Posts Tagged ‘Teaching Children to Discriminate’

• 2004-05 Winner: “Reality vs. Actuality: A Construction of the Truth” by Carly Cannell

  Date: 2005.09.15 | Category: Selected Essays | Response: 0

  “Reality vs. Actuality” by Carly Cannell PDF

  Rapid technological advancements and an influx of media in today’s society have connected us in more ways than ever thought possible.  Television, movies, newspapers, magazines, the internet, and other forms of the media all contribute to the highly connected global society.  This intricate network of communication has vastly expanded our sphere of knowledge and understanding in the cultural context. Through television and the internet, we can access news and events in other countries minutes after they happen. Through pictures and stories, we can learn about the various cultures and practices all the way across the world. However, with this expanded access also come certain limitations.  Often overlooked is the fact that the information has been filtered through numerous entities, only allowing us to see through the eyes of the creator, greatly limiting our perceptions of the world. Sometimes subtle and unintentional, other times blatantly obvious and highly structured, the influences of the media present society with a constructed reality, as each article, be it a news story, photograph, or even voice, is strategically selected and presented to convey a certain message.  This process becomes destructive when it begins to shape our opinions, perceptions, and ideologies, especially concerning other cultures.

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