Turn on the TV, surf the Internet, excavate the radio waves. All of these items are today’s main sources of media. And let’s not negate the recent rocket-like take off of social mediums such as Facebook, Twitter, and what once was Myspace. American and even European cultures in some cases (depending on the country) are obviously overrun by Hollywood’s themes, or by their favorite musicians, actors/actresses, oh yeah, and with media convergence rates peaking, athletes play a powerful role in this too. More so than the mature minds in the world, I feel that youth are strongly being affected.
Recently, I’ve had this same conversation with students at Shaw and N.C. State about this issue. According to Dominique Willis, a senior here at Shaw, “students often imitate what they see in movies like ‘Paid in Full’ or ‘Killa Season’.” These movies are low-budget by motion picture standing, however the audience in which they target (young black males), make it their priority to see these movies. Since these movies sometime lack the high profile actors, advertisement is usually via the web. Social mediums like Facebook, Twitter, or Worldstarhiphop will market these movies based on the users preferred music, movies, and other entertainment selections. Willis said, ” Yeah, I too listen to Lil’ Wayne and quote him. Where I’m from, Wayne goes hard; most people in my hood (neighborhood) feels what he raps about. Most silver spoons can’t feel him.” Silver Spoons was an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982 to May 11, 1986 and in first-run syndication from September 15, 1986 to March 4, 1987. The title of the show is based on the expression that rich children are born with a “silver spoon” in their mouth, implying that they are given only the very best and work for nothing. This is how many urban youth view their peers who are more fortunate than they are, or did not grow up in poverty stricken neighborhoods.
N.C. State’s Senior Model, Genesis Atkins felt that ” Yes, lyrics and movies are influential among all classes of youth. In my neighborhood, you have those who listen to hip-hop, and those who are rockers (listeners of heavy metal). You have those who watch The Sopranos and Scarface, and those who watch College Hill and 106 and Park,” Atkins said.” “Though they are all different, the one commonality is that you can decipher who watches what shows and who listens to what songs by their actions and conversations. I must say it amazes me where some people pick up certain behaviors.”
Though I could still classify myself as “a youth,” I feel that I have a firm grip on what media does to my peers, and even adults. Even in history there is a pattern of media controlling society rather than people going out and discovering who they really are. My question is this, are we what we eat? Do we become a product of what we feed our minds? Recognize that programming is everywhere, and it isn’t all bad. Your programming started with your parents teaching you things, and both consciously and unconsciously programming you with all of their beliefs and attitudes. That is not necessarily bad – it is usually good. You are better off for having had parents who cared about you and wanted to teach you. But unfortunately, you also inherited all of their misinformation, superstitions, mistakes, and irrational and untrue beliefs.
You also inherited your “culture”, which includes all of the false, irrational, and wrong beliefs of your entire society. And you are left with the job of figuring out which of those beliefs are good and true, and which are stupid and crazy. And you are always vulnerable to pressure from your peer group, which will always try to make you conform to their beliefs, standards, and behaviors that are often displayed on television and in music, even if your friends are not really aware of the fact that they are doing it.