Media Effects Society

Today in class, we listed ways in which Media Effects Society. At first our group was having trouble coming up with five different ways. Our five ways were: media effects trends, it provides information, influences opinions, is an icon of entertainment value, and it effects us not only personally, but as a society. I think our five ways were a little vague compared to some others that we discussed in class, but as we discussed the issue in class, it was crazy to think about the ways in which media effects us as individuals and as a society (macro and micro) and also how each of the effects have a positive or negative effect, and sometimes, it is even hard for us to identify weather the effect is either positive or negative. I found the third person effect to be very interesting. I guess that I have noticed this belief, that other people are affected by media more than we are. I know that there have been times where I have thought that others around me were more influenced my media than I was. This self-serving bias is something that happens in society and is part of the media’s effect. As we discussed this idea, I realized that is something that most of us need to more aware of. I am not really sure how to make myself be more aware of it, considering it is a way of thinking, and sometimes I am not sure how to change a way of thinking, but I do realize that it kind of makes a person ignorant- in that we aren't seeing what is really happening- that not everyone may be impacted or affected by media in the same ways we are etc. I am excited to learn more about this idea of the third person effect. I think that the idea of the self-serving effect not only applies to media, but it also applied to all areas of our lives. I think that being aware of what others believe and the effects that people and media have on our lives affects us in all aspects of our lives and shape who we become.