ABSTRACT
Dear reader: Before we begin, it’s time for some selfrefl ection. How many movies do you watch in a weekend? How many hours do you spend in front of a screen of one sort or the other? How much of your waking activity is spent in using online media? Reading a newspaper? Reading a book? Listening to music? Watching TV shows or playing videogames? What role does pleasure play in these activities? How much of these activities support the escape function, providing a relief from the stress of daily life? How much supports your social interaction with the people who matter in your life? How much empowers you to act in relation to your work, your colleagues, and your community? How much informs your money and health decisions? Do you sometimes judge your life in relation to characters you see in the media? How much emphasis do you place on critical analysis when you read, listen, watch and view? How much time do you spend creating messages? How does your own use of mass media and popular culture shape the way you teach? How do your attitudes about newspapers, television, the Internet, videogames, and movies shape the way you teach?
