Essays --

Introduction I never knew John B. Thompson is a writer in the field of social science and sociology until I read one of his books. He is the author of the book: The Media and Modernity: A Social Theory of the Media. As a professor of sociology and a fellow of Jesus College in Cambridge, he brings out the aspect of social science in the media through in his book. The book is among the most interesting books I have ever read because Thompson explains the relationship between media and modernity using the social theory of the media. As I went through the contents of the book, I could easily see how he uses his study of communication in social contexts. Summary and Analysis In the book, Thompson makes it easy for the reader to understand mass communication in depth. He focuses on the application of mass communication in the contemporary times. He begins by defining the word ‘mass’ in which he argues that the media today does not target the mass but niche markets. I agree with him on the fact that the term ‘mass’ is misleading. It appeals to a vast audience composed of millions of individuals. He uses the most popular day newspaper as an example to illustrate this argument. I see it in films and television programs too. The society that I live in has several categories of audiences. In all social gatherings such as church meetings and cases where the target group of distinct information consists of specific character traits, I normally observe what Thomson refers to as ‘undifferentiated individuals’ (Thomson13). As I read the book, I got some insight on the use of the word ‘communication’. At first, I could not understand what Thomson meant by â€Å"overwhelmingly one way† (Thomson 14), until he contrasted it with face-to-face communicatio... ...n to me. Through the book, one can easily see himself of herself in the description of the society today. Conclusion This is a resourceful book that I would highly recommend to individuals who desire to understand the original theory of the media and how it has affected the modern world. Security agencies and managers in the information departments can learn a lot from the book. It also shows the developments in the media industry from the emergence of printing to the recent media characterized by cutting edge technology. Thompson’s book is a perfect remedy for media-related challenges in the modern world because it explains with real-life examples how mass communication has developed over time. Even though the book offers a few suggestions about the future development of mass communication, a reader can certainly tell that it can only get better and more personal.