Media Blog Reflection

     When I started my media blog, I thought it would just be an assignment to go along with what we were learning in class. But as I updated it more and more, I realized that it was much more than just that. After only a few entries, I could already see how it affected my awareness of the media in my life and how it affected my ability to apply the skills I learned in class to the media I saw on a daily basis. I also became more aware of the effects of the media, such as the harmful effects it has on women and the "feedback loop" that occurs.
     The media blog made me more aware of media because I was studying it on a weekly basis. I found that while watching commercials at home I was able to almost instinctively watch with a conscious and present mind. I also became good at analyzing commercials without even thinking about it. Advertisements would come on and I would immediately not only watch them critically, but also be able to identify appeals and advertising techniques quickly. After doing this for weeks, I found that my perception of the media had shifted from seeing it as just a persistent marketing presence to seeing it as a dark and twisted entity that constantly surrounded me and tried to make me give in to my superficial and egotistical desires. I came to a better understanding about how much power and ruthlessness companies have and use in their advertising.
     Watching "Merchants of Cool" introduced me to the feedback loop, and I got to see how it worked firsthand when doing my media logs. I noticed change in the format and content of ads as trends came and went. This allowed me to see how the feedback loop works--I got to see the trends around me in my experiences influence the media and then got to see trends in the media influence the world around me in turn. I also saw the damaging effects this could have on young consumers who sometimes feel like less of a person because of what the media they are exposed to tells them they should be. After watching "Miss Representation," I got a clearer picture of how and to what extent young girls are harmed by the media. This made me more aware of the way women were portrayed in the ads that I analyzed, leading me to realize that women are so often put in commercials just to look good, and, because of the professional grade makeup and production value, they set a completely unrealistic standard of beauty for women. It makes it so that young girls think they should be that beautiful and often causes them to feel inferior, leading to harm in their life. Being able to see this in the ads that I analyzed made me aware of how big of a problem this was and continues to be.
     Overall, this media blog made me more aware and critical of the ads I see on a daily basis, reminding me that they're all just companies trying to make money. It also gave me good practice at breaking down ads into simple appeals and advertising techniques, a skill that is very valuable in a world of almost ceaseless media influence. In addition to that, I became more aware of the feedback loop and how the media's depiction of women can be especially harmful to young girls.