What is mass media as cultural storyteller?

A culture's value and beliefs reside in the stories it tells. Who are the good guys? And who are the bad guys? What is the situation and how did it happen? Where the world would stand in the nearest future and will the humanity make it? Such stories help define our realities, shaping the ways we think, feel, and act. At the same time, you as the audience for these stories, also have opportunities and responsibilities. You use these stories not only to be entertained but to learn about the world around you, to understand the values of your society, the way things work, and how the pieces fit together. You have the responsibility to question the tellers and their stories, to interpret the stories in ways consistent with larger or more important cultural values and truths, to be thoughtful, to reflect on the stories' meanings and what they say about you, your society and your culture. To do less is to miss an opportunity to construct you own meaning and thereby culture.