Ubuntu. ‘I am because we are.’ Nuance, discernment, reflection are all words that can be used to describe what is most needed today in media messaging especially as we go into another election cycle. The ability to engage and understand in this way has purpose to building peaceful interactions within our communities.
As the conduit and influencer, the media is the repository for these connections. It is the messenger, the producer, the innovator, and the creator. We, all people, live within the frames of the development of the media, and we have become the communicators as encoders, decoders, and even the methods of delivery. In many ways, the media has become an augmentation of our person. Our human distinction, which separates us from the media as a tool, is our ability to discern and consider the media as a platform, as a vehicle, as a tool, and as a representation.
ELECTION 2024:
Divisive, polarized, disconnected, disenfranchised — words suggesting a breakdown in the framework of our global society from the lack of civilized discourse during this election year. These words come to life on our screens daily with the messaging produced by candidates on the local and national level. Add to this the clash of structures and ideologies, conflicting strategies in response to world events, and mounting frustration due to disinformation are just some of the many polarizing debates of our day. These struggles have left a widening gap between people in understanding, collaboration, and cooperation.
Adam Sternbergh from the New York Times, in his Dec. 17, 2023 article states, “We are living in a rage-filled emotional dystopia.” Sherry Turkle in her book, Reclaiming Conversation, states that “We have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.” Her point being that the only thing that hold us together is technology. The media often uses the phrase, “We have to have a national conversation.” Yet, the moment for dialogue and real in-depth awareness seems to be passing us by at every turn. These points are observable whether in higher education, in work spaces or in our interpersonal relationships. It has become evident in the last several years that something has gone wrong with our ability to have sincere, respectful, and transparent dialogue. So how do we bridge conversations both in spite of and because of differing opinions? What are some of the root causes of these dialogic problems? Ultimately how do we engage in conversation using a media literacy lens as the backdrop to move our communities forward peacefully. Is this not the route to civic society?
VIEWPOINT:
As a media literacy educator, what has become more evident is the lack of ability for people to listen to various perspectives and then engage in dialogue. In media literacy, information literacy and news literacy circles so much time has been spent pointing out misinformation or disinformation that the deeper essence of media literacy education has been forgotten such as understanding who we are, what we believe and what we are willing to hear when presented with mediated views. Subsequently, people believe that being disconnected and uninvolved is a better solution than to be a part of the process of civic engagement due to the discord which is repeatedly exhibited on our screens. What is most concerning is that there is uncertainty regarding what engagement is as well as how we perceive interaction and how we negotiate meaning in all these spaces. It also is a step into how conversations can lead to empathy and also better mental health practices.
Engaging in the process of communicating people to each other is directed work where all parties involved want to be present and willingly interact. The work of media literacy education requires this depth of collaboration. On a surface level, it is about asking the basics of questions which takes us to the what is happening as well as the why of what is occurring. The problem we see in our society is that the assumption of those ideas is being misrepresented. Those pieces of misrepresentation and misinformation are then discharged by those in the political arena, repeated by the media without clarification or factual knowledge, and then in turn this contributes to the waste which is muddled in media environments that later seeps out into the world and further our interpersonal relationships.
Our disengagement is front and center and carried daily to viewers by our news media. As an observer and researcher of the media, this issue is the central public debate of our time. In the past several years, we have seen how misguided communication, enraged conversations, and divisions have been at the forefront. In personal and professional spaces, people are unable to express their thoughts or opinions without feeling in jeopardy. There is a distrust in the sources of information. More to the point, we have stopped listening to each other which is most concerning. The work of media literacy is to bridge conversations to offer the proverbial olive branch so that communication can be broadened. As two of my colleagues noted in a recent publication:
Media literacy helps us respond to media from a grounded place, not an emotional one. Taking the time to discern the broader context of media messages allows for us to engage with them constructively. Practicing civic discourse in the midst of a live conversation would require us to listen carefully to the speaker to identify what it is they are trying to communicate, wait patiently for them to finish so we can make sure we understand the full context of their argument, ask questions about that which we don’t understand, differentiate between facts and opinions, and then identify common ground to share and move forward (Baldi and Seraydarian, 2022).
This statement fully encompasses the idea behind what correlates media literacy in participating in genuine as well as timely moments. The ability to be present and to accept the connection to converse is fundamental ending our societal discord. It promotes the human connection and not a reactive one. Election day is literally around the corner. People are beginning to pick their corners in order to be the loudest person behind the bullhorn. The work of media literacy education is a necessity in order to foster viewpoint diversity and create productive engagement despite differences. Be one of those people – receptive to dialogue, listening, and engaging. And, don’t forget to Go Vote!
