I thought the idea of mediation and the influences that media has on us was very eye-opening. The first example that came into my mind when the book mentioned how media shapes the way we view other countries and cultures that we have never visited or experienced. I have never been to the Middle East, but the media depicts it as a constant war zone. It has always seemed to me, with the influence of the media, that the culture was bizarre and treated women poorly. However, now that I think about it, I can't really, truly know any of that unless I experience it first hand. Those are actually assumptions I have made based upon the news and media. It all relates back to rule number one: in theory, everything is suspect. You cannot rely on the media or prior assumptions for a definite truth, everything must be taken lightly because we cannot truly know if our media sources are reliable.
I thought the term mediation was interesting. It was not something that I had ever spent too much time thinking about, but I can't deny that all media is processed by me even if I don't realize it. For example, I have never been to half the locations that I have seen in movies or on TV, but I still feel like I have a general idea of those locations because I have processed information through mediation. Likewise, through reading I have been exposed to many outside thoughts and opinions and my mind has processed them even though I am not aware that I am doing it. That is why I found this particular idea interesting to me.
I was also really happy to see a recognition of the world's imperfect perception of the world in the reading. Really, when it comes down to it, no one can speak for anyone but themself, yet invariably, people do. As someone, contrary to most, who has lived in the middle east, I'll say that (at least where I was) it was unimaginably different than any portrayal I've seen on television, in film, or even in text book.
ReplyDeleteMediation was a new concept for me, too. (At least to the extent that I had never really thought about it in terms of a concept in its own right.) I still have a difficult time fully understanding that I truly do process everything that enters my brain through my senses.
ReplyDeleteI think what stood out to me most from what you wrote is that I also carry this belief that I know what other places in the world are like, when in reality I have no idea. I’ve never been there. I so readily allow myself to be carried away to other places by books and other forms of media that I think I know about the world, at least to some degree. But, I know nothing.
Thanks for allowing me to read some of your thoughts!