Media plays a crucial role in spreading new information and transforming culture from generation to generation. As a result, continuous consumption of diverse forms of media has the potential to shape individuals’ thought patterns and impact daily lives. Mass media have greatly shaped American culture. The internet and movies have played a huge role in transforming American culture. Movies have influenced fashion and language, while the internet has influenced communication and politics.
Movies
Movies have greatly impacted American culture, specifically regarding fashion and language. Regarding fashion, people tend to be influenced by how movie characters dress and present themselves. Pretty in Pink (1986) is a movie that has shaped American fashion. One character in the film “Duckie” wore a bolo tie and sleeves that were rolled artfully, while “Blane” wore an expensive slouchy suit. “Andie” is noted for her elegant and stylish vintage cardigans, florals, and custom-made jewelry (Berliner, 2017). The fashion portrayed in this film is still desirable today and is adopted by most young people in America. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) is another film that influenced fashion in America as women adopted wearing high-heeled shoes, oversized eyewear, and custom-made jewelry (Kubrak, 2020). In regards to language, movies have influenced the way Americans talk and communicate. Most movies use slang words that have helped create a new vocabulary set in our everyday lives. Curse words are also deeply ingrained in today’s films which promotes the use of these words in our everyday lives. Films have also invented languages to enhance the quality of their films. For example, Despicable Me (2010) is a film that employs gibberish language, especially by the minion characters, yet they have become so popular than other characters in the film.
The Internet
The internet has influenced American culture when it comes to communication. The internet has become part and parcel of everyday life. Social media sites are common and are used by most Americans. Today, most people communicate through social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Most people communicate through sending messages directly to their friends and family as opposed to making phone calls. The internet has made it easy for people to communicate with people far away. Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have created huge global communities where people from different backgrounds share ideas and experiences and form friendships. In addition, the popularity of online dating platforms allowed people to find love more accessible. A report released in 2019 anticipated that more than 50% of couples will meet online by 2035. The same record discovered 47% of individuals think online dating makes it easier for introverted people to find love (Sky News, 2019).
The advancement in internet connectivity has removed physical barriers in education and workplaces. For example, the Internet has greatly changed the nature of work in connected segments of the globe for instance, and work is increasingly being done remotely, outside of the traditional bounds of office or factory settings but more often in homes and other remote locations (Zalat et al., 2021). Furthermore, it has revolutionized how learning takes place. The traditional culture of accessing libraries, carrying heavy books, and attending daily classes is becoming less common. E-learning has become the preferred education and skill-acquisition method in modern times (Zalat et al., 2021). People can attend virtual classes at their convenience anywhere in the world. In addition, the long-perpetrated norm that schooling until graduation is a must is no longer applicable. Through the web, people have learned to be super-specific in their skills by learning through online tutorials.
The internet has affected American politics to a great extent. The internet has allowed many citizens to learn about government policies and other important information. It has allowed voters to register and even get access to elected officials. The internet has even helped politicians push for certain agendas and woe people so that they can vote for them. It has also helped expose the ills that politicians do while in power, and this has informed and empowered many people who would have otherwise remained in the dark. An example of how the internet has helped shape politics is during the previous elections, where former president Donald Trump and his allies used social media to influence his supporters to reject the results of the 2020 elections. The internet has also contributed greatly to political polarizations in America because it has promoted one-sided agendas, and this bias has affected people’s attitudes and perceptions.
In conclusion, American mass media has significantly influenced a cultural shift in American society. Its power to influence individuals has made it easy for society to adapt to the new norm of thoughts and doing things. Films have significantly impacted the spreading of new ideologies and revisiting history. The Internet has opened and helped promote communication through the Internet. The internet has also affected how politics happens in America. Movies have been able to affect fashion and language skills in America.
References
Berliner, T. (2017). Hollywood aesthetic. Pleasure in American cinema. Oxford University Press.
Kubrak, T. (2020). Impact of films: Changes in young people’s attitudes after watching a movie. Behavioral Sciences, 10(5), 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10050086
Sky News. (2019, November 27). Finding love online: More than half of couples set to meet via the Internet. Sky News. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://news.sky.com/story/finding-love-online-more-than-half-of-couples-set-to-meet-via-the-internet-11871341
Zalat, M. M., Hamed, M. S., & Bolbol, S. A. (2021). The experiences, challenges, and acceptance of e-learning as a tool for teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic among University Medical Staff. PLOS ONE, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248758
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