Media and Communication Essay Example

accuracy and relevance. These knowledgeable individuals have established their worth and competence through their lifelong dedication to specific professions.

Having stable living conditions allows individuals to apply their experience and knowledge throughout their lives. The modernization of society opens up new opportunities and challenges, which in turn forces individuals to develop their own strategies for behavior (Hughes, 21-22). The mass media plays a significant role in shaping personal identity and self-determination by creating patterns and symbols for perceiving reality. Through the press, radio, and television, information is widely disseminated, influencing the individual's tastes, preferences, behavior patterns, and thought processes. As a result, the communication processes within society are qualitatively transformed.

On one hand, the media plays a crucial role in comprehending the intricate issues of our surroundings, encompassing a wide range of social phenomena. It facilitates communication and mutual understanding among individuals who utilize and share common traits. Mass communication platforms enable the discourse of current events and situations and shape the perceptions and assessments of these occurrences, thereby fostering the exchange of perspectives and contributing to the establishment of a collective worldview as a foundation for constructive interactions.

On the other hand, employing stereotypes, which are built on the manipulation of signs and symbols, allows mass communication to influence people's consciousness and consequently their behavior. It selectively chooses and interprets information streams. This practice gives rise to a distinct social group comprising professionals proficient in manipulating stereotypes, including journalists, artists, publicists, writers, TV and radio commentators, etc. These individuals directly (via publications and presentations) or indirectly (by showcasing their beliefs and lifestyle) exert influence over human worldview and conduct.

The media, including movies, TV shows,

and glossy magazines, play a significant role in shaping how individuals perceive and respond to different situations and subjects in industrial society. These visual representations allow individuals to select role models or develop negative attitudes towards certain models of behavior. Similarly, traditional society also has its own patterns of thinking, values, and behavioral orientations, which may be even more strict. However, these are formed through direct interpersonal communication and dictate how individuals behave in typical circumstances. This allows members of traditional society to develop a stable value system to handle any situation. In contrast, stereotypes portrayed in mass communication are constructed by a specific group of individuals, potentially representing the interests of one group over another.

Experts in Mass Communications sociology suggest that the portrayal of successful individuals from ordinary life in movies and magazines serves to exemplify and strengthen the current social hierarchy, by emphasizing their achievements and careers. The mass media plays a crucial role in facilitating and amplifying information dissemination, which ultimately shapes public consciousness and reinforces societal norms, values, and stereotypes. Social psychologists contend that people's perception of the world and their actions are mostly shaped by their environment. In particular, interpersonal communication and the viewpoints of small groups significantly influence individuals' attitudes and behaviors.

A small group adopts symbols and stereotypes conveyed by the media to an individual. All group members are influenced by media symbols, but interpersonal communication corrects their actions and values in the end. The emergence of new information technologies and the introduction of the Internet change this dynamic. In a small group, real communication forms individual positions and behavior strategies. However, with the involvement of new technologies,

communication now occurs virtually through an intermediary that adapts mass-consciousness stereotypes. This intermediary becomes a stereotype itself.

The transfer of information on the World Wide Web has a similar impact as interpersonal interaction. Through the use of hypertext, people can ask and answer questions, gaining an understanding of others' motivations and shaping their own perspectives accordingly (Latour, 9-11). Despite the fact that the interlocutor may be a virtual image, they still have a genuine impact on our consciousness, capturing interest and generating understanding. While the internet offers vast information and communication opportunities, it also introduces new risks that we need to be aware of in order to enhance human relationships in the digital age. Virtual sources have the power to influence not only ideas and beliefs but also desires and needs, ultimately affecting internal structures. Online interlocutors become reference groups that shape values and motivations for individuals (Fourie, 68). Family and friends also play a role in influencing an individual's value system.

However, the situation is not dire. The computer network itself allows for meaningful use. In online communications on the Internet, individuals are part of different groups. These groups engage in dialogue and generate new meanings and values for individuals. In today's information society, people communicate with both real and virtual entities, creating their own world through conversations with various groups and associations. To understand modern society and individuals, it is important to analyze how these groups are organized, interact, and communicate.

The text discusses the various issues and challenges that arise from electronic communication, which plays a major role in modern human interactions. The advancements in science and technology have provided us with means of mass

communication, particularly through computer technology. This has greatly enhanced our ability to communicate by enabling instant communication with others, the sharing of large amounts of information, and access to any desired information. Additionally, virtual characters enhance human experiences by allowing for a range of emotions and moods, broadening perspectives.

While electronic and technical devices have brought convenience and advancements, it is important to acknowledge the downsides. Our increasing reliance on these devices has caused a disconnection from nature as we struggle to envision life without them. Moreover, face-to-face communication is gradually being replaced by phone calls and electronic conversations. Consequently, meaningful human interaction, emotional growth, and deep connections are often substituted with mechanical interactions that only appear to be communication. Electronic communication lacks the subtleties, tones, and depth required for complete understanding. It also fails to convey warmth, hindering our capacity to genuinely perceive and sense another person.

The number of emotionally refractory and morally deaf individuals is increasing as a result. Aggressiveness, which leads to mental and behavioral changes, is also on the rise. Researchers are observing the destruction of a real neighborhood phenomenon, which involves direct communication between people in real time and space, and facilitates the reduction of their language skills and creative abilities. The distribution of personal computers is leading to fundamentally new forms of interpersonal communication, such as making friends, writing love letters, engaging in affairs, and even having virtual sex on the Internet. Although these interactions take place online, people's excitement about the global information network ultimately merges the real and virtual worlds into a single entity. Scientists predict that in the "electronic era," most forms of communication, entertainment, and needs

will be fulfilled through information networks, potentially eliminating the need for people to physically leave their electronic homes.

"The current trend is deeply concerning as it involves the decline of live human interaction. Interacting with others in person is a complex process that enhances various abilities such as rational thinking, emotional expression, decision making, and the development of higher spiritual senses. Effective communication among individuals involves not only the exchange of information but also a deeper spiritual connection. Unfortunately, computer-mediated communication is limited in this regard. While it excels in logical thinking and transmitting articulated thoughts, it fails to convey the unspoken aspects such as emotions, feelings, intellectual insights, and psychological fluctuations (Hafner, 87)."

The very nature of communication has shifted in the digital era. Instead of seeking warmth, sincerity, and humanity, people now crave toughness, clarity, practicality, meaningfulness, and effectiveness. This change is also reflected in modern technical education within the computer field. The focus has shifted towards developing formal logical thinking over emotional and personal faculties. However, this approach not only widens the tragic divide between technological progress and ideological stagnation but also risks diminishing the creative potential of the human mind. Psychologists argue that new thoughts and original ideas emerge not solely through logical reasoning but through the assimilation of mankind's overall cultural experience, which enhances intuition and other non-formalizable abilities.

The scientist's inner world is comprised of diverse layers of knowledge including scientific, technical, humanitarian, and artistic knowledge. These different forms of knowledge converge during the creative process and often result in the collision of paradoxical ideas. Although computer online communication may seem to hinder our ability to make discoveries and find alternative solutions,

it actually facilitates both creative thinking and practical activity. According to Noveck (18-22), new forms of communication enable us to think more creatively and engage in practical tasks. Furthermore, psychologists and neuroscientists believe that excessive internet browsing is altering the structure of our brains.

According to neurologist Gary Small, an experiment conducted at his university found that searching for information on the web can change neuronal connections. "A team of scientists at our university worked with volunteers aged from 55 to 78 years," he explains. "Before the start of the study, half of the participants used the Internet daily, while the others had only a general idea of it. We discovered that older individuals with minimal internet experience could have their brain activity patterns altered by searching for information on the web. In just one week, the internet made them more efficient" (Clark, 21).

According to Gary Small, the Internet age has brought about a new way of thinking. However, constantly searching and browsing without a specific goal can harm our brain. Small believes that although this process is interesting, it ultimately causes computer fatigue. Multitasking with multiple websites, emails, and phone calls simultaneously puts stress on our brain.

Continuous exposure to stress hormones can modify the neural circuits in the brain that are responsible for cognition and mood regulation, leading to fatigue, irritability, and impaired perception after a few hours of work. Hence, it is reasonable to occasionally disconnect from the virtual world and reconnect with reality. The internet serves as a link between millions of computers while humanity comprises billions of minds. If we successfully establish effective connections between them, could we generate a new and

entirely independent intelligence? And if such a scenario unfolds, how would we even detect it? According to Michael Chorost's viewpoint, presently the internet stands as the sole force capable of uniting people globally.

In the view of writer Michael Chorost, it is crucial to embrace and improve the Internet instead of opposing or idolizing it. Simultaneously, we should cultivate empathy towards others. Recognizing that the World Wide Web is not forced upon us by external entities but rather a reflection of ourselves, he emphasizes that we are in fact the Internet. Our desires and necessities materialize through technology and coding.

Attempting to bypass or avoid the network is not a viable option. The only way to conquer the internet is by navigating through it. Martial Mermillod affirms that our thinking process involves more than just the brain; our entire body plays a role. According to Mermillod, the brain is in constant communication with our various organs, resulting in overall brain stimulation that gives rise to thoughts.

Even more amazing, what happens next is that we need to simulate muscle movements in order to absorb information and express our emotions, like fear or anger. In other words, we make subtle muscle movements that communicate with the brain and may play a crucial role in decision making (Robbins, Judge, Millett, & Boyle, 48). Martial Mermillod states that movies and TV have a significant impact on our minds and greatly influence our actions by portraying life in a close-up manner.

The Internet is not as emotionally charged, so we should not overestimate the danger: we have no reason to believe that we will soon be under its control. Current research in the

field of Artificial Intelligence demonstrates the importance of maintaining and developing various types of communication in the information society. This research involves computer modeling of human thinking, known as artificial intellect, which has greatly increased the amount of circulating information and improved individual's ability to creatively process and utilize this information in their activities. As a result, modern society has undergone significant changes.

The use of new information technology in industry and commerce has transformed the control of technological processes through automation management. This includes implementing paperless methods for recording, processing, and transmitting data, which greatly reduces time and resources required for information exchange and decision-making (McLuhan, 48-50). The introduction of structured databases enables machines to participate in the decision-making process, facilitating rapid and effective response in complex and constantly evolving situations, such as managing social processes. Additionally, the development of mechanical systems for storing and processing information opens up new possibilities for designing and implementing flexible production systems and managing complex inter-industry linkages (Willinger, Govindan, Jamin, Paxson, Shenker, 12-14).

The ability to virtually model objects in space and time, formalize observation and description procedures using logical-linguistic constructs is essential to scientific cognition. The development of artificial intelligence has also revealed the limitations of artificial minds. One fundamental trait of the human mind is its ability to abstract procedures, identify general facts from various information inputs, comprehend the essence of matters, store knowledge in memory, and subsequently identify, classify, and make decisions based on that knowledge. The true significance of the operations performed by machines lies within the human mind.

By simulating mental operations using computer programs, the programmer is able to quickly reproduce known algorithms developed by

humans. These operations include analyzing information, searching for solutions in complex situations, and striving for optimal outcomes. These algorithms can be applied to various tasks such as solving mazes, playing chess, and creating music and poetry. However, the human mind is not limited to implementing pre-existing programs; it has the ability to generate new ones. This ability to create new techniques for achieving goals is what forms intelligence. The human mind can devise novel algorithms, find innovative approaches to problem-solving, utilize unexpected tools, and assign them previously unseen meanings.

Considering that the computer operations lack meaning, discussions about artificial intelligence are merely metaphorical. Unlike human intelligence, which is not just a mere executor of logical chains of reasoning, it has the capacity to generate novel thought processes that differ depending on the task and the new issues that arise. Human thinking is essentially creative, contextual, unpredictable, and to a large extent, guided by values. In contrast, in any logical calculation, all the assumptions, results, and conclusions are treated as equally important and identical in terms of significance.

The human mind is a complex system of facts, judgments, and personal values that can lead to paradoxical outcomes. In real situations, logical thinking and consideration of all circumstances are often sacrificed for quick decision-making based on the current situation. This is due to factors such as time constraints and reliance on previous training, genetic memory, past experiences, cultural heritage, aesthetics, and morals.

Thinking is a combination of logical operations and visual images, based on the functional asymmetry of the brain. However, decisions made through such thinking are only suitable for specific cases and may not be universally correct. Additionally, individuals

often reach different conclusions on similar assumptions in different situations.

Works Cited

1. Badger, Emily. How the Internet Reinforces Inequality in the Real World. The Atlantic. 2013.
2. Carole Hughes. The Relationship between Internet Use and Loneliness Among College Students. Boston College. 2011
3. Clark Andy.

The text below includes references to two books:

• Natural-Born Cyborgs: minds, technologies and the future of human intelligence. Oxford, 2004
• Comer, Douglas. The Internet book. Prentice Hall. 2006.

Print. Fourie, Pieter J. Media Studies: Media History, Media and Society.

Simon ; Schuster. 1998. Print. Latour, B. On Actor Network Theory: A Few Clarifications” Oxford: Oxford UP.

2006

Robbins, S., Judge, T., Millett, B., ; Boyle, M. (2007). Organizational Behaviour. 6th edition.

Pearson, French's Forest, NSW. 2011