This essay is a reflection in response to my journey as a Media, Self, and Society Scholar at the University of Maryland, highlighting the main aspects of the three semesters.
Media is an essential element of society. Whether it serves to inform the public, entertain, persuade, or spread culture, media persists to impact almost every facet of our lives. As a result, it is especially important to analyze the media and understand its complexity. Ultimately, people (and society in general) drive media and media drives society. In a way, this exemplifies a checks and balances system that ensures efficient spread of information. This Scholars program (Media, Self, and Society) effectively marries those two ideas and challenges students to consider their roles as critical consumers and producers.
My knowledge of the role of media has significantly evolved throughout the past three semesters as a Scholar. Before this program, I viewed the media and greater society as two independent concepts. Simply put, I thought the media produces content and then members of society consume. That philosophy, although true in some instances, proved to be immature and only partially representative. Overall, I learned that the connection between my role in society with the media is extremely strong. For example, advertising, a critical component of media, is centered around society’s response to company influences. Social media completely relies on society’s participation. News channels hold no purpose without society’s engagement. Most importantly, media does not exist without journalists and other workers fueling the engine. I am able to recognize when I may misunderstand the true role of the media. In a Facebook analysis, I learned of the complex history that was marred by privacy issues and complacency towards “fake news.” Before this understanding, I viewed Facebook and other social media sites to simply be a platform for online interaction. Connecting this with the profit imperative, I learned that there is so much more business involved in media. Although spreading accurate information should be at the top of organizations’ priorities, for some, it takes a back seat to profits. This is vital to an overall understanding of the media and why it is successful. Ideally, media outlets like Facebook strike a balance between profit and accuracy. Although, in my opinion, the latter is non-negotiable. Perhaps the most unique and valuable part of the Media, Self, and Society Program is the interaction among students. In addition to discussions in the classroom, this program is also a living-learning community; nearly all of my floormates were also in the program. Specifically, having this system bridged the gap between takeaways from class and implementing the information to the real-world, which is an immeasurable perk. I also found it necessary to be part of a wider community of my peers. In class discussions, I was able to gain a diverse perspective on issues in the media. Rather than relying on my own pre-established opinions, collaborating with others and learning their insight forced me to grow as a student. I think this dynamic encouraged me to listen more. I ascribe to the belief that we have two ears and one mouth, and after learning so much from classmates, I can support that belief with evidence. That really was an unsung hero of my Scholars experience: my development through contact with others. Inevitably, in a class with over seventy peers, there will be a variety of opinions on every subject. Not everyone sees the media in a positive way. Not everyone holds the same beliefs on political issues. Not everyone has the same personality. Frankly, not everyone forms a consensus on any issue. With this in mind, Scholars challenged me to question the status quo and think about it in many ways. Prior to Media, I used to think critically on subjects through my personal bias. Now more than ever, though, it is even more important to see it through others’ bias. Much of what comprises headline news stories these days is built on empathy. One of the benefits of the media today is that there are ample opportunities for people to be critical consumers and producers as opposed to merely passive listeners. Personally, this includes staying up-to-date with the news, providing my feedback on issues, and asking clarifying questions that build on the media. After reading an article, I, as an individual consumer, can offer criticism in response. Additionally, I can create my own source of media and solicit feedback from others. Generally speaking, to me, a critical consumer/producer is someone who actively engages with the media and works to improve its purpose. Throughout Media Scholars, I have had several opportunities to put my critical user hat in action. In class discussions and weekly assignments, I often watch videos or read articles and then think critically and formulate a meaningful response. Similarly, I have been able to create content: group videos, blogs, advertisements, and more. One specific example of my critical analysis was a fact-checking activity. I read an article that contained several red flags for “fake news” and examined the quality of the article with regards to those standards. It was an eye-opening experience that conditioned me to always look at things through a more critical lens. Although much of my contribution to the Media program came in the classroom, I was fortunate to attend field trips and relate history with fundamental concepts from discussions. From the National Museum of African American History and Culture, to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and a service day at a charitable organization, I was able to make an impact in the community and gain knowledge about important history. My Scholars experience was instrumental in my first two years of College. I found Media to be a unifying force among my courses; I could apply practical knowledge from Media. Moreover, I am confident that the experience will carry over to my future. The most universal lesson that I learned was, while I am only one student in a community of over 70, every voice matters. In news stories and all around the media, there tends to be a focus on the power of the individual, as we highlight stories of people making a difference. In my future classes, my career, and any encounter in my professional life, I will keep this in mind and never shy away from doing what I believe. |
I had the opportunity of creating a video promotion for the Maryland Men's basketball team. These interviews are some of the clips from that production!
A highlight of my first semester was playing on my flag football team with several of my classmates in Media, Self, and Society.
Using many of the skills from the classroom, I worked as a mentor in College Mentors for Kids at UMD! This is my mentor shout-out.
|