Where does one begin in trying to explain the importance of our environment in shaping our lives? If you suppose it to be true, then it becomes obvious that the media barrage we are daily subjected to forms a large part of our informational intake. Only by learning how to analyze this input and decompose it can we understand how the media effects our culture and hope to maintain our mental acuity against the endless onslaught of mediocrity and insipidness.
The book Amusing Ourselves To Death (by Neil Postman) is an excellent and accesible analysis of the role the media plays in our society. The journal Adbusters also addresses some of the same concepts, in its own unique way. Neither of these publications will necessarily change your mind, but are interesting for the points they bring up.
The easiest and quickest way to get involved in deconstruction is to just start with simple magazine advertisements. I'm hoping to scan in several images as I find time, and to attach some thoughts on what occurs to me as I view the ads. I would like to encourage anybody who has additional ideas to please email me (thumper@ugcs.caltech.edu) and I'll include it. A good rule is that if it occurs to you, it's probably in there.
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