Already, it can be seen that lots of youthful generation are affected by western culture: they keep long hair regardless of their sex, even part of which is dyed gold or any other strange colors; they love wearing jeans that have tattered holes on the part of knees.
The major means that mass media influences the public is by creating topics of discussion in the society. Mass media offers people issues to talk and think about. Antiwar movies such as Tears of the Sun and All Quiet on the Western Front among audiences have been raising many questions. Is any war really to uphold justice? Is it really worthwhile that an individual or makes sacrifices to his country, and at the same time ignores his own family or his personal values?
Mass media also shapes adolescents’ understanding of what is significant as well as what is not significant. The ‘significant’ issues are to be found on the first several pages of the newspapers or at the beginning of television programs. The ‘insignificant’ stories are the ones that are not being told at all. The ‘not very significant’ events are probably quite short and hidden in the last several pages. Even though critical thinking individuals exist in society, they are a certain minority. The whole public indeed lacks the skills of critical thinking and therefore they are often led b mass media.
In brief, mass media, by offering topics and affecting the ways in which we discuss ‘the significant issue’, has a strong influence on our perception of the truth of the world or of the social structure.