An Introduction

From my senior year of high school to my senior year of college, the majority of the past four years of my education (both inside and outside the classroom) has been about learning beyond what "the media" sells us. From my first wakeup call in Sociology 101, where I learned that I was just another pawn in a much larger money-making game of consumerism, to WGS 310- Feminist Methodologies- where last week's discussion involved queer pedagogy, and the social implications of hair type-- I've constantly been unlearning the ideologies drilled into me from birth, ideologies reenforced by the media I consume.

I am a fan of things- I have television shows I watch religiously every week, films I go back to over and over again, and bands whose careers I follow meticulously, whose albums I play on repeat until I know every line, chord, and breath. I obsess over characters, I argue about why writers make the decisions they make (and if they're fully aware of the impact those decisions have), and whether or not the sound or the image would have gone in this direction if such and such band member hadn't left.

The critical thinking skills that I've learned have hopefully made me a better consumer of media. My thoughts on a show now go beyond the glossy cover of entertainment. What are the messages that are being promoted? Do they promote equality? Are they positive? And for whom are these messages intended?

And what happens when we realize our favorite television shows, films, or music have problematic ideologies? In some instances (which I hope to address on this blog) I've stopped consuming all together; I tune out, change the station, turn it off. I may only be one less viewer or listener, but as a consumer, I have the power to make that decision. But me choosing to disengage doesn't help to combat the cycle of mindless media. Discussion is also a good place to start- making a post on Tumblr, having a conversation with friends, and in general just raising awareness. The main goal of the media is still to bring in as many mindless consumers as possible, but as an audience, we can be active in how we consume what we consume. We can critique the content. We can think for ourselves.