Cultural Studies: Media, Power & Education

 Cultural Studies, Media, Power, and the

 Truly Educated Person

Hello everyone , 

This blog is part of thinking activity on Cultural Studies, Media, Power, and the Truly Educated Person given by Dilip Barad sir.

Media and Power : 

Media—whether it's in newspapers, TV, or on social platforms—helps powerful groups like governments and big companies spread their messages. For example, during elections, ads and social media posts shape how people think and influence their voting choices. By controlling what we see and hear, those in power can shape how we understand events, giving them an advantage in influencing public opinion.

Eric Liu explains that power is always growing and changing, and the media plays a big part in helping those in power gain even more influence. When a politician becomes popular on social media, more people tend to support them, which can lead to changes in policies. Media doesn’t just show power; it also helps make power stronger.

Powerful people and groups use media like TV, social platforms, or newspapers to present themselves in a positive way. This affects how the public sees issues like elections and policies. We see this when social media trends change how people respond to certain events or when the news highlights specific voices, shaping what we think is important.

By using media, those in power can keep growing their influence, as Eric Liu mentions. Since power constantly shifts, the media plays a key role in deciding who holds influence at any time. Understanding how the media works can help us see how our opinions and decisions are being shaped by those in power.

Media-Power and Modern Culture :

Media and power work together to shape modern culture. Powerful groups, like governments and big companies, often control or influence media to promote ideas or products that suit their interests. For example, governments use news to push political agendas, while companies use ads to promote consumerism. This shapes what we see as normal or true. Media doesn’t just show what’s happening; it also affects how we think about the world. News, movies, TV, and social media highlight certain views while ignoring others. For instance, mainstream media often focuses on topics that benefit those in power and gives less attention to marginalized voices, shaping how we understand important issues and events.

Education : 

The very traditional education focuses on learning a set curriculum, memorising facts, and following standard knowledge. However, true education goes beyond this. It encourages curiosity, questioning the norm, and thinking critically. A truly educated person doesn’t just know different subjects but can think deeply, come up with new ideas, and see learning as a lifelong, self-driven process.

Being "truly educated" today means more than just gaining knowledge from books or classrooms. It involves handling the constant stream of information from the media. A truly educated person thinks critically, questions information, and looks for different viewpoints.

They also understand the media’s influence and the power behind it. A truly educated person remains open-minded, willing to change their views based on new information. Media literacy is important too, as it helps them identify reliable sources, understand how media messages are made, and spot biases or misinformation.

This idea matches Noam Chomsky’s view that true education leads to intellectual freedom. He believes that education should encourage people to discover things on their own and question even well-established ideas. In contrast, traditional education can sometimes limit creativity by focusing too much on memorization and exams.

In a world filled with misinformation, being truly educated means knowing how to check facts independently. Instead of relying only on mainstream media, a truly educated person seeks out different perspectives and uses various sources to find the truth, maintaining intellectual independence in today’s media-driven society.

Critical Media Consumption:

Critical media literacy is important, in today’s media-filled world. It means being able to analyse and evaluate media content instead of just accepting it. Critical media literacy helps people understand hidden messages in what they see, hear, or read by asking questions like: Who created this message? What is its purpose? How is it affecting me? Teaching media literacy helps spot biases, see how power shapes media, and recognize misinformation, especially on social media where false information spreads quickly.

By learning to critically engage with the media, people become more aware, think independently, and make informed decisions. It helps them see through propaganda, question dominant views, and seek different perspectives.

The rise of social media has made this problem worse. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter show users content they already agree with, creating echo chambers where differing opinions are less accepted. Misinformation, especially from biassed news, also spreads quickly, reinforcing incorrect beliefs.

Jay Van Bavel suggests a few ways to reduce cognitive dissonance: First is , Acknowledge personal bias: Everyone has biases, so recognizing that we all see the world through our own lens can help us be open to new ideas. Secondly we have this , Question assumptions: Instead of accepting information without thought, we should challenge our beliefs and think critically about the sources. Then after Warn others about misinformation: Alerting people to the risks of misinformation encourages them to fact-check and be more critical.

Media has a big impact on how we view the world and make daily choices. News, social media, TV shows, and ads influence our understanding of politics, what we think is important, and even the products we buy. For instance, watching news from only one political perspective can shape our thinking, and social media influencers can affect our views on fashion or trends without us realising it.

How Media Affects Worldview and Daily Choices

Media significantly influences our worldview and daily decisions. Each day, we are impacted by news, television programs, social media content, and advertisements. For instance, the news shapes our understanding of political matters, while social media affects our perception of what is popular or significant. Media also guides our choices, such as which products we purchase, what trends we follow, and how we view specific issues.

For example, if a person primarily consumes news from one political viewpoint, they may start adopting that perspective across their thinking, often unconsciously. Likewise, social media influencers can shape our sense of style and what we consider fashionable.