Module 4

I found this module, and specifically the focus on cultural changes within our society to be extremely interesting/intriguing. Culture has always been a fascinating topic, that I enjoy learning about because it so unique to each individual.

Culture plays a crucial role in society, and has great importance. Culture is the identity of society, and of that nation and without it the people would be lost. Culture is constantly adapting, and is changing to fit that time period. According to Terry Dugan, Culture is not something we are born with. It is a learned behavior, made up from traditions, lifestyles, and shared stories. Dugan makes the point that culture is unique to each individual and the group they’re a part of. Dugan gives credit to culture as having all the power to make us who we are individually and who we are within a group. Dugan makes the point that as a society, “Culture has the power to liberate and limit us. Culture defines us, divides us all the while having the power to unite us. Culture shapes the way we think, feel and act. It gives us the ideas of what we believe is right and wrong”. Prior to these videos I had never thought about how much power culture has within our lives, and within our society.

Dugan makes the point of how media affects our culture, and how over time media has played a crucial role in culture. Dugan states that prior to mass media family was the “storyteller” of culture. Prior to these videos, I had never thought about what life was like before the many inventions that led to media being the main influence to culture. I began to reflect on my own life, and think about who affects my individual culture more. In Dugan’s words, who is the “storyteller” in my life? I thought it was interesting that Dugan made the point that “a true national culture needed a national form of media”. He then goes on to explain the role that the invention of the radio played in our societies culture. “The radio was a national ‘campfire’, telling us stories”. The radio was the first form of mass media that forced the shift of the role of the ‘storyteller’. Dugan makes the point that, “mass communication can create a common culture though shared experiences”. I found this statement to be interesting, and I began to reflect on my own experiences within the media. I began to notice how social media connects people from around the world and make us feel as though we have a common ground through these shared experiences.

Dugan makes the point that with media becoming the ‘storyteller’ of culture, versus family having that main role comes a lot of harsh criticism. He makes the argument that “media is a convent villain”. I found this statement to be spot on, and it also connected to Sternheimer’s point made in chapter 6. That the media is often blamed for social changes. Sternheimer’s Chapter 6: Popular Culture Promiscuity, focuses on the idea that the media is to blame/encourages teens to be sexually active. This chapter was really interesting to me, because my parents have always claimed that my generation is doomed, and that generations prior were not as promiscuous. Sternheimer makes the very accurate point that, “each generation thinks the one after them is worse than their own, because the past is viewed in the eyes of nostalgia”.  There has always been concerns about sex in the media and the the affects it may have. This is important to note, because the media has been blamed, as to why teens have become more sexually active. However, this is not the case. In fact, the way we think about sex has changed much more than the actual behavior. The only thing that is changed in society, is that what used to be a secret is now being discussed openly, and is no longer being ‘hush hushed’. In past generations, what are now considered to be teens were considered to be adults, and were getting married and having children at the same age. Sternheimer points out that, now we “socially and sexually expect teens to function partially as adults and partially as children”. Teens behavior has not changed over time, however the expectations and responsibilities places on those teens have.

Again, in Sternheimer’s Chapter 8: Media Health Hazards the media is being blamed for their role in obesity, and society’s unhealthy lifestyles. However, I do believe that the media plays a role in this, I believe it is too simplistic to blame the media altogether. This chapter hit a soft spot, and it hit close to home because I have always struggled with a having a healthy body image, and self confidence. Sternheimer makes the argument that the media is not the main reason as to why children are having issues with health and obesity, however its the lack of resources provided to them. Those that live in low income areas, have trouble with health due to lack of funds and financial ability to provide those healthy resources, as well as not having the ability to exercise and play outside safely. Although the media is not to blame for these issues, as we touch on in chapter 3, the media does not cover these issues in the media either.