Sketch #2 - Media

For my remake of Spectacular Times, I wanted to take a look at how the media stimulates a version of reality that most people believe in. The media is a strong influence on how we view the society we live in as well as the rest of the world. I think that advertising has always been deceitful – as the original Spectacular Times Media pamphlet implies in some of its pages – but, with new technology (amongst other things), the media has found new ways to deceive. Some of the areas of media deception I looked at in my remake are the news, advertising, reality television and online worlds.

The news is heavily edited and its content reflects a version of the society we live in. The news creates a society of fear. The truth is distorted to fit a version of the truth. The truth is constantly being manipulated and edited to fit a specific frame. The comic strip I use on the first page is a good example of this. The comic shows this increase in bombardment that ultimately leads to fear.

Advertising is another tool of deception in the media. Advertising tells you what to wear, what car to drive, where to live, how to live, who to live with and what to buy. It does not only sell products, but it sells a lifestyle, a brand. I think this is something that has grown considerably since the original pamphlet. Brands now are not only associated with the products that they sell but also with a certain lifestyle. Advertisements now sell a culture. They dictate how to be a part of this culture; the clothes you should wear, what you should look like, the job you should have, etc. So when you buy a product, you’re not just buying the product – you’re also buying the culture that it’s associated with.

Also, a shift since the original version is the creation of online communities. People escape the real world to engage in virtual relationships, virtual employment, virtual parties, etc. Real-life experiences are replaced with virtual ones. However, we carry over most of the media deception with us. The media tells you what to war so you fashion your avatar to that image. The deception of the media is not only distorting the world we live in but also it is pushing us out of that world and into a virtual one where it can carry the same kind of power.

Another thing that has changed is the growing popularity of reality television shows. The media simulates situations based on “real life” for the purposes of entertainment. This reality is so distorted that some reality television shows are actually scripted. Through these different arenas, the media simulates how the world should be and distorts how we see the society we live in and how we fit into that society.