Navy Curtains, Dark Agendas
In an age where fake news and AI-generated content increasingly infiltrate mass media, the need for media literacy has never been more crucial. It is concerning to see how those in positions of power often rely on the populace's lack of media literacy to maintain their influence. This has led to a growing internet trend questioning why educational institutions do not prioritize media literacy in the current syllabus. However, those well-versed in media and communications quickly respond with two simple words: THEY DO.
Fashionably Blind, Balenciaga Winter 2024 Show, By Balenciaga
Be a read-and-run person unabashedly, but expecting your English and other language teachers to do the same is quite an expectation. Language educators spent years critically understanding an array of literary works. A worthy pursuit; otherwise, why bother with symbolism, imagery, syntax, alliterations, and a personal favorite, zeugmas? Art is a deliberate form of expression. Good writers know better than to introduce vain details. Pieces chosen for students are usually classics and literary revolutions. Each scene in a play holds significance; individual sections add something to a short story, and each word in a poem is crucial. Masters seldom throw away a brushstroke or a note.
A trending meme on social media platforms, Luke Bartolo/ BlogSpot
Traumatizing dictator teachers instilled hatred for what they were trying to teach—analyzing, questioning, and engaging with the prose to understand the context and meaning because components maketh the creation. This approach fosters critical thinking and helps individuals recognize underlying messages and biases. Reading and writing help us understand how we form an opinion and how that can differ from someone else despite reading the same thing. It builds empathy, and that is a rare and precious virtue today. Now, breaking down a text is seen as a pretentious academic undertaking. Choosing not to apply the tools and methods to get back at your monstrous educators has troubling consequences. Literary analysis is not as dull or reserved for the academically gifted as it sounds. Unknowingly, we all analyze art. For instance, when we look for Easter eggs in Taylor Swift's new singles, look through the stills of Toy Story for character designs that subtly add to the story, or decode the encryption on The Da Vinci Code's cover, we engage critically with the media text. Our freedom to find our interpretations is incredibly amusing, considering that while the author's intention is respected, our words are final. Yet, there is a troubling trend to undermine these educational efforts.
The internet has developed from a source of factual and logical facts to a cornucopia of answers for all the world's curiosities. You name it, it has it! A notable evolution is how the information is relayed. Knowledge blended with creativity and humor has encouraged exchanges that expanded beyond culture. It also led to the beloved meme culture. But memes like 'Who cares why the poet said the curtains were blue?', the 'let people enjoy things' trends, or the trivialization of nuanced characters—often female—reflect a broader dismissal of the importance of literary analysis. Such attitudes diminish the value of these lessons and discourage individuals from developing a critical mindset.
Take, for example, the case of Voldemort, a fictional character who incites racial hatred, corrupts governmental systems, and is obsessed with killing an innocent child whose parents he killed. Describing such a character as anything but a villain is a profound misunderstanding of literary nuance and moral clarity. This example highlights the importance of critically engaging with content to understand its deeper meanings and implications. Another interpretation I haven't decided whether to laugh about or cry about is calling Oppenheimer (2023), directed by Christopher Nolan, a war propaganda film. Just because the movie is set around a war does NOT make it a film glorifying war. The U.S. military critical film follows Oppenheimer's existential crises, conferences with peers, and legal wrangles. Barring a bold declaration that war = bad and he regretted his invention, the film constantly reminds us of that through heavily implied scenes and the portrayal of consequences. Context, emotional cues, and literary devices are used to reinforce and bring attention to the story's core. If sparred at a glance, they will make sense.
One of the many variations on the same topic, imgflip
Ironically, the meme itself invokes two understandings. First, the previously mentioned iron fist approach is used to reach the same conclusion or interpretation, which can limit literature as a whole and create disinterest in interacting with a text. Secondly, it rejects analysis altogether, particularly when the interpretations contest the author's intent. Color-deniers don't just miss out on the fun but tools necessary to live in the 21st century.
Media is an omnipresent phenomenon that informs us of our world, influences our buying habits, and distracts and entertains us with an unending scroll of art, enough to fuel any existential crisis. We are directly influenced by media whether we agree with it or not. The lack of critical engagement with influential media texts is the spine of propaganda. The alt-right pipeline, red pilling, and incel culture are all resultants, and they don't advertise with blaring posters or on-the-nose speeches. It's subtle, it's alluring, and it all makes sense. No person in a cult thinks they are in a cult. These people and systems stand to profit from our ignorance and use it as their winning ploy. In the online sphere, where misunderstanding and miscommunication thrive, dubious factoids, fake products, scams, and arguments aren't surprising. We could say it is a symptom of media illiteracy. Fogged critical lenses lead to blurry understandings and unproductive hostile exchanges. There is little space for nuance, much less for analysis.
Understandably, the overwhelming amount of information in the digital realm can force us to skim and summarize the media text we see. Ads, videos, posts, and articles are put in binaries to efficiently maximize media consumption. Complexities and nuanced topics require more space than just a box, which leads to the spread of misinformed opinions. It doesn't leave us much time to verify stories or sentiments. Served to us by the algorithm, and we eat it up due to the fast-changing and dynamic nature of our world.
Nonetheless, we must attempt to critically analyze the information presented and form our own opinions. We should ask questions incessantly. What was said? Who was it told to? Why was it said? Why am I hearing about this? Why did something happen? Why is it phrased like this? Who gains from this? What brought it to me? We owe it to ourselves to seek and receive clear answers about the world that impacts us in every aspect of our lives.
The ridicule directed at the critical analysis taught in educational institutions is not just misguided; it actively discourages people from developing the skills needed to engage with the media world thoughtfully and responsibly. By fostering media literacy, we empower individuals to discern fact from fiction, recognize biases, and engage with content meaningfully. These skills are valuable and essential in a world where the line between reality and fabrication is increasingly blurred.
Remember, art is just someone screaming in a crowd of more people screaming the same thing at the same time. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? UNDERSTAND WHAT I TRIED TO SAY? PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME. I WILL USE EVERYTHING I HAVE TO MAKE IT EASY. I believe we owe it to them and us to interact with everything we see. This is a free world despite whatever some people like to say, so use your words, find the truth, and do good.
