The Abuse of Mass Media in American Society

America, the land of the free and home of the brave, a nation where personal freedom and the competitive spirit hold the ultimate power- on the surface the surface this may appear to be ideal, but the masses are swayed by the influence of forces blatantly obvious yet always accepted as common practice. These forces are present in numbers which are nearly incalculable, as media dictates and directs the lives of millions on the domestic stage. This control of an entire populace does not stop domestically; however, as its influence extends across international borders and affects the psyche of billions through mass market consumerism.

All movements and eras have their birth, and the conception of media is no different. Perhaps William Wordsworth was foretelling the inescapable manner of mankind when he wrote, "the eye- it cannot choose but see; we cannot bid the ear be still; our bodies feel, where'er they be, against or with our will," (qtd. in McLuhan 48). Wordsworth did not write during the modern age of electronic communication but he had still witnessed the sheer power of the written word as it had dictated history through the influence of the printing press for nearly 400 years. Marshall McLuhan state the power of the written word upon the human mind: "Printing, a ditto device [...] provided the first uniformly repeatable 'commodity,' the first assembly line-mass production," (50).

Today society simply believes literature to be another art form, something which is no more closely observed than the patterns of a quilt or the architecture of a building. The power to produce massive quantities of an individual's opinions has allowed for people to truly express their inner thoughts widely. No longer did an individual's audience only extend as far as their voice would carry; now all corners of the world could share those thoughts and feelings and the gap of generations could be bridged. This power, as all others, comes with its price. The age of public opinion was born with the first mass produced book. The ability to affect the thoughts and actions of the masses is now possible. One piece of literature could have just as much impact upon the world as a standing army, as is born witness by the Communist Manifesto with the birth of communist Russia.

After the First World War it became strikingly obvious to the intellectual elite how powerful public opinion had become. During the war effort posters and radio broadcasts had effectively convinced millions to contribute on the domestic front. Upon the conclusion of hostilities in Europe an intricate system of informing and persuading the public had been created. Captains of industry soon saw the opportunity afforded to them to captivate the minds of American people and further increase corporate wealth as Americans enjoyed unprecedented rising incomes. As Noam Chomsky, so aptly states, corporate America sought public "consent without consent" (48). This saw its roots with the modern Military Industrial Complex being created after yet another world war.

Following World War Two American found itself as the dominate nation of the free world. Television was being introduced to the public soon after the war and previous radio networks quickly expanded to dominate this new medium. Every year since television's introduction more Americans have turned on the "tube".

The 1950s also saw the rise of the "flapper" and many societal changes which sought to change and challenge everyday life. Mass media began to control every aspect of the consumer's life. Television and print dictated yearly fashions and what was "in". The actions of others half-way across the world were instantly witnessed and analyzed. A new attraction to whatever was most popular and quickest replaced previous expectations of durability and value. The media portrayed America as a land of infinite material wealth and that happiness could only come from attempting to gain as much of that wealth as possible.

A superiority complex soon developed across the nation and by the Korean War it was unacceptable for America to be associated with anything short of perfection. Perfection was also solely associated with those who had supposedly found happiness through material wealth. The elitist rich were invariably the happiest with a blind eye being turned to the increasingly higher number of issues and dilemmas being suffered by the upper classes. Public opinion as influenced by the media was the currency and any differing view was labeled as destructive to the system and shunned by all who were captivated by possessing as much as possible.

Of course, corporations readily approved and sought to expand the notion of instant gratification. Corporations quickly integrated horizontally and dominated markets. Such ventures can easily be seen in ventures such as Wal-mart and Microsoft. By exploiting child labor overseas, something which is illegal within the United States, these corporations are able to offer goods at a fraction of the price of their competitors. Being able to quickly and cheaply purchase goods has been ingrained into the public mind. Rarely is the quality or implications of purchasing from corporations which exploit workers drawn into question. Most major corporations hold close ties to media corporations or are even sister companies. This tactic ensures the questionable dealings of the world's leading enterprises are rarely given address on the "public" airwaves.

Although America is a land known lovingly for its sense of freedom and individuality these noble aims are overshadowed by the media's ability to manipulate public opinion. Individuals now live lives feeling as if they control their actions, especially with so many options being presented to them. Sadly, few realize this great multitude of options and freedoms are controlled by a handful of individuals controlling the world's top few corporations.

Works Cited

Chomsky, Noam. Government in the Future. New York, NY: Seven
Stories Press, 2005.

Chomsky, Noam. Media Control. 2nd. New York, NY: Seven Stories
Press, 2002.

Chomsky, Noam. Profit over People. New York, NY: Seven Stories
Press, 1999.

Eisenhower, Dwight. "Farewell Address." 1961 White House.
United States of America. Washington D.C. Jan. 17, 1961.

Mcluhan, Marshall. The Medium is the Massage. San Francisco, Ca:
HardWired, 1996.

Wordworth, William. Expostulation and Reply. Oxford, NY:
Oxford University Press Inc., 1984.