Media and Identity
Our identity is an important part of our lives. It distinguishes us from all other people in the world. Human identity is complex; it is structured by various factors. These factors may vary based on genetics, personal experiences, and more. In today’s age, media has emerged as an important part of our lives, influencing our identities. In this essay, I will explain three factors of my identity that have been influenced by the media.
Our culture plays a pivotal role in shaping our lives and our identities. It influences how we see ourselves and how we perceive the world around us. It gives us a sense of identity and encompasses many different beliefs and values. Many cultures have different languages, and these languages have different dialects. Our language conveys our thoughts and emotions to other people. It also defines and differentiates us from the people around us. Cultural customs and traditions are an integral part of our culture. Celebrating cultural traditions and holidays gives us a sense of cultural identity. Certain cultures also have gender stereotypes that need to be strictly followed. Media platforms such as newspapers, the Internet, and movies serve as a reflection on and amplification of cultural norms and values. However, the media also challenges cultural stereotypes. For instance, a portrayal of something from a certain gender group or ethnicity in the media. The media can now perpetuate the situation or give an accurate representation, which as a result, impacts an individual’s cultural identity.
Perception? What is perception? Perception is how we see ourselves or the world around us. Our perception is influenced by our personal experiences, self-esteem, and self-concept. All this plays an important role in the development of one’s identity. In modern society, our lives are very influenced by the media. The media has a very important role in developing our perceptions. Whatever we see on the internet or read in the newspapers gives us an idea of what is happening in the world around us. It sets a standard of living for us in life. For instance, we get easily intimidated by all those beauty and blogger clear skin videos, which sets a goal and a standard for us that, oh, we also want our skin to look like that, but not a lot of times what we see in the media is true. Media, in a sense, creates a false perception for people and raises the standard of living, which often people can’t have. Creating a sense of low self-esteem in people.
Our identity is also deeply influenced by our social connections, such as friends and family. These social interactions with people broaden our thinking and give us a better understanding and knowledge of the world. Interactions shape our lives, values, and beliefs. The quality of these relationships and interactions significantly impacts one’s sense of self and understanding. With media, we can build social interactions with people who live far away from us. The media gives us a platform to explain our thoughts and connect with people with the same school of thought. We can establish and maintain our social contacts worldwide with the help of the media. However, certain times, media impacts our interactions and relationships with people, as people have different online personas and are different in real life.
Human identity is shaped by many factors, including culture, self-perception, and social interactions. Media, however, has had both bad and good influences in shaping people’s lives. It reflects our culture through different viewpoints; it impacts self-perception through idealized portrayals: and it has transformed our social interactions with people in this modern digital age. As media and its use increase understanding of the importance of its influence on our human identity is very important.