Media awareness and small children.

[Godelsensei]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Every one knows that the media shapes us. There's no point in debating said fact. However, it seems that we don't bother to teach children that they are having sexist, racist and self-degrating messages being shoved down our throats at every turn. And what *is* taught about media awareness doesn't seem to be very effective, when you take into acount all the eating dissorders and perpetuation of racism in society.

So, as you see it, where are we screwing up? Are we not taught about harmful messages from the media at an early enough age, or are our educators simply half-reared about teaching us?

I guess we ought to stick to commercials, TV (movies, too) and music in this thread (for the most part), as there really is no end to "the media".

An interesting thing I have noted in the TV shows my younger sister watches: [I]Even in shows directed at eight-year-olds, girls are constantly portrayed as being boy-crazy and -dependant, and to possess minds that revolve around shopping and appearance. Often are any female characters persuing academic goals made out to be "social outcasts".[/I] Not that this is news...

I know it's a rediculously wide topic, but I'm interested in what others have to say regarding the spectrum.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Sniglefager]

Yes, you bring up a good point there. Girls in TV shows are usually obsessed with boys, even in some cartoons. The only TV show I can think of that doesn't have this type of stereotype in it is Even Stevens. Ren is super smart, and she has little 7th grade followers or something, and is also one of the most popular girls in school. I doubt most people here watch Even Stevens (let alone Disney Channel), but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Also, in Barbie toys are going that route now. I don't know if any of you have seen the commercial forthe new "Hangin' in Jamaica" video, but from what I can see from the commercial, Barbie and her friends go to Jamaica with their boyfriends for a band contest, and it looks to me like Barbie and the other girls are portrayed as the groupie-type people. This sounds more like a plot for teens than little girls who play with Barbie dolls, but ok.

[DeathBug]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]Well, I think that, as always, it is the responsibility of the parents to know what their children are watching, and understand what types of messages said shows are delevering.

On the other hand, if the parents constantly instil a good sense of self into the child, and help them diferentiate from reality and fantasy, or let them know which behaviors are acceptable, constant supervision won't be necessary.

I used to play Doom all the time, as young as eight years old, and I never had a desire to blow my classmates away. I understood the difference between reality and games. It depends on the child and the situation, I suppose.[/color][/size][/font]

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Deathbug, I know what you're talking about, but the fact is that parents have less of an influence on their children than they used to. (I'm not attacking you in any way here, BTW_ _U)

It's not the desensitization of youth, which is sort of a different branch, but rather the message that we ought to fit a certain image.

Simply being told by one's parents that you are fine the way you are doesn't really have value any more. [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Heaven's Cloud]

[QUOTE=Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Deathbug, I know what you're talking about, but the fact is that parents have less of an influence on their children than they used to. (I'm not attacking you in any way here, BTW_ _U)
[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]


[color=indigo]Only because they choose to.

I agree with Deathbug on this issue,your parents telling you that "you are fine" was never enough. Humanity evolves and grows, styles, fashion, and technology all changes. In the end media in general reflects people, not the other way around. Media is only successful if people will watch it.

Is media, at times, a desensitizing, manipulative essence? Yes. But literature and music and plays can also have that effect. In the end a person is not going to be molded by the television they watch or the news they witness, they are going to be a product of their upbringing, their enviornment, and their determination to thrive.[/color]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1][color=darkred]As HC said, we are reflected by the media. These things must be predominant, if they are so used. Others are the exception, not the rule.

Which leads us to stereotypes. Movies and many TV shows are all about stereotypes- we want to be able to sit down and get right into the plot. People don't have time to learn all about a character, which is why stereotypes work so well, and are such a widely employed tool.

Also, I think you're generalising here.

[quote=Godelsensei]However, it seems that we don't bother to teach children that they are having sexist, racist and self-degrating messages being shoved down our throats at every turn.

[b]and[/b]

Are we not taught about harmful messages from the media at an early enough age?[/quote]

You are speaking for yourself here. I know the difference between reality and the TV. Depends on how you've been raised, but most people that I know, know that difference too.

TV isn't supposed to portray the real world. It is a parallel world, where you can escape to.

Which I believe most people should know.[/size][/color]

[DeathBug]

[quote name='Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New] Deathbug, I know what you're talking about, but the fact is that parents have less of an influence on their children than they used to. (I'm not attacking you in any way here, BTW_ _U)[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]

[font=comic sans ms][size=1][color=indigo]Isn't it the parent's choice how much of an influence they have over their kids? Parents only loose the ability to influence kids if they allow themselves to.

Many parents nowadays do, but that doesn't mean there aren't still parents who actually parent.[/color][/size][/font]

[quote name='Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]It's not the desensitization of youth, which is sort of a different branch, but rather the message that we ought to fit a certain image. [/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]
[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]There's always been a 'certain image' people wish to fit; the realization that this image is deceptive, at best, must be made by children, and their parents ought to take a hand in getting the pointr accross.[/color][/size][/font]

[quote name='Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Simply being told by one's parents that you are fine the way you are doesn't really have value any more. [/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]My first question is, "Why not?"

My second question is, why are you simplifying it thusly? An active parent should be constantly reinforcing a child's self-worth through [i]actions[/i], not just words.

The basic principle I'm espouting is that parents should be able to teach their children the difference between reality and fiction, and help them understand real-world values. That's all.[/color][/size][/font]

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]It's not a matter of fact or fiction. It's not a matter of parents doing a bad job parenting. It's a matter of kids being pressured into anorexia and sexual activity by the age of eleven. It's the perpetuation of racial and gender-based stereotypes through television that is viewed by children as young as five.

The messages young girls receive constantly through their TV shows from when they're five or six years old are that they should be boy-crazy, worked up over being skinny, that if they choose to persue academics to an above-average level, they will be outcast by their peers.
We are taught that the worst trait you can posess is to be overweight, even by a little. You could say it's a matter of understanding what's real and what is fiction. In fact, you *should* be saying this, because it's true. The problem is, so many people can't tell the difference.

Which brings us back to the *actual* purpose of this thread: [I]what are our educators doing wrong?[/I] Why can the majority of people not seperate fact from fiction?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[DeathBug]

[color=indigo][font=comic sans ms][size=1]I'm very, very interested in your line of logic. If [b]parents[/b] can't teach their children the proper method of percieving the media, why is it the [b]educators'[/b] responsibility?

I will argue that it is, in fact, a matter of bad parenting. An elementary teacher in America sees about thirty or so kids for seven hours a day. It's the teacher's job to instill proper media perceptions into a child? The teacher, as opposed to the parent/s who should be raising the kid? That makes little sense.

I'm not saying that the teacher shouldn't try to explain these things to a class, but learning starts at home. The parent is, in most cases, the foremost influence on a child. The parent has the power over their child's perceptions. It is their job to teach the child the difference between reality and fiction, not educators.[/color][/size][/font]

[Mikkaddo]

[COLOR=DarkRed]well let me start by saying I did not read everything, but due to the subject at hand, I feel that is not needed, anyway

the media is something that is controled by the people in CEO chairs, who usually go by ratings. what I have noticed is that parents usually seem to try to impose the "right" way of thought in their children, however, this hell bent attempt (usually hell bent mind you) tends to instill in the child a desire to do the opposite (if only the media did this huh?). now back on the media itself, the shows today are far worse about racism, sexism, and hidden themes than they ever used to be. I cannot count the number of themes in sitcoms that say "if you got a problem . . . sex can solve it!" that or themes that say that its just fine to trick those around you so long as you get something out of it. anime however, is possibly the worst thing you can speak of when talking about media, its also the parent's fave target for the reasoning behind "miss guided youths" now I don't konw about any of you, but frankly watching BERZERK doesnt' make me want to go to the nearest person to me and slaughter them. also its a fave target when talking about showin children sex. I can't stand this argument as anime is no worse for this than any sitcom, or even worse yet, reality show. however, anime just doesn't hide it under the guise of a joke. now . . . thats just what I think, any comments on this will be read and responed to . . . in the most respectful way I can . . . . unlike a member who shall remain unnamed in a religious thread[/COLOR]

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I'm not trying to sound rude or imposing, but I started this thread in hopes of repliees answering the question I asked...from what I've read, I'm sure every one's answers would be quite interesting.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Mikkaddo]

[COLOR=DarkRed]*smacks own face* sorry . . . got lost in the moment there . . . way lost

its a comination of being the fault of the parent, media, society, and child really. the parents for allowing their children such uninhibited and questioned access to anything on TV. its the media's fault for allowing it to be so easily accessed by any yahoo that can say more than a three word sentence. its society's fault for allowing it to conitnue with no action other than "parents talk to your children . . . they'll listen." and finally its the child's fault for taking what they see and imitating it. the child is also at fault for not seeing the line that separates fantasy from reality. but as far as that goes the parent is usually more at fault for not showing the child where that very fine line is drawn, and the whole "you can do anything if you try" line doesn't help the situation. I hope that answers your question . . . seems like it does as I re-read it . . . yeah looks like it . . . [/COLOR]