Emily Song reflection

Among all the mass media, television has influenced me the most in many ways. One of the reasons is that I am a visual person. The transient images in various television programs through broadcasting attract and fascinate me greatly. Even though there are many other media like movies, other performing art, and books that can fulfill the visual effects, I believe that it lacks the variety that the television has.

Movies and books are always somewhat restrained within a specific topic, and require some time to understand and follow the visual effects. Therefore, I believe that the television has a greater impact on people like me in a very short time. For example, when I see the advertisement on the television, I have an impulse to buy something, even though it may not be a useful product to me. I usually become dazzled by the seductive words and the mood that the TV commercials present. Furthermore, the television has been a medium that helps me to release my stress at any time when I face all kinds of hardship. In fact, watching the television helps me to forget about the problems I have and I can enjoy the moment while I watch it. Therefore, the television itself has become a medium that may impact my emotional state as well. I spend most of my free time in watching television. Thus, I believe that the television has become a huge part in my life. Although my mom often calls this mass medium a ‘dumb box’ saying that the television is harmful, I still believe this “dumb box” can contribute to learning of the knowledge in many ways. It is also true that the television may cause some kind of addiction and affect our emotions, but at the same time it delivers useful information to us about the global issues and how other people in the world live and communicate in their own ways. Through the television programs, we can learn more about other people in the world and their culture and lifestyle. Through all the documentaries I watched on the television, I am able to understand the world and how to communicate with other people.

To sum up, I think that the television influenced me the most and eventually make me understand the world and how to communicate with other people. In particular, through the visual impact the television has, I can have an idea about what I am going to do in the future. Therefore, I believe that the television affects me the most among the media.