Mass Media Class

Mr. McEcheon was my Mass Media teacher. This was the class that opened my eyes to public communication and marketing. Things said, ways things were done to convince and coerce the public to buy, do, etc. The bandwagon theory. The soap box theory. The half truths of commercials. 'Nothing is better than aspirin.', well then, why take any? Really, if nothing is better than taking it-don't!

It was like a trigger that set off a chain of thinking and reasoning. Finally my brain didn't just parrot back what it was told. I finally began to think for myself. I guess the reports on Balboa and Magellan when I was in grade school was supposed to help me start thinking on my own (read and then write up the gist of what you read), but that wasn't what did it for me.

The flip side of this coin was I could finally see through what my dad was saying. Right at first, when my eyes were first opening, I thought, I must be wrong-surely he doesn't mean what it sounds like he means. I'd listen some more, a bit longer and sure enough-his conversation got around to what I thought he meant and he said it directly.

Getting into my teen years I started to speak up, express the truths he had taught and said he agreed with. Turns out he agreed with them, but only as long as they benefited him. When those truths were contradictory to what was coming out of his mouth it was met with vehement anger.

I learned to think and not speak-it was dangerous and could be very painful. I did pretty well for about four years. But then, that's another story.

Bottom line-kids grow up, they learn the truth, parents HAVE to learn to either practice what they preach or shut up and stop preaching.

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