Sociological analysis of the media allow us to examine how groups and institutions use media as a tool to organise social life.
Break the group into pairs or trios, and ask them to:
1. List five negative influences, that is, some group or person you dislike, or an event you view negatively.
Just to get you started – how do you feel about...
2. Now the group should list five positive influences, that is, some group or person you admire, or an event you are pleased to know happened.
Again to get you started: How do you feel about...
These are for example only. You may decide that some of these are in the wrong category, and that, for example, many people admired George W. Bush, or disliked Mother Theresa.
Discuss the list and try to decide how the various media have such an influence on our sense of being. One member of group records the main points and reports back to the larger group.
The point being, that, unless you are omnipresent, (universally, everywhere) you have most likely formed most of your opinions from mediated sources. It may be useful to record if two participants have different views on a subject.
This exercise will require personal honesty, particularly in relation to admissions of bias or dislike. But this is not a judgmental exercise, but a critical appraisal of how the media impacts on our consciousness.
GERMAN 139: FÜNF LEUTE, DIE ICH NICHT KENNE UND NICHT AUSSTEHEN KANN
A room with chairs
Writing paper, pens. Flip chart, markers.