Last Words

Taking this class this semester has opened my eyes to many different things. I had, as I previously stated in a blog, already taken a race and ethnicity sociology course at OU a couple of semesters ago and so some of this information was not new to me. But, although it is sad for me to say, even though it was just a couple of semesters ago I had already forgotten or just let it bypass me the fact that the media is so one-sided and not diverse enough. The fact that I had to LOOK for diversity in commercials and in movies is startling. It is startling to me because when I did look it was so easy to realize that the media portrays a white America, and appeals to non-minorities. The lack of minorities is staggering and it is ridiculous how accustomed we have become to it all.
As I’ve said before, I really enjoy taking these types of classes because they allow you to think and to think about things that need to be changed in our world. I do think these types of classes should be mandatory, because close-mindedness is not an attractive thing and most of all it is not something that is going to help progress our thinking. True, most people will NOT change the way the live their lives, and they won’t change the way they think—but taking these types of classes will for at least a brief moment open up their eyes to a new way of thinking.
I guess I have an idealistic point of view, whereas I wish that everyone would just stop hating/stereotyping others and get along—I’m not saying you have to be actively involved in someone else’s life, but don’t stereotype or hate someone you don’t know. It is ridiculous the amount of insults and hurtful things I hear come out of people’s mouths. I just can’t understand the amount of hate someone has for another HUMAN BEING just because of the way they look, or because they are female, or their sexual preference. I just wish the world was a more understanding and accepting place.
The media does play a HUGE role in why people believe certain stereotypes and the media needs to be the ones to stop that portion of the role. As I’ve said before, watching over and over and over newscasts about minorities robbing, murdering, raping, and so on will give people a tainted view of minorities—especially if that is the only view they are seeing, which is most often what is shown. Whereas whites are shown doing good deeds, saving the day, or doing random things that don’t deal with crime. The media needs to become more diverse in the news room itself and in the news stories.
As for writing blogs, I really have enjoyed this. I had never written a blog before so I was weary of it at first. But I have learned to like it. Who doesn’t like writing what they feel and think? Overall, I’ve enjoyed it—and they have really made me sit down and think about issues that are important to me.
I don’t really plan on getting into a journalism career—after taking all of these classes and changing my major from psychology I have decided that I do not love journalism enough to sacrifice everything for it. But I know that having this degree will help me in a lot of different fields, and I know that having the knowledge from this class will help me in my everyday life. Thanks :)