Critical Media Literacy: Core Concepts and Debates

The ability to deconstruct media is so important.  I think everyone is more aware of the tricks that are going on in the media today, yet we're still able to fall victim to them.  I think what Cameron Russell had to say is incredibly important.  There is so much talk about how magazines photoshop images, and that young girls shouldn't feel insecure for not looking the way a model does.  This is a common discussion today, especially with increases in suicides and eating disorders among young girls.

What we don't talk about, though, is deconstructing a commercial on television, or a product ad in a magazine.  There are a lot of smoke and mirrors surrounding these things.  The use of celebrities to sell water or pizza or makeup is all too common.  Playing with emotions to convince you to give money to a charity is common as well.  Most of the time, we don't pay attention to these persuasion tricks, which are designed to convince us to do something.

I fall in line with the media literacy movement.  The ability to deconstruct media is something that should be taught.  Media is all around us.  It's better to teach the younger generations about the tricks used out there instead of denying their existence.  In both of my subjects, English and Social Studies, I have discussed this.  In English, I teach about persuasion techniques.  I make the kids aware of the ways that media can trick them.  In Social Studies, I discuss politics.  We evaluate debates and campaign ads.  It's important that everyone knows the techniques used to convince them to vote for a candidate or think a certain way.  Fact checking is incredibly important, and goes into the whole concept of deconstructing media.

I really like this image, and I think it goes with what we're saying about media and the need to evaluate it's meaning.  When watching advertisements or political debates, we as a public, are being "spoon fed" what those who create this media want us to know and see.