Chapter One

1. Using music or television as an example, identify a performer or program you once liked but grew away from as you got older and your tastes changed. Why do you think this happened? Do you think your early interests in popular music or television have had an impact on shaping your identity? Explain.

When I was growing up in the '90s, Nickelodeon was the only channel I cared to watch and my favorite show was the Rugrats. When I was a kid, I thought this show was hilarious and I was completely captivated by the simple dialogue, bright colors and whimsical plots that somehow managed to hold my attention at a time when the attention span of most children rarely allowed them to sit still for thirty minutes without interruption. As I grew older, however, my love of this show along with the rest of the Nickelodeon line-up faded as my interests shifted. The older I became, the more interest I gained in current events and media that I could relate to. As a child, it is easy to relate to the simplicity of media that targets children because it often contains the same issues that children face with the same level of maturity and understanding that their age group is experiencing. Once my own maturity level surpassed that of the Rugrats, I was no longer interested in the television program and actively sought other sources of media to capture my attention. I do believe that my early interest in television had an impact on shaping my identity because the choices I made (for example, to watch Nickelodeon rather than the Disney Channel) allowed me to independently decide what my interests were. I was able to discover what made me laugh, what made me cry and what didn't interest me at all. This form of self-discovery paved the way for me as an adult to sort through the growing sources of media to find what appeals to me as an individual and what feeds my creative hunger.

2. Pick an example of a popular media product that you think is harmful to children. How would you make your concerns known? Should the product be removed from circulation? Why or why not? If you think the product should be banned, how would you do it?

 The invention of the cell phone was a great thing and there are days when I think I like my blackberry more than I like certain people. I do not, however, understand why children need a cell phone. I emphasize the word 'need' because you ask any child 14 and under if they need their cell phone, and the answer is an emphatic and dramatic "Yes!". While I don't believe that giving a child a cell phone in all situations is a harmful practice, I do believe that harm is done to children who are allowed to have a personal cell phone with no limits and restrictions. If I had a child of my own, I would allow them to have a cell phone with controlled minutes (such as a virgin mobile) to take with them when they are not supervised by a parent or responsible family member. I may consider allowing my child to keep this type of cell phone in their book bag at school (with the teacher knowing) in case I needed to reach them after school. I would not, however, allow my child to use this device to access the internet or to talk and text for hours to their friends. To begin with, cell phone use is a distraction and can interfere with studying and learning, especially if the cell phone is allowed to be taken to school without being monitored. I also believe that allowing children to replace verbal communication with text messaging is detrimental to intellectual growth and paves the way for difficulties in social settings where communication verbally is essential. I would also note that telephone communication is not always a bad thing, but that replacing human contact with technological contact completely is unhealthy. I don't believe that this product should removed from circulation because I believe that it's a beneficial product that provides a valuable service to many people. I don't, however, think that children should be relying on a cell phone so early in life so that they may be unable to function without it as they age.

3. Although in some ways postmodern forms of communication, such as e-mail,MTV, and CNN, have helped citizens participate in global life, in what ways might these forms harm more traditional or native cultures?

 With social media and social networking slowing taking over the globe, it is important to recognize what harm can come from something that can seemingly be so progressive that it has no negative attributions. Traditionally speaking, we are morphing into a society that is abandoning one of it's oldest forms of communication; the printed media is quickly becoming obsolete. With news sources shifting to online media, printed newspapers and magazines are quickly making their exit from circulation. E-mails, twitter and social networking websites are eliminating the need for many postal services, thus creating a problem for millions of people who rely on the printed media for employment. While millions of jobs are being created because of postmodern forms of communication, those who were qualified for employment for printed media (such as mail carriers, newspaper printers, ink suppliers, etc) are not qualified for employment with technology that is being developed currently. Another rising issue is that access to postmodern forms of communication are not always available to everyone. For those struggling, especially in today's economy, the access to the internet is sometimes very limited which makes it difficult to convert to a world strictly of postmodern communication. For many countries, internet