Hi, need to submit a 500 words essay on the topic The Doors of Perception: Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything.
From the first few moments of waking up until the last few minutes before sleep, people get information from the newspaper, television, radio, or internet, and decide based on the information gathered. Additionally, people now live life in the fast lane, and are used to instant gratification — thus, the easier it is to obtain information, the better. This makes people put their trust in the “experts” showcased by the media, hence absorb almost every bit of information provided by these “experts.” Unconsciously and without further evaluation, people allow mass media to mold images that society accepts as collective truths. These are what make today’s media so powerful. The information and the means to disseminate it can have permanent effects on the society. This is why control of media outlets “is considered a valuable asset for those seeking economic or political power” since media is such a powerful tool to “catch and lead audience awareness to people, questions, and answers that can benefit those in power. it can validate and bestow position. it can influence and be a medium for mobilization” (Graber, 33).
