Culture Is Media and Media Is Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture Is Media and Media Is Culture - Essay Example The dependence on the use of media has greatly increased and to a great extent dictates the behavior and ideas followed in a society, in other words dominates the behavior of the culture. Common people are in regular touch with the media and the entertainment that decide their collection of information, ideas as well as opinion that create the human knowledge reflected by his behavior. ‘Culture is media and media is culture’ seems to be pertinent in today’s cultural status of a community where media influences the formation of the cultural activities of different individuals within a community (Pope, 2002). The present study focuses on this particular statement ‘Culture is media and media is culture’ and discusses its relevance based on theory and examples. Understanding the Media Today: In the present times, the media seems to have become a significant issue as considered within a society. If the television medium is taken into account, it is found t hat be it small children, the youth of the older people, or other individuals, they tend to spend long hours in front of the television set. The new media has the ability to target the mindset of the human beings that might even impact the societal behavior of an individual negatively. For example, the televisions being the most common medium, several murders are viewed as part of news, or other television programs. Such programs tend to influence the minds of the smaller children or the youth to the extent that they might follow these acts disregarding their true cultural values. The computer has been obtained as one of the most influential medium generating knowledge and information for the present society that is completely dependent on information for its production, consumption and the economy as a whole (Straubhaar, Larose & Davenport, 2011, pp.11-15). The modern media has its presence reflected in almost every issue within a community and hence its behavior and culture. The m odern media form a creation of the mass communication that makes it possible through the internet and the large number of interactive media being available, e.g., television, radio, newspapers, hoardings, and so on. The different problems and issues related to the political and economic factors associated with a society and its inhabitants get attended by the mass media in the present times (Aikat, n.d.). The media can actually be found to be present in all aspects of today’s communication and knowledge gain purposes. Human beings tend to depend completely on the sources of media not only to communicate but also to determine their views and opinions that might alter their cultural views as well. The Impact of Media on Culture: Communication has always been the most important activity in spreading one’s views, opinions and beliefs to engage others in similar thoughts. In the present day society, communicating only with few close people may not work if a revolutionary ch ange is desired or changes in cultural aspects are required. The mass media plays its significant role in this regard. The spread of cultural views from a single point of origin to an entire community is referred as the phenomenon of diffusion. The features of culture include almost all habits that any human being follows in their normal lives. For example, the food habits, the dress that an individual wears, his/her beliefs in any particular religion, the language that he/she speaks