Media Saturation

2 Pages 511 Words

As society becomes saturated by media coverage and new technology advances
upon our social institutions, the debate about media effects rages on. Regardless of
stance, it must be conceded that the flow of information has drastically altered the way we
function as a group.
It is often difficult to determine how we should gauge media’s influence on our
behavior. It can not be measured simply as a cumulative total of our actions, and we must
always consider the countless other factors that can influence decisions people make.
Because of the obstacles in calculating the effects in concrete terms, many experts use a
theoretical approach to explain what media does and how it changes our actions. Some
go so far as to say that media or technology drive change in our society, a view known as
determinism. A widely held view places responsibility for change on both media and
technology, and culture as well.
Although innovation benefits many, there are also groups to whom it is a
detriment. Some feminists feel that throughout history, development of technology has
frequently proved harmful to women. But as post-modernists point out, it has allowed all
people to express themselves more freely and easily.
Those with the most to lose in our society are frequently those on the wrong side
of the digital divide, the gap in internet access between those who have it and those who
do not. Because the internet has become such a driving force in our world, those who are
unable to access it are missing out on a wealth of knowledge accessible only to the
‘haves’. Although there have been efforts to close or at least narrow the gap, many
believe the gap is inevitable and artificial efforts to close it will only backfire. For some,
such efforts are the epitome of the hidden curriculum, a covert attempt to encourage
complacency among those affected. The gap in employment and opprtunities for
minorities within the technolo...