HABITS

Being swept by the media!!

Walking pass any electronic shop, ever noticed what grabs our attention? It’s the television sets kept for display. Television, which has now become a traditional media making way for the new media comprising of the internet and the mobile generation is still the most influential amongst the people.

Even though, the internet has qualified to become the most widely used media and has swept the world with its ability to let its audiences perform tasks that were once considered to be impossible. Still television and cinema has not lost its charms and continue to be one of the popular medium for the teenagers.

"I spend at least 4-5 hours using the internet. But in those four hours at least two hours I use to download and watch television shows and movies." says Amrita a college student.

Cinemas and televisions bring to life various desirable characters and stories on one platform. It has also diverged into various genres that would suit the mood of its audiences like the romantic, comedies, dramas, thriller etc.

Therefore, they are very popular amongst the teenage group as it gives them a chance to experience a feeling which in reality they couldn’t and give them a situation to relate to. It combines sounds and lights and hence become the most influential medium of all times. This influence could be positive or negative, big or small, short term or long term. But no body can claim to have not been influenced by this medium.

Devang brhambhatt, a college student.

picture credit: Nafisa Zaki

"I used to wear my wrist watch in the left hand. But since when I have seen both Shahid Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, the popular movie stars of bollywood, wearing it in the right hand, I too have changed my placement." Says Devang Brahmbhatt, a 17 year old student.

Kiran Suresh, a collge student

picture credit: Nafisa Zaki

Many claim to have changes their hairstyles and their dressing styles to prove their loyalty towards their favourite stars. "I had copied Madhuri Dixit's, the bollywood actress dressing style after the bollywood movie Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and was so proud to do It." says Kiran Suresh, an 18 year old college student.

"After Dostana I have changed my hair style and made it just like John Abraham, the bollywood actor did in the movie." says Surendra Kumar.

Surendra Kumar, college student

picture credit: Nafisa Zaki

Apart from these small acts of craziness that the teenagers do, the television has serious impacts on them too. It makes them compare themselves to the stars and realize they can not be the same making it a very unhealthy situation for the parents and also for the teenagers themselves.

"When my child realized his physique was far from being socially acceptable and he was very different from what is shown on television these days. He started a harsh diet regime which was very hard for him and us too. Though, he has to take the pain of it. I was the one who felt the worst. But In the end I think it was all worth It." anonymous.

There are many such instances where the teenagers fall prey to the specific something that is portrayed on the television and cinemas, which claim to be very trendy and attractive but actually is not all that great.

It is only later on in life that people realize their mistakes and wish they would not do what they started doing when they were in their youth.

Though, there is nothing wrong in being appalled by any of the media but being so dependent on it that we start thinking 'this is what life comprises of' is wrong and the teenagers should learn to make a clear distinction between the reel and the real so that they restrict doing things that would haunt them in their future.