Influences of Media

The other day, me and Eugene were having lunch at Old town at the lake, (my tummy was demanding some wantan noodles.) then le wild chick shows up and asks us if we would do a survey for her assignment. She was in Communications or something of the sort.

And in her survey were all these really deep (to me anyway) questions, most of them revolving around how much the media affects the choices you make. (social life, music, sex life, fashion) Now, I didn't really have a lot of time to ponder about those questions right then and there (mainly because the chick was hovering over my wantan noodles to get her survey back) so I just said 'maybe' to everything.

But it's really interesting though. Just how much of the choices we make in life are actually influenced by the media? By media, I'm assuming TV, radio, the internet, etc. (I doubt a lot of people my age actually read the newspaper. I read newspaper articles, but only when people post them on Facebook. Heh.) I'm guessing it all boils down to whether you're going to follow the stream or not. But now, it's considered cool if you go against what's mainstream. (Nowadays, these people are called hipsters. In case anyone didn't know. Click on this link to find out more about hipsters!) I don't consider myself a hipster. Even though I shop at thrift stores and buy second-hand clothes at bazaars, (this is partially because I'm constantly broke and I believe in recycling because I'm a hippie like that) I sport a shaggy hobo-like hair cut, (only because it takes too effing long to do my hair in the morning and also because I'm too stingy to pay someone to cut my hair. Yes, I cut my own hair. Shut up.) I occasionally wear plastic rimmed glasses, (but only because I'm partially blind and I can't wear my contacts all the time. And also because quality Ray Ban plastic rims are lighter and more durable than the metal wire ones. I step on mine a lot. And they come in all shapes and colors too!) I am currently pursuing a degree in Graphic Design, (but in my defense, I've been in the Arts stream since I was 16 long before I found out about these hipsters) I listen to indie music, (mainly because I think there are a lot of talented people out there who are being under-appreciated) and I only date guys outside my race.

Oh god. Maybe I am a hipster.

Damn it.

But still. I'm not entirely convinced it was the media that influenced me to become this way. I think it's the people I hang out with. Or used to hang out with. Forgive me, I went to community college with other left-wing liberals. I also used to date an uber-hipster for a large portion of my college life. Who was also a left-wing liberal. Huh.