Does media create the mindset of the masses? Does the media have the power to influence the behaviors of society? Well, yes. The fact is that many messages are passed from the multiple facets of media to the minds of the people. The media effect, which the Media Issue textbook defines as changes in knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors resulting from media exposure, creates a so-called blueprint of how people feel they should behave.
In the screening that included the documentaries “Killing Us Softly” and “Tough Guise”, the concept of media effect is the topic of discussion. In each of the films Jean Kilbourne and Jackson Katz describes the media’s effect on society’s beliefs. In the first film “Killing Us Softly” Jean Kilbourne describes how the media’s portrayal of women through advertising has had a negative effect on women of all ages. The images show unrealistic images of “beauty” as well as women acting submissive and inferior within the advertisements. Kilbourne uses these examples to show how powerful, and possibly destructive, the media effect is on women of every age.
The same message is being stressed to the aggressive behavior transferred to men through media in “Tough Guise”. In the film, Jackson Katz speaks on the transference of a “tough guise” to males in society through the messages and images in the media. Males asked in the film said that to be a man you had to be tough, strong, mean, etc. This has led to males believing that behaving in an aggressive and violent way is acceptable because media suggests that is how society is. This has translated into shocking statistics that show high levels of violent crimes committed by males. Media is not the only factor that influences society but it has sure signs of heavy influence.
Through the media effect of advertisements, television, films, and other media outlets has helped shape the attitudes of society. “Killing Us Softly” and “Tough Guise” show many different examples of influential media that portray women being degraded and men being uncontrollable and violent. The behavior of society is acting on a sensory level, where people absorb in the world around them and ultimately start to form beliefs based off this information, which could be an issue of concern if the documentaries are correct in there assumptions.
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