Perhaps one alternative is to require that schools have a career long "media" course that starts at an early age. Understanding how media outlets work and that they are, in fact, an industry with a focus on profits would be helpful for every citizen to understand. Moreover, that may start to change the way that media sources advertise and present themselves to consumers. Failing that, I will certainly try and teach my children why they see certain images on TV and in magazines and what those images are attempting to get them to do (buy things). At least this way we are able to have a society in which free speech is valued (totally agree here) but are able to change the behavior of the consumers of speech. Hopefully that will change the type of expression we see through media sources.
I think that is a fantastic idea. One thing I'm shocked to realize is that well educated adults don't realize that on media sites, they are the product. They think they're using the product but really they are being consumed, packaged and sold. Great suggestion.Perhaps one alternative is to require that schools have a career long "media" course that starts at an early age. Understanding how media outlets work and that they are, in fact, an industry with a focus on profits would be helpful for every citizen to understand. Moreover, that may start to change the way that media sources advertise and present themselves to consumers.