Personal Observations

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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\nowidctlpar\sl240\slmult1\kerning28\f0\fs24 Adam Hughes\par
Communication Theory\par
Personal Observations\par
September 8th, 2004\par
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\tab As I sat down to write this brief essay on my observations, I found it difficult to \par
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concentrate while at the computer because I kept looking at my buddy list on instant\par
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messenger, seeing which of my friends were online at the time. Then, that gave me an\par
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interesting thought; why is it that I cannot simply just focus while on my computer \par
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instead of trying to waste time by chatting with my friends? The answer, I realized, is that \par
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my generation has been conditioned to using the computer as a means of communication \par
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And the media has seized the opportunity to catapult on our popular communication \par
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Channel by trying to program us with as much unnecessary information as they wish. \par
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\tab For years now, I personally have used the internet to chat since junior high, and its \par
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just become a natural habit that I do without hesitation everyday, sometimes for hours. \par
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Advertising companies and various media outlets have obviously realized this trend, \par
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because on my buddy list there are ads for upcoming movies, and websites to go to, to \par
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sell one product or another. Its become second nature nowadays, it doesn't even phase me \par
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to see these advertisements on my personal screen, without even asking for them. \par
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\pard\nowidctlpar\sl480\slmult1\tab\fs24 These recurring patterns that I see everyday are just another example of how the media tries to influence practically our every move in order to make a profit or push some type of hidden agenda that they are trying to convey. These patterns tell me that our society is dominated by the media, unsafe wherever we go from being influenced one way or another, whether it be right wing for President Bush or the liberal media trying to push John Kerry, nothing is sacred anymore, nothing is truly fair and evenly balanced. This is truly a shame because there are just so many different ways that the media can get to us nowadays, and they know it too, whether its on billboards, television, radio, anything and everything is accessible. And eventually, the more the advertisements and agenda pushing media wants to convince us, the more likely we are to cave in to their wishes, whether or not we even know it.\par
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