Describe the importance of the mass media in the socialization process. What concerns do you have about
the influence of the mass media (example, TV, other “screen” media, Ads, magazines )? What evidence
can you use to assess these concerns?
Mass media has played a role in the lives of most people. Whether it be a magazine they read, a program
they watch or a social media site they visit on a regular basis. While some of these things can be
entertaining and provide insight on what the “world” expects us to do, or how we need to be “perceived” to
be able to fit into the “social norm.” It all begins with the people that are being considered peers. When
someone says, “did you see what happened on Survivor/Duck Dynasty/The Biggest Loser last night, it
excites the endorphins in the mind of the bystander that would otherwise be just listening everyone speak
about this show, to actually go home and watch a show they never would have thought of watching, this
just to become a part of what was the social standard.
While some people may be intrigued enough to go home and watch the programs and become more “in
tune” with what everyone else is watching. Others may find Facebook and Twitter a better means of
staying up-to-date with the effects of what is going on in the world. Whether it be the people they follow and
trying to wear the same things they do or the way they look and seeing it as how they are supposed to
look, some people go as far a nearly starving themselves in an attempt to look like the supermodel that all
the guys are gawking at.
It seems that we as people are to infatuated with what is going on in the mass media to get out and actually
do something for ourselves. If we would spend the time to actually go out and do for ourselves, perhaps we
would eventually be the center of what everyone is speaking of and trying to make themselves be.