Why can't people understand that what the media shows and reality are two different things?

Answer 1

Well, Joe, I'm impressed,....it's rare out here to find people with any real sense of awareness. You have to realize that they've been manipulated this way all their lives. They just don't know any different. They accept and believe what they are told and question nothing. Free thinkers are a rare comodity in society.

Answer 2

Because things are not that simple. SOME of the things the media shows IS real. SOME of the things we perceive to be real outside the media are NOT. If you oversimplify the media and reality like this, then you'll miss out on reality when it is, indeed, portrayed on the media. That is not to say that you are not correct to some degree, but oversimplification of the situation results in no one knowing what reality is, within and outside the media. We all bring our own biases and opinions into a situation. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what is real and what is not in the media. The intelligent viewer will be able to distinguish between reality and non-reality through comparisons of the facts across a spectrum of media outlets, along with the recognition of the biases in the media, as well as in themselves. You may not be able to rely on the media, but if you don't at least try to interpret the information shown through the media, then you're relying on nothing. That sets you up for easy manipulation by fanatics. Not a good trade-off.

Answer 3

Interesting that people automatically assumed that this was in reference to race relations. Very telling. People don't understand because the stories that the media runs are things that actually happened. They didn't make them up, didn't embellish, just told us the story. Because we can be sure in this knowledge, no one gives a thought to the fact that popular media outlets (local news, local paper, etc.) are only reporting a tiny, tiny fraction of the happenings around the country/world on any given day so they don't ask "what aren't they telling me?" If they did that, they might have to actually make an effort to learn something new and readjust their way of thinking and no one wants that. The media is also a reflection of what we want to see and/or hear. Typically, we don't like to see our points of view challenged in any way.

Answer 4

All reality is subject to delusion. The media are no exception.

No one person is any more or less "biased" than any other.

The same event could be reported as -
1. a terrorist was killed last night by American forces. He was in the process of setting a massive IED which would have killed hundreds of Innocent Iraqis.
2. A suspected terrorist died last night in a hail of bullets.
3. A man was found dead last night. He appears to have been shot.
4. etc.
same event different reports. I am completely unconvinced that all media have the same underlying motive to provide the same slant on reports. Therefore, using multiple news sources would seem to provide a reality check.

Answer 5

Yes, but also... so many people use this blanket term "media" when pointing the finger at who's to blame for one thing or another.

The word "media" can stand for lots of different things... entertainment such as television, movies, music; news media such as newspapers, magazines, or television programs; tabloid media like gossip magazines and shows; etc.

So when you're blaming or attacking the "media," try being a little more specific so we know what you're talking about. Plus, your argument or point will be stronger.

Answer 6

Any form of media can only capture a slice of reality.

"the media" is not some cabbalistic "them" - we are all the media - we all communicate stories to each other, share photographs, sounds and even video footage. If you've ever told your version of anything to anyone else, or even written it down - YOU are the media, too.

Answer 7

I wonder about that too. media is just filled with biased stories. Did you know when we were attacked on 9/11,media showed a clip of Muslim people in Palestine cheering and dancing. They associated that with 9/11. They stated that people in that region were happy that American lives were lost. I had friends in college who were from Palestine told me that actually they had won the cricket match and people were celebrating that nation victory. They were not even aware of the attack.
We say that we are living in a liberty land, but media is controlled by our govt. They use it to scare people or sell ideas.

Answer 8

it's built into the culture. People spend days at a time watching tv starting from when they were children, they instinctively trust it. You watch the news discuss it with friends family coworkers etc who also get all there info from tv. Nobody discusses the way things really are because they aren't exposed to it only what's on tv.

Answer 9

Because this is where 90% of the people get their information from. People think that just because it was said on the news, it must be true. How would they know otherwise? I think it is quite annoying. The situation in Iraq has been going on long before the media brought attention to it. I won't tell you how I know.

Answer 10

I hope you understand that the media is the only inside source to what we wouldn't know if there wasn't freedom of the press. And most who say that, are feeding you a line of BS. The people who don't want the media talking are the ones who have the most to hide.