The "Consuming Kids" video was extremely interesting. I don't think I've ever connected any of the problems, like obessity and A.D.D., to the influence the media has on kids today. This video really opened up a new side of media to me. I never really thought that media would target kids just to train them to consume goods. It's really quite smart; hitting kids while they are learning the ways of the world around them. Yet, as good for the economy as encouraging kids to buy may be, I don't think that media is to blame for all of the problems occuring in children today.
Sure the media may completely surround us, but it is the responsibility of the adults surrounding the children to teach them how handle all of the advertisements being thrown at them. Adults have the responsibility to ensure that their children have self control when it comes to buying what they want. Kids need to be taught that there is a difference between needs and wants. There are reasons kids are more influenced by what the media tells them today than they were in earlier days. One obvious reason, the one mentioned throughout the video, is that kids are constantly exposed to advertisements and new culteral ideas. Another is that adults are not as strict about educating kids on good behaviors. Back in the day, adults were more strict on teaching their kids good morals and values. Today, although this doesn't seem to be true in many cases, adults aren't as strict in their teachings.
I think that adults are more desensitized than kids are which allows them to watch advertisements and not be as affected. Kids see adults watching, so they watch, but because the kids haven't been properly trained in receiving media messages, they are more influenced. We also should remember that people make media, so to blame the media is to blame ourselves.
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