Media: Entertainment or Tool?
Media's Shaping Hand: From Ancient Tales to Digital Desires
How did women become objects of desire? Is it natural to lust for a fit girl with curvy features? It seems natural because to be fit represents health and wide hips can bear children, yet throughout the centuries, the image of health and beauty has changed drastically. To desire a woman for her curves is no different than desiring an accessory for its brand name. Women often blame the individual man for wanting a woman with an unrealistic body image, but he desires unobtainable body images for the same reason she desires luxury brands. We direct the blame to one another for these desires, when in fact media is to blame. To create desire for the superficial one must be exposed to a constant stream of imagery and sound that shape ideals depicting the superficial as virtuous. In a constant exposure of digital media, one may believe that, upon acquiring superficial objects, one is intelligent, courageous, attractive, strong, persevering, etc.
We listen to songs touting unlimited wealth and sex; we see pictures of idols living in luxury; we look at people who dedicate their entire life to fitness and we shape our daily habits to achieve what we see on the screen. We pursue higher education often in hope for wealth, we go to the gym often out of rejection from the opposite sex, we make artificial body enhancements to look like the people on screen. For centuries media has been a tool to shape ideals, but we call it "entertainment." We use it as a break from "real life," but how can those who believe in superficial ideals even know what real life is? Think of all the manufactured ideals of beauty and worth humanity has embraced throughout the centuries. Did we come to believe these measures of worth through meditation or in an attempt to become closer to nature? Or was it from reading a newspaper? Was it from listening to the ad man trying to sell something? Consider, for instance, the pervasive popularity of dangerous beauty trends like the Victorian era's use of arsenic wafers or lead-based cosmetics to achieve a pale complexion (Arnold, 2001). These perilous practices were often promoted through fashion magazines and advertisements, presenting a fragile, ethereal ideal of feminine beauty that was entirely manufactured and detrimental to health, yet widely pursued due to media's influence.
The perception of beauty, desire, and success has indeed been profoundly shaped by media throughout history, evolving from ancient oral traditions to the ubiquitous digital platforms of today. This influence is not new; it is a continuation of a long-standing pattern where information dissemination, in whatever form it takes, plays a crucial role in shaping societal norms, individual desires, and collective behaviors.
A Historical Perspective on Media's Influence
From the earliest forms of communication, such as oral storytelling and cave paintings, humans have used media to transmit ideas, values, and narratives. These early forms, though seemingly primitive, served to reinforce tribal identities, heroic ideals, and even notions of desirable physical traits. The epic poems of ancient Greece, for instance, described heroes and gods with specific physical attributes and virtues, setting early precedents for what was considered ideal (Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey, c. 8th century BCE).
The invention of the printing press in the 15th century by Johannes Gutenberg marked a pivotal moment. It democratized information, making books, pamphlets, and newspapers accessible to a wider audience than ever before. This led to a dramatic shift in how ideas spread and how public opinion could be influenced. Religious texts, political manifestos, and even early fashion plates began to disseminate images and narratives that subtly, or overtly, prescribed ideals of conduct, beauty, and social status. For example, fashion illustrations in the 18th century often depicted idealized body shapes and opulent clothing, influencing aristocratic and burgeoning middle-class aspirations (Ribeiro, A. Dress and Morality. Batsford, 1986).
The 19th century witnessed the rise of mass-produced newspapers and magazines, which further solidified media's role in shaping public consciousness. Sensationalized reporting, alongside advertisements, began to directly influence consumer desires. Women's magazines, in particular, played a significant role in defining feminine ideals, promoting certain fashion trends, domestic roles, and beauty standards. These publications often presented images of women that, while seemingly aspirational, subtly reinforced societal expectations and market demands (Steele, V. V. Fashion and Eroticism: Ideals of Feminine Beauty from the Victorian Era to the Jazz Age. Oxford University Press, 1985). The nascent advertising industry, recognizing the power of imagery and repetition, began to craft narratives around products that linked them to social status, desirability, and happiness, laying the groundwork for modern consumer culture.
The advent of radio in the early 20th century added an auditory dimension to media's influence. It allowed for the rapid dissemination of news, music, and dramatic narratives directly into homes. Radio serials, advertisements, and popular music began to create shared cultural experiences and reinforce societal norms. The "ideal" voice, the "ideal" lifestyle, and even the "ideal" love interest were often conveyed through these broadcasts, shaping romantic ideals and social aspirations (Douglas, S. J. Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination. Times Books, 1999).
However, it was the proliferation of television in the mid-20th century that truly revolutionized media's capacity to shape ideals and influence behavior. Television brought moving images and sound directly into living rooms, creating a powerful, immersive experience. From sitcoms depicting idealized family lives to commercials showcasing glamorous lifestyles, television became a primary conduit for transmitting societal norms, beauty standards, and consumer desires. The "ideal" family, the "perfect" body, and the "must-have" products were constantly paraded across screens, often creating a sense of inadequacy or aspiration in viewers. The repetitive nature of advertising on television, in particular, was highly effective in embedding brand loyalty and shaping purchasing habits (Berger, J. Ways of Seeing. Penguin Books, 1972).
Digital Media and the Amplification of Influence
In the 21st century, digital media has accelerated this process to an unprecedented degree. The internet, social media platforms, and constant connectivity have created an environment where individuals are exposed to a ceaseless stream of curated imagery and information. As you rightly point out, this "constant stream of imagery & sound that shapes ideals depicting the superficial as virtuous" is a hallmark of the digital age.
Social media, in particular, thrives on visual content and the cultivation of personal brands. Influencers, often meticulously curating their lives, present an idealized version of reality – one often characterized by wealth, physical perfection, and constant enjoyment. This constant exposure to seemingly perfect lives and bodies, often enhanced through filters and editing, creates an unattainable standard. Women, for example, are inundated with images of "fit girls with curvy features" that may or may not be realistic, leading to body dissatisfaction and the pursuit of often unhealthy aesthetic goals (Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. "Social media and body image concerns: A systematic review of the evidence." Body Image, 2016).
Similarly, the pervasive display of luxury goods, exotic travel, and ostentatious displays of wealth on platforms like Instagram and TikTok fuels a desire for material acquisition. The narrative often implicitly suggests that these external markers are synonymous with success, happiness, and even virtue. The pursuit of "higher education often in pursuit of wealth" and "artificial body enhancements" as a means to emulate "people on screen" are direct consequences of this constant media bombardment.
The personalized algorithms of digital platforms further amplify this effect by creating "echo chambers" and "filter bubbles." Users are primarily exposed to content that aligns with their existing beliefs and interests, reinforcing their biases and limiting their exposure to diverse perspectives. This can lead to a distorted perception of reality, where certain ideals – whether related to beauty, wealth, or even political ideologies – become amplified and normalized within a specific user's feed, making them seem universally accepted and desirable. As you aptly note, "how can those who believe in superficial ideals even know what real life is?" when their digital reality is so heavily curated.
Conclusion
The history of media is intrinsically linked to the history of human perception and behavior. From ancient myths to modern memes, media has always been a powerful tool for shaping ideals, influencing desires, and ultimately, directing human action. The current digital landscape, with its immediacy, ubiquity, and personalized algorithms, represents the most potent iteration of this phenomenon yet. While individuals may blame each other for succumbing to superficial desires, it is the overarching system of media, constantly evolving and adapting, that continuously redefines what is desirable, what is virtuous, and ultimately, what is "real." Recognizing this historical trajectory and the pervasive influence of media is the first step towards critically evaluating the ideals we internalize and the behaviors we adopt.
Works Cited
Arnold, Janet. Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd. W. S. Maney & Son, 2001. Link to a major bookseller or library catalog if available, e.g., Goodreads
Berger, J. (1972). Ways of Seeing. Penguin Books. Link to common library catalog or publisher page if available, e.g., British Library
Douglas, S. J. (1999). Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination. Times Books. Link to Google Books or a major bookseller if available, e.g., Amazon
Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: A systematic review of the evidence. Body Image, 16, 165-181. Link to ScienceDirect (requires subscription or institutional access for full text, but abstract is often available)
Homer. (The Iliad and The Odyssey, c. 8th century BCE). Link to Project Gutenberg for public domain texts, e.g., The Iliad
Ribeiro, A. (1986). Dress and Morality. Batsford. Link to a major bookseller or library catalog if available, e.g., Goodreads
Steele, V. (1985). Fashion and Eroticism: Ideals of Feminine Beauty from the Victorian Era to the Jazz Age. Oxford University Press. Link to Oxford University Press or a major bookseller if available, e.g., Oxford University Press
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