Mediatization of the Youth(Speaker: Rev. Fr. Christian Buenafe, o'Carm)

MASS MEDIA
We are now living in a modern world--a world of technology--wherein people are "technology-operated". Some are on generation X(unknown) and some are on generation Y(liberated). It's sad to say that the root cause of these effects is technology, in a form of mass media.
According to Rev. Fr. Christian Buenafe, o'Carm, mass media is the most powerful catalyst for modernizing youth culture. It shapes, to certain extent, the values and behaviors of children. Based on my observation, youths of today are really influenced by mass media. They imitate what is shown in the television, like the way how artists dress and act, speak and pronounce words. Latest gadgets, like new models of cellphones, laptops and i Pods, are also "in" for the youth, even though, they don't have enough money to buy.
Mass media entertains, informs, instructs, persuades,...influences us! because we are truly media-savvy consumers. It shapes our minds' landscapes and, could possibly, leads us to the other dimension of life and living. It really has a big part in the change of our attitudes and behaviors. Its contribution maybe positive or negative, depending on how we drive with it.

TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, AND EDUCATION
Computer is considered as one of the most powerful, most useful, and most successful product of technology. It is a multipurpose instrument that can change a society. It can be an instrument of communication, of instruction, of entertainment, and of business-related interaction. It is also easy to spread out information with the use of computer, and this is its main contribution to media. We can now be updated of the latest happenings, not only here in the Philippines, but also in other parts of the world. On the other hand, media is considered as the strongest man-made force that can influence people, especially the youth. This can possibly affect the performances of students in school. Some students gather wrong information from media that can make them confuse of what really is the truth. For instance, the advertisement of "Tide" in the television delivers a wrong concept of arithmetic on the viewers' minds. Aside from this, wrong spellings of words, bad expressions, and wrong concept of life(including cybersex) are also the effects of media to people. Though some of the effects are not good, media, still, integrates values and delivers correct and positive information. Based on the above statements, I can say that many of us are controlled by technology. Are you one of those "many"?

PAINTING ANALYSIS: "Hapag ng Pag-asa" of Joey Velasco
The painting "Hapag ng Pag-asa" of Joey Velasco shows the present situation of many children, especially those who are on below the poverty line. It awakens us to reality that behind those pleasures and luxuries in life, is the scarcity of the basic needs of other people. Food, education, love and care are some of the children's needs to survive in this modern world. Some children preferto sell recyclables, like bottles, plastics, and papers, just to earn a profit that is enough to buy some food to fulfill their empty stomach. How and why did our government let this scenario happen? Isn't it better to focus first our attentions to those who are in need, like these children, rather than to those corrupt goverment officials?
The situation portrayed by the painting of Joey Velasco is like the present situation of Philippine Education. There are some schools who have no enough facilities that could be useful in educating the students. It seems that our government's programs are unseen. New technologies are not present in some schools, especially those who are in rural areas, maybe because of their location, or maybe because the problem is in our government. Is the painting not enough to awaken our hearts and our minds? or maybve because our hearts are in toubke and our minds are in doubt, that's why we're just keeping our silence. As assumptionists, and as future of our nation, we must dare to make a difference!