants. It is examples like these that may allow us to see the type society we live in everyday and the powerful message advertisements carry.

Lastly, it is without question that certain media platforms need to be carefully watched in order to protect the youth from social pitfalls that may wait.