Sweet Tooth

While watching television the other night I decided to chow down on some cookies. Even though I knew and know they are not the most healthy eats in the world, it is what I wanted. The taste was gratifying and they even made the program I had tuned into more enjoyable.  Such a choice is one I suspect many make each day. People want what they want simply because it makes them feel better. On the surface, there is nothing wrong with that. After all, who among us does not want to make our lives a bit better even if that improvement comes in the form of satisfying our sweet tooth for a few minutes?

The problem, of course, comes when we spend too much time devoting our energies to what we want and not enough to what we need. If, for instance, I ate nothing but cookies and did not balance them with vegetables, then health-wise I would soon not be in very good shape. We as a society seem to be suffering from a similar imbalance when it comes to information. This was articulated in the form of what is called the uses and gratification theory of mass communication. With the explosion of communication channels and outlets, like never before members of the public have the opportunity to select their own sources of information.    

No better example of this is found in various cable programs with defined political leanings. Viewers who are conservative tend to gravitate toward one outlet while those with more liberal leanings go elsewhere for their information. Both are seeking gratification because what they tune into tend to reinforce their preconceptions. You might say those biased media outlets satisfy the intellectual sweet tooth of their viewers. This, it should be noted, does not automatically mean the viewers are gaining enlightenment. Rather, it just means they are receiving gratification - just as I did with those cookies. Perhaps one challenge those in the communication industry face these days is to continue to be dedicated to giving their publics greater and healthier balance.