In this world where everything changes with a blink of an eye, where convention clashes with innovation, where the law of the jungle exists, we find the hopes of tomorrow as they battle through everyday’s challenge.
One of them is the unabated concern regarding the continual growth of liberal media in the United States. Big news network like CNN, Fox News and MSNBC in which most American youths rely information for, are what they call as “liberal media.”
So what is liberal media? And its undulating effects on the American youth?
The Liberal Media
Before the effects of liberal media on the American youth are unveiled, it will be pertinent to first differentiate the liberal media from the word liberal. The word “liberal” (Encarta, 2007) means the act of thinking freely and is tolerant to the views and standards of behavior in others. This seemingly positive definition changes entirely when the word “media” is added upon.
Journalism is the act of presenting facts as it is given or happening with the absence of personal opinions or highly sensationalized comments from the deliverer. In accordance, a real news network should be able to deliver news that provides complete, uncensored reports an informative manner. It should be able to indicate whether or not the reports have been confirmed or if they are preliminary.
In short, liberal media is the complete opposite of what journalism stands for. It is higly biased, complete with leading questions and insinuations that jumps into conclusions without the checking whether the news is true or not. It dwells on its four priciples; there are no moral absolutes, hysteria first;asking intelligent questions later, feelings matter more than reason and lastly, words don’t mean things.
With this onset of news that is in no different from dramatic entertainment, issues and facts with vital information, as well as the quest for truth will greatly diminish.
How does liberal media affect the youth?
A youth’s personality can be influenced by various factors, a portion is dedicated to genes, while the other half is devoted to his environment. His way of upbringing and moral values, as well as education contributes on what he’ll be in the future. It is one of the most critical stages in life. It is where vital judgments are demanded from them that may or may not have fatal consequences for their future family and career. It demands maturity and strength of character.
In this moment’s quest for self-realization, a youth’s feeling of confusion will burst forth. In this moment of personal awareness, they let feelings guide their actions instead of thinking straight.
The way they live now or of how they react to the changes around them today, will mark them or be part of them in the future, so when they read or watch television showing news from the media, they are exposed or introduced to a world that (to them) is no different from fiction or crime suspense and mysteries that ends without proper closure. In this instant, they feel as they are a part of a world where they can act as the heroes or villains in the show or movie that they just watched. In a split second they will be guided by their reckless nature to do something as they see fit.
This transfer of misstatements, exaggerated information, inaccurate and misquoted words can be a fuel to the already lit fire. It will create more havoc to the confused and more misunderstandings will be bound to happen.
The Effects on the youth
Youths are recognized as moody, anxious, aggressive, angst-ridden, impulsive, impressionable, careless and rebellious (Pickrell, 2006). They have the contradictory qualities of breaking away from the norm and yet experience “peer pressures” as well. These characteristics laced by false dramatized current events will affect them greatly and cause them to act up.
They will see the world as the ones that is against their principles and in return tend to rebel by committing crimes an trying out things just to break loose of the invisible chains choking them
False media promotes one to neglect critical thinking. They subconsciously instill opinions that usually have no basis but regarded as the truth to some. The word “liberal” which is a positive word is taken in for a righteous one when incorporated to the media.
Liberal media can create a future nation that has the very characteristics of their twisted principles. It will do harm to the nation, where truths will be hidden and myths are the false truths. It causes one to lose integrity and moral values. It can create a nation where wealth and power can cover up deceits and lies.
The liberal media has the kind of power; with the onset of technology it can conjure more lies that will confuse not just the youth but also the public. A youth will have the characteristics of a nation that it has today. They are victims of this already crazy and mixed up world. They are often judged as wild and troublesome. But then, is it not the mere reflection of what the nation now is?
Liberal media has been known to exist far back when unscrupulous writers would let themselves be swayed y their greed rather than the truthful delivery of facts to the nation who is willing to believe and give credit to what they stand for or against. The question is, how can we avoid this?
Conclusion
Not all youths can be easily “brain washed.” Some are fighting for the true meaning of journalism in their own way. Some youths, in their stand against the onslaught of liberal media have created a paper free from biased beliefs and opinions. They have the goal to report what is seen instead of what is thought out to be.
Websites, even books are now released in their fight against false media hood and write-ups that have no substantial evidences. The concept should be more explained in a manner that will not get youths confused.
With this in regard, the value of moral education is at hand. Not only awareness is needed but also a strong foundation of high principles and values. The youths may be swayed but they have their own inpiduality to analyze and critically think if they are guided properly.
The molding of youths is very critical but often neglected. When they see a world that is full of qualities that are the opposite of what they were taught in school, it will result to a mishap that will be unfavorable to a country’s future.
Many are acting upon the fight against false journalism, but many are still ignorant on the matter. Awareness on what is happening should take place by more effort from the conservatives. Not just on the conservatives, but also the people of America.
It is morally incorrect to dwell upon something that we all know is unjust, yet no act upon it. It selfishness and unfair to the people who are trusting on networks to deliver news that are truthful, just to find out they are mere lies and deceits.
As a fellow American, we are challenged as youths to create a world that is free from this biasness that seem to contaminate the nation let us show that we are not puppets that can easily be swayed by flowery words and merely assumed reports. The youths are not just challenged for self-realization but also a quest for the truth.
Works Cited
- Zeiger, H. (2004, Sepetember 19). Conservative youth battle liberal media. The Temple News. December 31, 2007. http://media.www.templenews.com/
- Jessie. (2003, June 28). Why America Does Not Need a Liberal News Network. Tvliesnews. Decemcer 31, 2007. http://www.tvnewslies.org/html/liberal_news.html
- Feuerstein, S. (2007, October 7). Liberal Media bites again? Hah!. Feuer Thoughts. December 31, 2007. http://feuerthoughts.blogspot.com