Our moral values are being degraded every day by the bombardment of impropriety by the media and its coverage. Media technologies are becoming an important aspect of today's society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. Media is commonly defined as being a channel of communication. Radio, newspapers, and television are all examples of media. It is impossible to assume that media is made up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own control upon the information being supplied to media users. Since many people use media very frequently, it is obvious to assume that it has affects on people. According to the movie "The Social Impact of Television" media effects are changes in knowledge, attitude, or behavior that result from exposure to the mass media. This leaves us with many unanswered questions about media and its influences.
In "Bowling For Columbine" Michael Moore explores the idea of a "culture of fear" in which citizens are kept frightened about the world around them and thus turn to guns and other weapons for security.
United States
United States
Bowling for ColumbineMoore specifically pillories the media for excessive and overly dramatic coverage of violent crime as a leading cause of this culture. He argues this is an important difference between U.S. and other cultures. For instance, he shows that many Canadians leave their doors unlocked when they are at home. The film includes footage of him testing some doors and finding them unlocked. The film suggests that the ready availability of weapons, which some Americans think will protect them, may actually cause more violence than they prevent and produce additional stress and anxiety on the nation as a whole. The quote "If more guns meant more safety, then America would be the safest place...