My padlet by David Vanegas

Media in America

dav118 — 2024-04-01 23:54:38 UTC

The types of media we will address are news broadcasting channels, films, and social media apps. There has been an increase in the use of these forms of media as the printed press has become outdated.

Manipulation of fear

dav118 — 2024-04-01 23:56:36 UTC

All three pieces of media have been manipulated to spread fear for political agendas that put the American people at risk and are being lied to. This is an injustice that must be solved to preserve a fundamental truth in our country that requires Americans to understand the truth in our political landscape and vote responsibly. Fear can create a false sense of insecurity which many persuade voters to vote for certain political figures who exploit this fear and promise to change this fear that the "nation faces" when, in reality, the issue is heavily exaggerated or false.

Films

dav118 — 2024-04-02 00:00:57 UTC

Post 9/11 movies portray America as heroes and paint a clear picture of foreigners as the "villains." During George Busch's presidency, there was a motivation to promote the political agenda of America's militaristic power and determination to be peacekeepers against terrorism. This "submerged imperialistic" presence allows Americans to watch movies and feel awe in watching America commit war crimes for the message of peace (Riani 2015). This blurred line between Hollywood icons playing "heroic" characters that appeal to Americans because of cultural norms, hides the agenda behind the movie that we must justify our actions overseas because we are a civilized society and our enemies are barbaric.

News broadcasting channels

dav118 — 2024-04-02 00:01:47 UTC

Certain news channels have biases that may align more with people on the left or the right of the political spectrum. This bias attracts a different set of viewer base and also influences the stories broadcasted and how they are told. A modern example of this situation is "CNN vs. Fox News" which constantly speak about one another as they are both the "faces" of their respective sides of the political spectrum. Their viewers often crash on political topics and claim the other one is telling lies. This bias also allows news channels to be susceptible to spreading messages by the government that may be false just to please their viewer base.

Social media apps

dav118 — 2024-04-02 00:04:31 UTC

Social media has become a surprising tool in campaigning for political figures. The 2016 presidential election was the first example of social media being influential for candidates to reach out to their audience in seconds to talk about their beliefs. This has continued throughout elections as apps such as Twitter (now formerly known as "X") have been used as platforms where elected officials have "ranted" or even insulted their colleagues. Social media has reached a point of advancement where a political figure running for President has even created his own social media app where his followers can hear his thoughts. Social media has become a very easy method of communication where ideas can be easily exchanged between a politician and his supporters. This rapid technological advancement can also raise concerns about users' freedoms being violated once blocked due to their messages.

Past and Present

dav118 — 2024-04-02 00:09:06 UTC

The Cold War was an example of American propaganda that used fear of other foreign countries to ignite a united goal and enemy that allowed the government to mobilize against it. Communists became a united enemy that was portrayed as going against American morals and promised to destroy our families. This propaganda has been discovered as false and even acknowledged as the government hiding vital information from the public and exercising illegal actions to follow this goal. Although controversial, a similar example is the Israel vs. Hamas War where the media has been influential in how each side is portrayed through language.

Why is media so important?

dav118 — 2024-04-03 22:32:47 UTC

The United States Constitution's First Amendment protects our freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. This is fundamental to our society as it guarantees us the right to hear others speak about polarizing issues on TV and not have government interference prevent us from hearing new ideas. Protected fundamental rights create a clear distinction between a dictatorship and a democracy. Democracy allows the media to educate the public about issues but has this been exploited frequently throughout history? Has America purposefully made Americans fearful of foreigners, fearful of international disputes, and fearful of economic competition? Have political candidates used media to spread fear to their voters with false information for their gain?

A divide

dav118 — 2024-04-03 23:31:30 UTC

Fear can create a divide between political sides which results in discussions between both sides being more difficult.