Chapter 2 Your Environment Affects Who You Are
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Teens may be able to help their families by getting part-time jobs. As
they contribute to their families, teens also learn valuable lessons. They
learn the significance of managing money wisely. They learn that life is
not always easy. They also learn the importance of being able to adapt
to changing economic conditions.
The Media
Probably one of the most significant influences on your personality
development is that of the mass media. Television, movies, magazines,
newspapers, and the Internet are only a few examples of such media. It
is unrealistic for adults to think that youth can be totally protected from
exposure to media influences. However, parents have a responsibility to
exert some guidance in this area.
The media are an important source of both information and
entertainment. For example, educational programs, news reports, and
political analyses keep you informed. The mass media provide ways of
learning about the world. However, you should make no apology for
avoiding programs or other material that can disturb or upset you or
harm your personality development.
You have a responsibility to protect yourself from the desensitizing
effects of viewing too much violence or other unwholesome
programming. Some studies indicate that young people exposed to
violent television programs have a tendency to exhibit more aggressive
behavior in real life. Whether or not this is true in all cases, few would
argue that a steady diet of violence in TV programs, computer games, or
movies is healthy.
The more violence you see, the less sensitive you may become to your
own and others’ physical and emotional pain. The less sensitive you are,
the less skilled you will be at forming and maintaining
close personal relationships.
Similarly, the more antisocial behavior you see on
TV or in movies, the more you may think that such
behavior is expected. You may subconsciously begin to
view antisocial behavior as the norm rather than as a
bad part of an otherwise good society. These are only a
few of the many reasons for limiting your exposure to
violence. Similar arguments could be made for content
glorifying sexual violence, materialism, dishonesty,
self-centeredness, and other behavior.
Try to interact with the media material you see
rather than passively absorbing it. Ask yourself, “What
is the message I am supposed to be getting?” “Do I agree
Broadcast News
Reporter
Broadcast news reporters
investigate leads and news
tips, observe events at the
scene, and interview people.
They examine, interpret, and
broadcast news received
from various sources.