Essay on Media and Social Change

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

—Charles Darwin

Change, as we all know and experience in everyday life, affects all states and stages of existence, no matter how determined or defiant we may pose to be. Even a very well-knit society may not be able to withstand the tremors of change, which are natural and nuanced.

Earlier, the print media exercised its potential of change in attitude and approach of such people as were literate and were fond of the ‘printed word’ in newspapers, journals and magazines. With the onset- rather the onslaught of electronic or visual media as represented by countless channels, both national as well as foreign, the change in thought and outlook of most sections of society has undergone a sea change.

It is not only the fads and fashions, beliefs and values that have been undergoing dramatic and drastic changes, but also the contours and contents of social structure. In recent years, the most decisive agent of this palpable and perceptible change has been the media, both print and visual.

With its vast range and reach, scope and spectacle, media enjoys the privilege of such influence and impact as no individual and society can escape. That the old taboos and inhibitions have been discarded by the upcoming generation of yuppies and upwardly mobile professionals is a proof enough of media’s power over people’s susceptibilities and sensibilities.

As a result of media’s robust role in the making and moulding of a social fabric, one can see arid scan the most discernible change in the Indian middle class and other urban segments (including, of course, to a lesser degree, the slum/shanty dwellers and persons living below the poverty line) and feel convinced that media is not only a cogent catalyst but also an agent of most telling transformation.

It is due to media’s message that the concept of small/nuclear family has become a reality, although this development has given rise to some other irritants as well. Unlike the gaping gap between generations in the past, there seems better understanding and communication between parents and their siblings now

There is no denying that the pace and parameters of change varies in tone and tenor between urban and rural areas. Whereas the social change is much faster in urban areas, for obvious reasons it takes longer to become apparent in the villages. It is a matter of some satisfaction that some Indian villages, like a few islands in the midst of sea, are exploring and experimenting with new modes and methods of awareness.

The coming together of village folk (both men and women) to form societies/groups to harness their labour and resources, is a healthy and hopeful sign of change that promises to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity in their lives.

The exemplary courage and conviction shown by some would be brides in rejecting the greedy grooms and getting them sent behind the bars speaks volumes about the shape of things to come.

The concept of single parenthood is an other offshoot of the changed social scenario that the media has brought into focus. The strong desire on the part of both males and females to assert their presence and fight for their individual identity is the hallmark of the social change. The role of media in respect of these changing trends and tendencies is writ large on the social milieu.

The social change most visible is represented or manifested in the way both men and women are taking in their strides the emerging realities concerning their physical as well as mental horizon.

While women in the West have always been conscious of their bodies, thanks to the media, it is only now becoming a priority in India, irrespective of the age, place and colour to which the fair sex belongs. Earlier, periodic body check-up, both by males and females, used to be an exception. But now the media has so changed that people’s perceptions on body fitness and health care have almost become a rule.

Some years back, most patients were in the upper middle class group who visited their family doctor for routine check-up. Now we find people in the lower strata of society also caring for their physical and mental health. A change in mindset, a growing awareness of disease, as well as the economic benefits of the packages (extensively advertised through the media) have been attributed to this change.

Tastes and trends are changing every passing moment. Fast life and fast food have overtaken earlier concepts of ‘slow and steady wins the race’.

The obsession to go abroad by hook or by crook in search of the golden pot is again the result of media hype about the glitter and glamour of life beyond national borders. It is not only in matters of individual inclinations and social behaviour that the changes are appearing manifest on the surface, but also in the celebration of fairs and festivals, where the emphasis has been gradually shifting from solemnity to sound, from purpose to pomp.

More ostentation and less observance of rituals has been gaining ground over the years. Since change is the rigorous law of nature, no progressive and forward looking society can afford to ignore this fact, nor can it allow itself to drift on the fast moving current of time and tide. With diligence and discretion a healthy balance between the two extremes has to be maintained.