Megan Aragon:Commercialization

This chapter is a touchy issue for me. Everything in this chapter got to me... and I have a story to explain why after i explain which part of the chapter inspired me to share the story. McKee said that the valuable part of commercialization is "dumbing down" which is considered making accessible. I disagree, I believe that everyone deserves the whole truth and a challenge. It is not fair to us that they feel they need to "dumb down" by making it more accessible for us. I believe we do not need a break, we deserve to learn and understand the whole truth, and not the entertaining, easy truth. Therefore, we have a trashy part of our public sphere, that provides and emphasis acceptance, working with culture differences.

Now with my story - as you all know, I am Deaf. Throughout my whole life, I grew up in a world that didn't make sense to me. I learned a language that was not naturally mine, I lived in a lifestyle that was not naturally mine, and I was oblivious. I was gullible and was easily to believe anything that I was told. I did not understand, because of the lack of communication. However, I had the parents who knew where I stood in their world that they sat me down and talked to me... they educated me instead of the society itself, and the television of course. They taught me, because of my condition, that if I have any questions regarding what I saw on television, or at school, that I should feel comfortable enough to go ask my parents about them. Which I did so. Thankfully I had those parents.

Unfortunately, many of the deaf people do not have those parents. When I was fifteen, I was depressed, feeling that I was the only person in the world who felt alienated from the world that is everyone's (hearing folks). I hated the feeling, knowing that it is everyone's world but mine, why couldn't it be mine?? I did not ever meet anyone else who was deaf... until my mother and father saw how unhappy I was. They discovered there was a deaf instituation in Riverside, California. I was so shocked and excited to know there was a school JUST for the deaf!! There were really other deaf people out there, just like me!! :) Once I was enrolled into the school, and began attending there, boy, I felt like it was a whole different world, and that I didn't quite feeling fit there either. I wanted to go back to where I was...

After analyzing and discussing with my parents why everyone seemed so different at the school. They thought differently, dressed differently, reacted differently. Everything was just culturally different. I realized, as time went on and as I learned more about my culture... unfortunately, we have a side that we like to keep tucked under the rug. I personally, would have preferred to keep this story to myself, but hey, everyone has their issues, right!? :) Because the deaf people have a serious communication barrier and because our media dumbs down, that the deaf people are being educated in the dumb down method and their culture is trashed by the media. The sad part is not every deaf child/person has the parents I have. I am very lucky, very lucky... I can't say I met one person in that school that was communicating with their parents like I was. The majority of them were put into that school because it is a "deaf" school and is the easiest way to raise your deaf child. It is time-consuming to raise a deaf child in order to actually LIVE in the world we actually live in. My point is, because we are not actually being educated about be accepting of others that are culturally different from another, or showing the rare things that actually make it on television, because it is entertaining. The deaf people get their information one way or another, and it is certainly not so much from talking to one another, but watching one another or watching television. So I have watched those deaf people in that school suddenly become homosexual because it is revealed on television... or they are having sex because apparently its being shown all over on the media. So on for drugs and alcohol. I was the only person who was inexperienced with all these things because I knew I was not ready for those things or should not being doing those things because I had someone to educate me properly.

The point of this story is that communication is the key and not just for deaf people but for anyone. If someone does not have that communication with someone that can correct the commercialized media, then allow the media to be the last resort to properly educate those who do not have the advantage of a parent/guardian or whoever to communicate with them. We all deserve to understand the REAL issues here and not what is entertaining about the issues or dumbing down the issues.