Book Title: The Influencing Machine
Author: Brooke Gladstone; Illustrated by: Josh Neufeld
Length: 181 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Price: $16.95 USD
By Maggie Bowker
Are the Media Controlling Our Minds?
From print journalist to media
analyst to co-host and managing editor of National Public Radio’s (NPR)
newsmagazine, On the Media, Brooke
Gladstone is a woman who wears many hats, so to speak. One of her many skills
includes authoring the New York Times Bestseller, The Influencing Machine.
Photo Credit:
http://lmnopolitics.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/brooke_gladstone_fb_wdet_leadin_thumb.jpg
The
Influencing Machine provides a unique perspective on the media, however,
the way the book is created is a unique element in itself. Gladstone
collaborated with illustrator Josh Neufeld to create The Influencing Machine in a comic book style. This makes the
information-filled book an enjoyable, understandable and quick read.
In her book, Gladstone aims to
offer an understanding of the media from her personal perspective. She
addresses the issues of people’s perceptions of the media and argues that they
are not completely accurate because today’s media is hugely consumer driven. She says that people don’t
understand media all the time because they really need to see a reflection of
their personal values and priorities. Gladstone says the media is usually
favorable in the eyes of the public during times of national panic and disaster
because they see the sympathetic news coverage during these times and feel that
the media was expressing their pain.
Gladstone describes today’s media
as a funhouse mirror in that it has some flaws, and distorted views in the way
that people perceive it. She also addresses the biases of the media and touches
on her problem with objectivity and why it may not be the best tactic for journalism,
in her opinion.
I enjoyed reading Gladstone’s
perspective on today’s media and I feel like I gained more insight to
perceptions of the media that I had previously taken for granted. Also, the
comic book style makes it a fun and humorous read!
