This entire semester has been designed to make us informed consumers of the media. I personally never realized just how much influence the media have on our everyday lives. This class has opened my eyes. I now see the strategic product placements in my favorite TV shows that I before had missed. I can tell that the amount of sexualized violence and images on TV have changed the way that teens act. As an American teenager, I realize just how media saturated my life is.
Gender roles in our society are created and enforced by the media. In the past a vast majority of TV series show a mom who may have a job, but somehow is always home to cook dinner and make snacks for their children. In TV shows now, there are completely non-existent mothers. It is also odd to look back on my favorite Disney movies and realize that a large portion of them have mothers that passed away or just made no mention of mothers at all. Fathers in shows still appear to have the power jobs and make the most money.
Stereotypes often play off the gender roles that the media create. The fact that people associate any blonde girl with being dumb, and any Asian with being smart proves that stereotypes are ever-present in our society. There are humorous stereotypes, like cops always eating donuts and drinking coffee. Most stereotypes are harmless, such as a "dumb blonde," but there are many that actually cause harm. These stereotypes accuse any Muslim of being a terrorist just because of the actions of a select few. These stereotypes hurt and should not even be formed in the first place.
Because of this class, I have realized how my mind spins a stereotypical web around almost everyone I meet. I assume certain things about a person simply by the clothes they wear, the people they associate with, the way they talk, and so many other trivial things. These assumptions are not fair to the person that I make them about and are even unfair to myself. If I make an assumption that someone is a bad person, then I may have missed out on a friendship with this person just because of my prejudgements. Also, it is not fair to the person because I never truly gave them a chance to show me who they really are. People can't be defined by the clothes they wear, the way they talk, and the people they associate with. Reputation doesn't matter, character does.
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