Column:

Media impacts shopping, politics, IQ

Logo lockdown: media's influence seen everywhere

By Jacob Houska

Published Dec. 11, 2008

Some crazy people blame the fact that their kids are screwed up on video games, television and music. And while they might be far from the truth, there is definitely a small level of truth to what these psychos have to say.

There's always a bit of truth to crazy thoughts.

"Grand Theft Auto III" might not be the reason why your kids commit crimes, but media such as television do have a ridiculous amount of influence on the whole world. No one in particular stands out, but they all can collectively control nearly every major process in the world.

Don't believe me?

Even right now, as I sit on my couch in front of the TV, the media has affected me. I am typing on my laptop, which I bought because I liked the Mac commercials and because one way or another Apple paid off MU.

I am watching ESPN, deciding if Plaxico Burress may or may not be an idiot. Dude's probably got an IQ of 12, judging by what I've seen.

I am listening to the radio the guy down the hall has on, and they are talking about Barack Obama being corrupt because some weasel-looking guy sold a chair or seat or something. Must have been a leather chair. It sounds like a big deal.

This all happened by coincidence, but it's a great example of exactly how much a person can be affected by multimedia outlets. You may not always be consciously observing media, however it is true that there are very few instances in which you're not around some type of media.

A harder question to ask, rather that how the media affects me, is how doesn't the media affect me?

Nearly everything you see, read or hear in a given day is the product of a media outlet. And nearly everything you see, read and hear makes up you. It's an equally compelling argument to make that the media dictates what I do in a given day, rather than affects it.

Without commercials, the majority of people would have no clue about all the wonderful opportunities out there to blow their money on things they don't need. Without people spending money, the economy would be even worse than it is now.

It is in this way that media outlets have the ability to control, to a certain extent, the entire world. It's a scary thing when something so unbelievably biased and flawed has such monumental power.

See: The BCS.

See also: Hitler.

But despite the negative connotations associated with the media by a common person, it has many positive applications. Without television, computers, magazines, newspapers, billboards, cereal boxes, my pillow, etc., we would all be ill informed and confused. The spread of information would be stalled, and, in general, the world would be less educated about the major issues affecting it.

Prior to this eye opening, I was completely oblivious to how powerful the media truly is. They can affect a person more than I ever imagined. Even when I'm in bed, going to sleep, I turn over and see that my pillow has a Polo logo on it, and it's a decent argument that that's a form of media advertising as well.

These people refuse to leave us alone.

Although it's tough to hide from tainted media influence, knowing its presence can only help.