Investiture Achievement/Companion/Making Friends

Standard Level

Requirement 1

Discuss how the media strengthens or weakens our relationship with others.

The media is a collection of methods by which people communicate with one another. In most cases, it is for the few to communicate with the many. It includes methods such as:

Print

Newspapers, books, newsletters, magazines, etc

Broadcast

Radio, television

Recorded

Theater, DVDs, music, streaming

Digital

Internet, blogs, social media sites, electronic mailing lists, etc

Advertisers make use of all these forms of media, which is both good and bad. Because of advertisers, many of these forms of media are inexpensive or free to consume. This makes the media available to a much wider audience than would otherwise be possible. However, one must always remember who is paying for the media (the advertisers) and why (to sell a product). Advertisers often work by trying to create a desire for a product - a desire that a person might not otherwise have. If we are not careful, these desires can take over our lives, and the consumer becomes the consumed.

The media keeps us informed of what is going around in the world around us, and forms the basis of modern culture. This gives us the opportunity to share ideas with the people we meet. By using the media, we have a point of commonality between ourselves and others, so we can connect with them.

However, the media also has the capability of drawing us in to the exclusion of other things. Instead of talking with one another, we watch TV. Watching TV is not a social event - it feels about the same when we watch alone or with our friends.

Social media (Facebook, Twitter etc) can be used to draw people together. A Facebook group can help keep members of a youth group connected and informed of upcoming events, even helping facilitating planning. Social media can be a good way to keep track of friends you don't see often. However, social media can become a way of escaping real friendships and reducing interaction to 140 characters. Do we follow this exchange from the hit sitcom Big Bang Theory? Sheldon: " I have a very wide circle! I have 212 friends on MySpace!" Lenard: " Yes, and you never met one of them!" Sheldon: " That's the beauty of it!"

It is up to us to use the media wisely. We can make it a springboard for communicating with others, or we can use it as a substitute for communicating with others.

Requirement 2

Fulfill requirements #1, #2 and #3 of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation Honor.

The requirements and instruction for teaching or earning the Cultrual Diversity Appreciation honor can be found in the AY Honors. We reproduce the requirements here for your convenience.

1. Define culture and cultural diversity.

2. Define stereotype and identify how you may have stereotyped people in the past.

3. Study the following Bible texts and answer the questions.

a. 1 Corinthians 9:20 How does this text explain the importance for a Christian to have a cultural diversity awareness?

b. Galatians 3:27 What does this text say about all who are in the family of Christ?

c. Ephesians 2:14 What should be the result of accepting Christ Jesus into our lives? How do you plan to apply this message to your everyday life?

Trail Companion

Requirement 3

Complete Companion requirements.

Requirement 4

Complete the Cultural Diversity Appreciation Honor, if not previously earned.

There are only four requirements for this honor, and the Companion has already met three of them. For the remainder of the honor, we again refer you to Cultrual Diversity Appreciation in the AY Honors.