Stereotypes make the world go around. . .

Stereotypes are everywhere. If we are aware of them or not, we all judge people by them. We have racial stereotypes, gender stereotypes, religious stereotypes, age stereotypes, and anything else that makes people different. We are all meant to be individuals. Naturally, there will be differences between people and we expect this. Then why do we judge others when they are not like us and place stereotypes on them? Are humans just naturally inclined to group others and make references from those groups? I believe so. Walter Lippmann tackled the subject of stereotypes in his book “Public Opinion” and there are two particular quotes from this book that I believe encapsulate why we hold stereotypes and what they represent for us as humans “There is neither time nor opportunity for intimate acquaintances. Instead we notice a trait which marks a well known type, and fill in the rest of the picture by means of the stereotypes we carry about in our heads”. What a true statement that is. Time is money. Money is what makes the world go around. In today’s society, money is what motivates most people to go to work everyday, and how do you make money if you are too busy learning about others? It is sad but unfortunately true. Lippmann also stated this quote “Our stereotyped world is not necessarily the world we should like it to be. It is simply the kind of world we expect it to be”. Certain traits that become stereotypes for a group of individuals does not represent the entire group, there is always an exception to the rule. However, we expect stereotypes to exist when making choices dealing with people. Stereotypes in essence make the world a more concise place and people simpler to understand. Until we change our ways of thinking, stereotypes will always exist, there is no way around it.

Viacom; The power it has over me.

Television. I just cannot get enough of it! When you are watching television though, most of the time you are not thinking “Oh, I wonder which media company owns this station”. At least I do not. However, I have been lately. Sometimes after the credits, it will show which company owns the station, whether it be Time Warner, Disney, Viacom, Bertelsmann, News Corporation, or General Electric/NBC. After paying attention to this, I realized that most of the television stations that I watch are owned by Disney and Viacom. How is that for gate keeping? Because I think I watch more stations produced by Viacom (mostly CBS and MTV) I will focus on that company. Viacom owns many stations that you probably watch on a regular basis and did not even know it. Its properties include CBS, MTV, TNN, VH-1, Nickelodeon, UPN, and Paramount Pictures as its movie studio, along with many more properties. Viacom bought CBS in 1999, and has since grown larger by having two influential broadcasting networks in its grips (CBS and UPN). Sharing programming and expanding a franchise are two synergies that Viacom has brought about. For example, Saturday morning cartoons on Nickelodeon are now run by CBS and since this switch, ratings have increased dramatically. The company has also created movies in cooperation with their television stations. For example, MTV films produced Save the Last Dance in 2001 under the co-production of Viacom and MTV films.
After realizing how much information I consume under one company, it is worrisome. Most all of the information that I receive on a daily basis is controlled by a small group of individuals. And that is a frightening thought, even if it is entertaining.

Limited realities in everyday life.

Consumers of media are limited in how reality is portrayed to them by the “gatekeepers” of society. These gatekeepers decided what information will be shared, what information will be kept confidential, what information is valuable, and what information is worthless. Therefore, many of our realities are skewed because we are told what is important in the eyes of others. It is only after one becomes involved in many forms of media that their reality may broaden. To see the conservative versus liberal view of an issue will allow us to make our own judgments because we have been exposed to both sides. We as individuals need to decide what forms of media we approve of (and follow) based on the stereotypes that we make. For example, I tend to think that individuals who are more liberal do not have the same values as I do because I am more conservative. Therefore, the forms of media that I may take part in are most likely more conservative than liberal. It is only after seeing various forms of media that we are able to create our own ideas, not based off of what others are telling us to think but what WE as individuals think.

Television is the best!

My favorite form of media is probably television. It serves so many different purposes in entertainment (you can pretty much find anything you want to watch with the technology that is available today). It also gives me a sense of normalcy, that even if something is going wrong in my day, Oprah will still be on at 4pm! If television was taken away forever, I would be very disappointed because it plays a big part in how I relax and get entertained. I would probably cry myself to sleep every night but eventually snap out of it! Then I would turn to other forms of entertainment that would fill the hole that television left!

Media Checklist

Media Checklist

1) I use the telephone five-ten times a day. The person that I call the most is a tie between my parents and my boyfriend.

2) The last speech I attended (not for a class) was freshman year for a workshop on sexual abuse. I went to the speech to increase my awareness on the issue.

3) About 30 minutes a day I chat on AIM. I chat with my two best friends from highschool the most.

4) I use email too many times in a day to count!

5) This summer was the last time I paid for music, and it was on iTunes.

6) Step-by-Step is the most recent show I watched on TV. I did because it is entertainment and reminds me of my childhood.

7) Last time I recorded a program on TV was in December of 2006. It was CSI.

8) Eragon was the last movie I watched in the theater. On DVD, the last movie was The Devil Wears Prada.

9) The last radio station I listened to was country because I like it! It reminds me of home.

10) The most recent book I read was Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts.

11) The last time I read the newpaper was two days ago, it was USA Today and I read it for entertainment purposes.

12) The last magazine I read was Glamour and I read it two days ago. The reason I read it was to relax and have some time to myself.

13) The last time I wrote a letter was this summer, and it was to thank someone for a birthday present.

14) I visit Google.com the most. The last time I visited it was yesterday to search.

15) I have a Facebook so I can stay connected with my friends and family that I don't see everyday.