Module 4 Reflection
Culture is the learned behavior by individuals of a group or groups (Dugan, 2010). While contemplating what culture in America is like, I had a hard time finding five defining beliefs, values, or practices that all Americans share. America is a melting pot, and culture here is customized by the individual based on their personal experiences. It did not come as a surprise to me that when I google searched “culture in America” that some of the top results included corporations and reality TV stars. Is American culture really defined by fast food and celebrities?
Before the development of mass communication, culture was localized. People relied on their community for information and guidance, and had very little exposure to any alternatives. Values and traditions were more easily passed down from generation to generation without any outside interference. This phenomena is referred to as “storytelling” (Dugan, 2010).
The introduction of movies and radio prompted the spread of culture through mass communication. It was not uncommon for people to listen to the same radio station, or see the same movies (Dugan, 2010). My grandmother, who experienced her childhood in the 1930’s, went to the movies every weekend with her family. Despite how poor everyone in her hometown was at the time, the movie theater was always full. Going to the theater on Friday had become as traditional as going to church on Sunday. For the first time, people were able to share a common culture with people from another town miles away. This prompted a shift in storytelling. Now the responsibility was being shared by community leaders, parents, and mass media (Dugan, 2010).
As the media began to grow, it became more diverse. Mass communication began to break down as people were offered choices on which TV program to watch, or which movie they would like to see. The same thing has happened with culture; now people are free to customize their culture according to their own beliefs and values. While some, myself included, admire the diversity of culture in America, others from a more traditional background are repulsed. When the new generation begins adjusting their culture in a way that does not reflect the values, beliefs and traditions of the older generation, the blame is placed on the media (Dugan, 2010).
For an example, many parents complain that the media is encouraging sexuality in children at a younger age (Sternheimer, 2013). It is hard to argue that sex is not a popular theme in the media, but the media is not a reflection of society. I remember when Jersey Shore, a “reality” show about partying and casual sex, was all anyone could talk about. I was only 18 at the time, and I watched every single episode. It was blatantly obvious, even at 18, that shows like this were not a reflection of reality by any means, but I enjoyed the drama and the ridiculousness. I did know a couple of girls at the time who watched Jersey Shore and partied every night, but that was who they were before the show, and I knew that they were an exception, not a reflection, of teenagers in my hometown. While stories of teens with crazy sex scandals are rampant throughout the media, that does not mean that all teenagers are sexually active. It just so happens that stories of teenagers sharing sex videos of themselves attracts more people than stories about teens who watch cat videos (Sternheimer, 2013).
When children live out the antithesis of their parent’s morals, values, and beliefs, they tend to blame the media, and complain that the media has replaced them as the storyteller (Dugan, 2010). I have a hard time fully supporting this notion because it absolves parents and/or guardians of any responsibility in raising their children. While it may seem easy and convenient to blame the media, especially when the media proudly displays sexually explicit content, or portrays images of photo-shopped women who are unnaturally thin, there could be many other factors in the family that are more hidden from sight. For instance, parents fail to consider the role of abuse in their teens’ behavior. When parents are critical, their children are more likely to develop eating disorders. Also, children who are sexually abused are more likely to engage in risky, sexual behaviors as teens (Sternheimer, 2013).
People who are true to themselves will not be easily changed by what they see in the media. However, certain elements in the media that people connect with may encourage them to explore and embrace a part of them that other influences may not have. For instance, I had crushes on both boys and girls before I knew that there was a word for it. I had already kissed a girl before I first learned about bisexuality thanks to an episode of Law and Order (that sounds horrible, I know, but it gets better). The media was not responsible for my sexuality, or the choices I made as a result of my sexuality, but the media provided a sense of normalcy about a part of me that I was not going to get from anywhere else at the time. Therefore, it is up to the individual to create their own culture based on what works best for them.
