Media Sphere in America - Essay Example

Media as a term refers to the technological means through which human self-expression, communication, and information are exchanged popularly as culture, literature, music, and other forms of art. The importance of mass media in modern culture points to the need to further analyze the way that media communications shape, create, and enable the collective social identity of America both politically and culturally. For example, without the globalized nature of contemporary media communication technology, the world would still be isolated into regionalism with significantly less free exchange of information and values internationally. Correspondingly, it is easy to see the effect of national media groups like newspapers, television programs, and movies in building cultural identity through shared experiences over time in current events and politics. Because the constant repetition of ideas in society can easily lead to the hegemony of values and cultural expression, it is important to be vigilant as to the effect of media in daily life and the way that it shapes concepts of self-identity.

The effect of mass media is found in all modern education systems and entertainment activities for the majority of society. In many instances, such as public opinion polls, marketing, and commercial advertising campaigns, nationalism, and patriotism are used in branding a product for consumption. But more commonly, America knows that when it comes to advertising, sex appeal sells products best. Yet, advertising can also be important in building self-identity patterns that are unrealistic or unhealthy for individuals to relate to personally. For example, women are typically shown in contemporary media representations with an unconventional, ultra-thin body as the ideal body type. Similarly, men are built with broad shoulders, enormous muscles, and zero percent body fat. This creates an expectation in the individual to shape his appearance to be comparable to that of a male or female superhero to gain acceptance. When visualizing this type of sex appeal personally, people often try to be accepted in society by imitating this “ideal image,” even though is first posited by the commercial stereotype.

The “ideal image” leads to the striving for perfection in what is considered physically beautiful in the culture or society at large, but the problem is that this system also simultaneously and implicitly values the ideal above all others.  The advertising in mass media of today exposes American society repeatedly to an ideal body image and creates the idea that the individual must meet these standards. When the ideal is adopted individually, negative outcomes may occur such as eating disorders, depression, obsession, and low self-esteem. Following this paradigm, it is clear that other mental health problems can potentially arise from the internal conflict between media patterns of approved or applauded identity and the Self’s reality and experience. Thus, the media environment to a great degree determines the education and sustenance of an individual mentally and spiritually in today’s world, as well as how a person searches for and establishes their own personal identity or sense of Self.

Complex images of how women and men should grow up to look are introduced at the earliest ages of human development. For example, children at the age of five are often given influences in the form of toy dolls known as the “Barbies” or “G.I. Joe” action figures in America. The Barbie and G.I. Joe dolls are designed based on a body image that is impractical, creating an almost fanatical impression that drives subconsciously the way people believe adults should appear and dress. Barbie’s measurements are nearly physically impossible for most women to achieve physically, but they are learned to be desired.