Media Impact on Culture and “Proper Self” Essay

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I consider myself a young person who is in touch with modernity and technology. I consider this as the category I fall under mainly based on the age group I belong to, my cultural background perceptions of my others. I sought to find out the effect of pop culture on my life from the perspective of scholars and various sources.

In his documentary Dreamworld 3: Desire, Sex, and Power in Music Videos, Jhally (2007) portrays the impact of the media on personality. He examines the influence of advertisements and music videos on culture, particularly the identity of men and women. He observes that producers of music videos, just like advertisements, are increasingly using images of the female body to increase their sales. These images and their influence on people are the subjects of critique.

Jhally (2007) analyses various music videos from different genres of music, from rock, pop, rap, and rhythm and blues. Each video seems to portray almost similar aspects of masculinity and femininity. The female characters are portrayed as ‘assets’ to the male characters, being used for ‘showing off’ and sexuality. They are shown to control the world around them through sexual flirting, usually with their bodies being exposed to a level that may constitute pornography. The male characters, on the other hand, are generally portrayed as dominating, usually through intimidation and the use of money power to lure the female characters into their lives (Jhally, 2007).

The relationship between the masculine and feminine characters in the videos is that of a dominant male and submissive female, with the male, having the resources, being able to do what he wants with the female (Jhally, 2007). Masculine characters, particularly in the rap and rock videos, portray a ‘bad guy’ attitude with the notion that they can do and get whatever they want. They represent the fantasies of young men and women in society. They are however exaggerated to create a ‘catchy’ effect.

The portrayal of characters in this manner has a profound effect on the consumers of the music videos. They dictate the ideal man and woman. They dictate fashion and style. They also dictate the lifestyle of consumers through the use of images of the ‘ideal body’ (Jhally, 2007). The effect is more profound on younger people. According to the theory of behaviorism, behavior is shaped more by learning than by instinct (Macionis & Gerber, 2007). As people watch these videos every day they influence their lives gradually but in a lasting manner.

The whole category of people who watch these videos accepts the ideals shown in the images as the ‘proper self’. This becomes the new culture (Jhally, 2007). People who do not conform to these ideals feel out of place (Macionis & Gerber, 2007), and they will try their best to conform to fit in, or rebel against one culture in favor of another.

The imagery portrayed has also been seen to influence people in real life, with an incident in 2000 in Central Park, New York, where young men sexually harassed female passers-by, treating them in manners similar to the treatment of women portrayed in music videos (Jhally, 2007).

Pop culture has influenced me in terms of my fashion and my perception of the ‘ideal’ man and woman. I have felt the need to conform to some aspects of it, though not all. I have learned of the influence of socialization on human beings and that what influences me will shape my personality.

References

Jhally, S. (Director). (2007). Dreamworld 3: Desire, Sex and Power in Music Videos [Motion Picture].

Macionis, J. J., & Gerber, L. M. (2007). Sociology, 7th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "Media Impact on Culture and "Proper Self"." February 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/media-impact-on-culture-and-proper-self/.

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