The Media

Growing up, my family never watched much TV. We went through a phase where we watched 24 a lot, then American Idol, and now, I think my family owns every season on the old television series, Bewitched. There were phases we went through where we watched more TV overall, but generally, we did other things together as a family. When my friends discuss popular TV shows such as The Office and Lost, I feel so out of place because I have never even seen any of these shows! Yet, I am happy that I do not waste my life away in front of the television when instead I can build stronger relationships and friendships with those around me. That's not to say that I think TV is completely bad or destructive. I would just prefer doing other things, such as reading, working out, talking to friends.

Nevertheless, the media does affect me in other ways besides TV shows. For one thing, I LOVE to watch movies. On the weekends, that is me and my husband's main source of entertainment. We would much rather snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie than go bowling or ice skating. Some of my favorite movies are Enchanted, Sound of Music, the Lords of the Rings series, and Harry Potter. We try to be careful about the movies we watch so that we do not allow unclean things to enter our home. I also enjoy reading, which is most definitely another form of media. I like fantasy books and some LDS fiction books.

I think the media affects people by pushing stereotypes strongly. For example, to be considered beautiful, women nowadays need to be extremely thin and athletic looking. They also have to dress immodestly. Many girls are influences by these stereotypes; this is apparent just by walking through a hallway at a high school. Men, on the other hand, are expected to have many girls that are after them (be a ladies man), and not express their feelings. All of these stereotypes affect people in different ways. I think it is important to be aware of the effects the media has on us, so that we do not allow the media to control our lives.