Semiotics

Signs are everywhere in media text, but I usually do not notice it. Like when I see the word "dog," I never think about what the letters "d-o-g" represent. I just see the word and think, dog. Every word we write or say is a sign for something we mentally represent in our minds. Images are also signs. A photograph of a dog is not really a dog. But if someone were to show me a picture of a dog and ask what it is, I would say a dog. We are programmed to see these signs and immediately recognize the denotative meaning. We often see the connotative meaning of certain signs as well. For instance, when I see a rose, I think love. Or when I see a swastika, I think of hate. But a rose is not really love, and a swastika is not really hate. I have just symbolized those meanings with the actual objects. We do this with so many signs all the time and do not even know it.

Semiotic Domains

It is interesting to think about all the semiotic domains that I belong to, and the ones I do not belong to. I realized that if I am not part of a certain semiotic domain, then I tend to discriminate against those affinity groups. I do not understand their symbols and rules, so I just categorize them as being wrong. There are so many types of music, movies, television, books, and other text that have symbols and rules that I do not understand, and thus I dislike them. If I would just take the time to know the facts about these unfamiliar semiotic domains, I might start to like some of them, and perhaps even join their affinity groups. A lot of prejudice and discrimination stems from a plain lack of understanding. So much of that could be eliminated if people just tried to understand the symbols and rules that are associated with different semiotic domains.

Myth in Mass Media

The first myth that came to mind for me was in the movie I Am Legend. The myth I found in this movie was the "pull youself up by your bootstraps" myth. The main character is Robert Neville, played by Will Smith. He thinks he is the last man on Earth due to an viral epidemic that killed almost every human, and turned the survivors into man-eating "dark seekers." He lost his family and everyone else he had ever known, and lives alone with his dog, Sam. Neville was a scientist who had the only real chance of stopping the virus because he was the only one immune to it. Now he is trying to reverse the effects it had on mankind. He thinks if he finds the cure, he will be able to cure the "dark seekers," and make them human again. He works hard every day. But when his dog, and only friend, dies, he seems to give up hope. He practically attempts suicide, when a woman and her son rescue him one night. The woman then convinces Neville that there is hope, and he is able to find the cure, and eventually save mankind. He had to pull himself up from his depression and hopelessness, in order to save the world. This story could also fit in with the "wisdom of the rustic" myth. He learned a lesson from the woman, which later enabled him to save her and the rest of the human population.

Possibilities with Mass Media

Although I sometimes like to point out the problems with mass media, there are also endless possibilities. Mass media connects nearly everyone in the world. We can communicate anything we want with someone thousands of miles away. People are able to have small conversation with each other. We can express how we feel or what we think to millions of people, or just one person, depending on who it is intended for. We are able to hear or see the latest news and information around our state, country, or the entire world. We can also just sit back and enjoy all sorts of entertainment that mass media provides. Whether you use it for one reason or every reason, it is essential to our everyday lives. Television, internet, cell phones, newspapers, movies, and more have enabled us to communicate with the world. It is not always used for good, but it can and does make the world a better place.

Problems with Mass Media

Mass media enables people to do many great things. But it also creates an opportunity for trouble. One of the big problems with mass media is propaganda. We are now able to make a large amount of people believe something, despite if it is true or false. Propaganda is a very affective and powerful tool, and it is used in countless ways. News networks will often show only one side of a political story, in order to promote their favorite party. Companies spread false information about their product or service in their advertisements. Rumors are spread about people or organizations that eventually lead to their destruction. Propaganda can, and should be used for good, but I notice it most often when it is used for the wrong reason. I constantly find myself believing things that I know nothing about. It is amazing that just because something is shown on the television or internet, we will tend to believe it. A couple years ago, I thought the government had planned the terrorist attacks on September 11th because I watched a ridiculous video on the internet. I see products being advertised on television all the time that claim they are the perfect solution to any problem, and I trust it. I know first hand that people can be very influenced by something if it is looks good and other people say it is true. You really have to do the research on things, instead of judging them on first impressions alone.

Formative Media Text

One type of media that I think impacted me the most as a kid was television. My parents were very protective of me and my siblings (and still are.) They liked to control everything we saw, heard, tasted, touched, and smelled. My friends, however, had different parents with different rules. They were allowed to watch all kinds of T.V. shows and movies. I had to hear about all the cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers movies that all the other boys my age were watching. All the restrictions I had against popular movies and shows just made me want to watch them more and more. I sat awake at night, wondering what I was missing on the other side of my parental control. A few times, I went to friends' houses to watch the forbidden shows. But my guilt usually took over and I could not allow myself to go through with it. I tried many times to change my parents' minds, but they would not budge. I was stuck with only thoughts of what could be. Eventually I reached an age when my parents slowly eased back. As soon as they did, I indulged myself in any kind of "bad" movie or show I could find. As I did, I started to notice that the thing I had wanted for years was not as great as I had thought. I realized that the time I wanted to use for watching cool movies and T.V. shows, I used for more useful things instead. My brothers and I used our imaginations, played games, and got exercise, and we developed a close relationship as a result. I guess the grass is not always greener on the other side.