The media has a long history of distorting images to achieve commercial goals. From the anatomically impossible dimensions of the classic Barbie doll to the surprising impact of menswear imagery on young men, today the media’s history of manipulative conduct is so well accepted that one of the most successful television programs today, Mad Men, builds entire storylines around the brazen manipulation that media experts have pursued with reckless abandon, day in and day out.
The core psychology behind much of this is simple: By creating images that don’t reflect who people are today, marketers can drive people to want to change something about themselves tomorrow. For teens, who are already in the process of becoming and who face enough challenges as it is in identifying who they want to be, the impact of this manipulation is amplified dramatically.
Which raises an interesting question: If teens themselves controlled the media industry and its advertising and marketing machine, what kind of images would teens themselves prefer to put forth? If teens clearly know that the culture of photoshopping models, driving mindless consumption and glamorizing alcohol and drug use by the rich and famous is so harmful to them and their peers, what would they put in its place? In short, what would a teen-controlled media environment look like?
A teen-controlled media environment would be an interesting place. If teens had a chance to control media, it would be as diverse as teenagers themselves. No longer would the media only represent the stereotypical teen. If teens controlled media, all social groups would be represented. Media would become less repetitive, and more diverse. Maybe media would finally portray the message, it’s okay to be different, to pursue your own interests.
Teens are controlled by media. Everything about a teen is a reflection of what kind of shows the teen watches, the kind of music they listen to, and basically what kind of media they see everyday.
If teens would control the media people wouldnt be themeselves and they would try to impress other people , but then again people could finally find other people who are interested in the same thing they are .
I think everything a teen does now is based on media , if we controlled it better things would be safer.
idk
What would a teen-controlled media environment look like?
If teens controlled the media, the media would be like facebook. All kids would do is put up pictures of them self and videos of stuff that happens in their life. Or maybe it be two sides of teens like mature and immature. That is how the media would be if teens controlled it.
If teens controlled thier own self images i think the media would be a lot more diverse.It’d have everyone’s image being portrayed by those sort of themes figureheads.I think it’d be interseting to see that result