Children of the Screen

Hannah Baylon talks about how we are children of the screen which means that we adapt to all the media that surrounds us. When I really think about it, I am definitely a child of the screen, although not as much of one as some are. I have been affected by media in negative ways but I can also see good things about the amount of media that is available to us.

I don’t watch much T.V., but I do watch quite a few movies and am on my computer a lot. This influences me and changes my thinking without me even realizing it. For example, little girls (including myself) get ideas from Disney movies and other media that are not healthy and simply not true. I thought for a long time that everything in my life would be perfect when I got married. Disney movies show helpless princesses in trouble who then get married and everything in their lives is fixed. Many girls buy into this idea and make it their entire goal to get married. Some women are even surprised when they find out that marriage is not perfect and easy and doesn’t fix everything in their life.

People often get desensitized to violence and other things in the media. I am not like this; I get upset when I see disturbing and sad things on T.V. or in movies. I think this is partly because of who I am, but also because of my parents’ views on T.V. When I was little, I did not watch much T.V. We only got cable when the Olympics were happening and then we would get rid of it as soon as they were over. This not only kept me from seeing things on T.V. that little kids shouldn’t, but my siblings and I were forced to find other ways to amuse ourselves. We played board games, read books, and used our imagination to have fun. I really think that this helped develop my mind and creativity.

Although there are obviously many detriments to the media that we are surrounded with, there are some benefits. We are aware of things that go on in the world that we would have no knowledge of without the media. It is also really nice to be able to communicate so easily with people far away. I like being able to talk to my family and friends on my cell phone or with the web cam on my computer. It is much easier to stay in touch with people than before there was so many “screens.”

It is impossible to argue that media does not have an influence on us, but I think that some people are more influenced by it than others. While there are many negative things about the media, there are also some positive results, too. Media is very prevalent in our society so it is great to analyze how it affects us personally and as a society.