These past few decades, everyday media is increasingly sensationalized and entertainment focused. Media’s main purpose now lies in putting out a compelling and interesting story to get attention and an audience. It is a more “self-satisfying” and “self-gratifying” mission to get a name out; to purposely create a story in a way that creates a celebrity. Whatever happened to truth-telling and getting the facts right?
“This temptation rests upon a symbiotic relationship between the celebrity and the media. The two live together in a persistent mutualism, each enriching the other. The celebrity provides the narrative that sells media production, while media production reinforces celebrity status” (Thabiti Anyabwile).
Because most people love these types of stories, the media provides them, and we continue to consume them. Instead of selfishly consuming controversial and sensational stories, we need to focus more on truth, respect, and honor. Instead of focusing on who is popular and good looking and what drama is occurring at the moment, support those with good character and reverence towards life. Read more about ideas, not self promoting people. Guard yourself and stop supporting pointless stories that are just created to distract us and keep us coming back for more drama.
We are the media, and unless we turn the other way and go in a new direction, we’re going to keep going the easy and pointless way, which will ultimately lead us into more destruction. It saddens me to see so much of our culture caught up and ensnared in the meaningless. There is so, so much more to life. Journalism needs to get back to truth telling in all of their stories, and needs to put the people they are writing for ahead of the stories they’re trying to create. Choose whom you’re supporting carefully. When you’re the one doing the writing and the creating, be respectful and put others ahead of yourself. We have so much more to gain by being genuine.