An argumentative essay is a persuasive essay that has to convince the reader to accept certain view points on the topic of discussion. This can only be done by providing sufficient evidence that supports the arguments one puts across.
The media is one culture force that is inevitable. This is because it surrounds us in all aspects of our lives and it is the main means of communication that spreads news around the globe. It informs the people on the events taking place around the world. It not only gives information to the society but also decides which information should be spread depending on its importance. A day cannot pass before one reads a newspaper or magazine, listens to the radio and watches the television; that is the media I am talking about here. If it is not for the media, the society can be cut out completely from the rest of the world.
The media gives us the platform to communicate and share information with the rest of the world and that is why it is very important in our daily lives. Furthermore, it is through the media that the society gets a chance to be heard by voicing out their opinions on certain issues that involves them. Although the media passes very important information to educate the public, it can also pass very wrong information to manipulate them (Croteau and Hoynes 92)
The media has a direct influence on the lifestyle of every individual in the society. It can either influence the society negatively or positively. It has become part and parcel of our daily lives in the world today since it is the 4th pillar of the society. One of the positive effects of the media to the society is that it is educative and informative. Many topics and issues are always discussed in the media and it is through these discussions that the people in the society are educated. It educates people by providing crucial information that people in a society needs to know. It is through the media that the public is informed of government policies and programmes and how they are useful to them. When the media educates the public on these, the people are able to utilize what is available to better their lives and the society at large.
Furthermore, the media is a voice for the unvoiced. It is through the media that people are able to voice their opinions on important matters of the government and other issues that affect their lives. When people are informed on certain issues about the government and how it is affecting them through the media, they are able to communicate to the same government on what they feel about it through it and what they think should be done. This makes the government or the people in charge of these programmes make changes that will benefit the public positively. The media acts as a bridge between the government and the people. Through it, the public gets to know on what is happening in their country and in case there is any problem with their governance.
The media connects the people with the rest of the world. It brings people from different places of the world close to each other since they are able to communicate efficiently despite the distance between them. It provides a platform to communicate and share information globally. Lastly, it entertains the society.
Conversely, the media can also affect the society negatively. Through the information passed by the media, the society can be adversely affected. Sometimes the media portrays things negatively or positively to the public just to create attention and this can adversely affect the people’s thinking patterns. The media can change the people’s thinking on certain things through the information they pass across. It alters and manipulates information and opinions on certain issues just to create attention and gain popularity and this forces people to take it the way the media has portrayed it. Moreover, the media influences the public to act and take things in a wrong way. The most affected by these are the youth and children since it affects their thinking patterns on certain issues in the future. The media has a persuasive nature that can influence the public through their manipulative tactics and this makes individuals view things the way the media has viewed them.
According to Croteau and Hoynes media creates controversies in order to gain popularity (114). Many of us believe in everything the media says whether it is true or not. The media takes this advantage and manipulates stories just to fit their preferences and also to markets their stations and magazines in order to increase their profits. They twist stories to make them appear interesting and sometimes they even mess up the truth.
Another negative effect of the media to the society is that it promotes violence especially among the youth. Many studies done on media violence have proven that violence shown on TV and read in newspapers negatively affects the society. An example is how the media portrays women in films, movies and in novels. Women are sometimes tortured or even abused both physically and sexually in most movies and this is portrayed as entertainment yet it exposes women in an indecent manner. This has increased violence against women and it contributes to the moral decline of the society.
In conclusion, this argumentative essay is on media and the society and it explains how the media affects the society both positively and negatively. As much as the media is educative, informative, the voice of the people and connects the society to the rest of the world, it also adversely affect the society by the information it spreads. It changes the beliefs and attitudes of individuals, in promotes violence and manipulates information just to gain popularity. The media plays an important role in the society since it shapes the public opinion. It is very important to the society because it is an informative tool where the people learn from what is happening in their country and globally.
Works Cited
Croteau, David R. and Hoynes, William D. Media/ Society: Industries, Images and Audiences. New York: Sage Publication, 2002. Print.
