What do you think “ Mass media can have strong impact on constructing social reality" ?

[Raphy_Liang]

What do you think that “ Mass media can have strong impact on constructing social reality by framing images of reality in a predictable and patterned way “ ?

[MH_Huang]

I like this question. Usually undergraduate babies won't propose a question like this. You don't just see what you see and hear what you hear. Mass media select the topics for you, and then you, as an audience member, get exposed to the selected social reality, not the "entire" reality. So, in terms of information for consumption decision, consumers typically have partial information, not full information, for decisions.

[Ian Chen]

Yeah, I agree that the "information" we received everyday from mass media is only the "partial truth" of reality. But, nowadays, not all information can be controlled and shaped in a predictable and patterned way... Thanks to blooming network technology, especially concepts of "Web 2.0", leads to bidirectional information exchange. We , consumers, tend to make decision not only depend on information provided by firms but other consumers' opinions. So, I think that "strong impact" might be not so "strong" in future days...

[camille_girard]

Yes it has a strong impact. Because of the reasons that the teacher says and also because the mass media is intensively relayed : TV, newspaper, etc. Thus, people are exposed to the ad very often so they integrated the ad in inconscious way in their mind and therefore are infuenced by it. It leads to create a social reality.

[Raphy_Liang]

I recall that the "free will" discussed in sociology doesn't really exist cause our will can never be free from impacts/controls in the society we participate in.

---

[Eva_Berends]

I think mass media has indeed a strong impact on the construction of social reality, especially in our generation. Most of our parents grew up without any modern mass media techniques, which gave them (at least mine..) a different view, maybe more down to earth. I think te impact on constructing social reality will only get stronger. I mean most of the kids under 12 nowadays have televisions, pc's, cellphones, you name it. On the other hand, exposure to mass media and thus information could also lead to more nuanced opinions because you get to know at a younger and younger age what the world has to offer.

[Jamie_Tang]

I also believe mass media has a very strong impact in the construction of social reality. It reaches and effects everyone. However, I don't think I quite agree with the "framing images of reality in a predictable and patterned way" is quite as true now as it might have been before. As both Eva and Ian mentioned above, the expansion of different types of mass media also leads to even more different opinions, so I wouldn't quite describe this as patterned and predictable. Although even now, mass media does strongly influence us all one way or the other.

[ChienWei_Lee]

This topic makes I think of that sometimes freedom of speech is not so correct.
For example, there are some self-suicide webs to teach people to do how to achieve that.
However, these make some children or teenagers to imitate, and generate tragedy.
You can't say that the web entrance wrote that this site is for adults only because we all know children are curious.

So, we should revise our law as soon as possible to fit this fast-moving society.

[Eva_Berends]

Sure, but I think you can't stop this. Kids who really are curious about a specific subject, find a way to enter those websites anway. But I agree with you and think it would definitely make a difference

[Roy]

Maybe we can say that "Mass media represents and constructs partial realty, but not all."

The channels of information are not only mass media, in the internet age, everyone have chances to construct their partial reality.

[Eva_Berends]

What do you mean by 'everyone have chances to construct their partial reality'?

Like second life and such?

[ChienWei_Lee]

Another things need to be mentioned is that news also need be classified as the movies and TV programs.
Because family will watch TV news or read newspapers together.
And I think that there are too much inappopriate news for kids.

[Eva_Berends]

In Holland you have 'the kijkwijzer', which states the minimum age at every program on TV, but I think it doesn't work, as everybody watches what he/she wants, kids included. I don't think it harms kids, at least they see what there is going on in the world and what the world offers. Why should you keep them away from certain information..? (I don't mean 3 year old kiddos watching hannibal..)

[ChienWei_Lee]

Because in Taiwan, there are really some newspapers which are too bad for kids to read.....
Our NCC(NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION) will fine them, but the newspapers are still sold to everyone.
And they make a large fortune of providing these "adults-only" info, so they are not afraid of being fined.
So I think we should ban it instead of give it a fine.

[ChienWei_Lee]

What do you mean by 'everyone have chances to construct their partial reality'?

Like second life and such?

I think it is somewhat similar to define what is justice.....

But it's too far from the theme, and Raphy will kill me if I keep discussing on these things under her topic......XDD

[Eva_Berends]

Ok I see, but are there any kids in Taiwan who want to read those newspapers then? I agree on the fact that some information should be hidden for kids under a certain age. However I don't think it's wrong to expose them to what is going on in the world around them. You can create your own fairytale for them, but they will find out soon enough that that's not reality. Exposure to information makes wise, I think

[Raphy_Liang]

Let me give an example and questions.
Assuming you are an middle eastern woman in muslim country and you want to buy a beatiful clothes.
All the choise for you are black or deep color clothes(different delicate pattern) covering all your body.
There's no jeans or vests but you may still think you are free to choose.
What do you think?
She can use the power of internet to find out there are "jeans" in the world.
And?

[Raphy_Liang]

I think it is somewhat similar to define what is justice.....

But it's too far from the theme, and Raphy will kill me if I keep discussing on these things under her topic......XDD

you are definitely right!

But don't worry Eva I like your join to this topic!

[Eva_Berends]

Hahaha, sorry I always like to 'broaden' the discussion!

[chiaying_lin]

I also think that mass media has strong effects on the construction of social reality. It's hard to deny that as we grows up, life is nothing but a process of socialization.

In previous generations, social values and traditional customs play an important role in teaching people telling right from wrong; however, in modern society, owing to the widespread of all kind of channels, mass media somehow takes over the main role of educating and influencing people. Mass media shapes everything from ours taste, our goals to social values and justice.

So i really think we should be aware of what information mass media tries to deliver to us especially in potential way.

[Nemo_Kuo]

i also agree that mass media can have strong impact on constructing social reality.
As Ian has mentioned "Web 2.0", i think that each of us will have bigger influence to the social reality in today and in the future.
Because the "open" and "instant" internet construct a convenient way to let us put forward our thoughts to socaility, we become a part of the mass media.
Therefore, individual has more power to influence the world.

[ChienWei_Lee]

i also agree that mass media can have strong impact on constructing social reality.
As Ian has mentioned "Web 2.0", i think that each of us will have bigger influence to the social reality in today and in the future.
Because the "open" and "instant" internet construct a convenient way to let us put forward our thoughts to socaility, we become a part of the mass media.
Therefore, individual has more power to influence the world.

yap, there is a famous animate movie "Ghost in the shell" describing that we will gradually become a part of mass and what will happen to our society.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell
This is a very thoughtful movie.
(Actually, it has a series.)
I recommend this movie to everyone because the future world described by it is so real.

[Lu_Song]

Mass media and society mutually influence each other. Mass media creates demands, and demands are meet by mass media. The system is so intertwined and quite circular. For example, sex appeal in tv, ads, magazine etc. Mass media determines that sex appeal sells. Thus, it reinforces it in its media. The media employs sex appeal because society has a demand for it and it has shown that sex appeal sells.

At the same time, I think that mass media is not reflective of all views in society; it usually just provides what it wants people to see (creates a demand), what it thinks people want to see (caters to a demand). This means that it doesn't provide the whole picture. It only caters to its target audience. In doing so, the minority (but equally important) demands are left out. For example, Taiwan news. Often times, Taiwan news reporters often report on things that are absolute trash (undeserving to be called "news") (ie. a dog who is inspiration because it lives a full life on 3 legs; a pretty who's run away from home with her bf etc.) However, this is what Taiwan stations think people want to see, and people watch it because 1. there's a lack of better shows provided or mass media want to reinforce a certain type of value or preference 2. because viewer have made a habit of watching it and people sometimes don't really know what they want 3. because they like knowing this stuff so they can gossip about it with other people later on. And for these reason, Taiwan stations continue to provide it. But what about the real news that make a difference? The ones that respectable new station (ie. CNN types) report? To find it, people have to actively search for on the internet or through other source.

The lack of understand of what people truly want and value (from both mass media and viewers), the need for mass media to influence consumers decisions, and the complacency for people to just accept whatever media provides is why there's so much dissatisfaction and confusion surrounding it.

[Sponsored content]