I have a job and an internship this semester that both require a lot of travel throughout Utah County. Recently I have noticed how overwhelmingly annoying the billboards are. They are getting more and more obscene in my opinion. I find myself looking at them without even thinking and then having a phrase or a picture in my mind for the rest of the day. Of course this is exactly what the advertisers want to have happen. They come up with something so catchy that just a couple of seconds of viewing will hook you.
Like everything in the media, there is good that comes from some of the messages. I will occasionally read something that is new or interesting or that makes me think.
These billboards have made me think about what kind of messages I want to send to people who I just meet me for a moment? Am I sending a vibe of love and kindness or am I like those annoying billboards that only relay disappointing information?
Be the good billboard.
I agree! Billboards are a very effective form of media because the images/phrases do get stuck in your head. I have also been impressed by several positive billboards though. I really like the "pass it on" billboards that share inspiring stories from people's lives and encourage the reader to develop valuable qualities.
ReplyDeleteI love this thought about what kind of image we portray to people. I think we often forget that we are like billboards and that we choose what kind of message we want people to see. This was a good reminder to me about giving off a positive image.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that we should always be aware of what kind of message we are sending--even when we don't realize we are effecting anyone. Sometimes the briefest of interactions with people can leave long lasting impressions. Even if we don't think anyone is watching or caring about what we do, Heavenly Father is always watching us and caring for us...as well as so many other random people out there. Our actions always matter. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWow I didn't even think about billboards being a form of media until reading your blog post! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I love that you compared us to being our own billboards. Some people only see us and talk to us for a few minutes in a day. From these few minutes, maybe that is all they use to judge who we are. This is really interesting to think about. I hope to send positive and happy messages through the way I portray my "billboard"! Thanks for helping me set a new goal!
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