My Relationship with the Media

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        As a kid of the early 2000s, I have had my fair share of exposure to the media. Since childhood, I have been constantly surrounded by TV shows, music videos, news outlets, and more recently, social media. These all have had a great influence on how I view the world, and how I act within it.
       Despite this, I believe I have kept myself from becoming too reliant on these forms of entertainment and news-sharing. I have easily gone days without checking my phone, and the vast majority of my friends are constantly annoyed by the fact I never see their texts. This is something I would like to maintain, because I see how phones and social media are heavily impacting my friends and peers. Many of my friends have shared that they cannot envision themselves living without social media, which is not a reality I myself would like to partake in.
       Beyond these negative effects of media, I have found it is a great platform to share opinions, and also become more aware of the world around us. Whenever I am on Instagram, I am usually scrolling through videos about current political situations or social movements, which allows me to stay up to date with world news. TV shows and movies also tend to have political/social themes intertwined within them, which impacts how I view certain issues.
      Now more than ever, I have found TV shows and movies very helpful in how I approach situations in my life. Take the show Sex Education for example. Aside from the obvious, the show deals with problems within friendships, relationships with parents, romantic relationships, and many other issues I may face in this time. These shows serve as a guide to me in a way, because it shows me consequences of certain actions, or how to approach difficult situations.
      I also enjoy contemplating the influence of media, and seeing how I unconsciously adopt certain tendencies due to what I am viewing. I am intrigued by the ways in which we now nurture these underlying influences, because at this age we have a lot of control over what media we view: such as choosing which newspapers to read or what TV shows to watch.
     The media has a profound impact on the majority of the population, and is constantly forming norms, stereotypes, expectations, and ideas in the minds of the viewers. So far, I believe my experience with the media has been positive, and I hope that doesn't change anytime soon. :)



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