Hello World!
MASS MEDIA:
communication created by the few for the consumption of many
Welcome to Blair and Kellie's media blog, a site interested in the relationship between society and people's interaction with media.
Imagine a world without mass media. No billboards, ads, TV, movies, books, magazines, or even internet.
Imagine a world without personal interaction. Avoid eye contact, conversations spoken through bytes, and time occupied by widgets.
Discuss with us. Give us your feedback. How do you feel regarding the photos? How is media consumption affecting the world? How is it thwarting us from social interaction with others?
We need lots of comments! If you don't have an account, relax! Just post a comment as "Anonymous", you could always post your name in the comment box if you want to be recognized. Thank you very much.
-Blair and Kellie
One must assume immediately that the photos are of a Laotian family based on the wooden cut-out of the country up in the corner.
ReplyDeleteThe tradition and culture of those from southeast Asia are heavily dependent on family ties. The Lao have very close family and tribal relationships, which they value above everything else. But when technology is introduced, slowly it deteriorates these values. Removing from them the importance of family dinners and meaningful conversations. Instead replaces it with the silences, separation, and what's on Fox Tuesdays at 8.
I agree with the above statement about how the media and television in general can cause separation in the familiar unit, however, this definitely is not only restricted to Laotian cultures. All families worldwide used to (some still do) eat dinner together at a table as a family but in cultures everywhere it seems to have become more popular for families to eat whenever it is convenient for individual members and/or in front of the TV which drastically cuts down on family time.
ReplyDeleteI do think that TV can be a good distraction from reality at from time to time but I also believe that our dependence upon it (in America at least)has become way too strong.
I grew up with the whole family having dinner together and we all ate the same things... mom didn't cook many entrees for you to pick from.
ReplyDeleteThe TV was on, usually to the 6pm news with good old Walter Cronkite. We talked and discussed the news and traded opinions ...very healthy.
I have met people younger than myself who almost never ate dinner with their whole family... and each person in the family had their own TV... wow! Disconnected! anonymous teacher dude