I love examining the way the media and mass (the popualtion) interact. But I have not been able to dicepher one problem: Media vs. Mass

Here's what I mean. Do we influence the media, or do they influence us, or both.

We influence the media- Does the media jump on one small thing in one part of the counrty and bring it to the rest. Like the ghettos and large cities. They started this "gansta rap" fad and now it has spread to suburbs and everywhere around the country.

Media influences us- Does they media create a fad of some sort and exploit it. Take the "tween" fad that Hilary Duff endorses. You see 12 year olds with their purses and sunglasses shoopping in "Miss. Teen". Did the media start this?

Both- We influence the media who influences us who influences the media...

Both, but without simultaneous proportional influence.

The major media tends to pander to the comfort and satisfaction of the herd. Sometimes projections are incorrect, and sometimes events get ahead of the media zeitgeist. Mass influence on media has much greater lag time than the corporate leaderships that set the agenda. Both popular and corporate zeitgeists lag increasingly behind an accelerating pace of events, and a changing understanding of the past. There will come a breaking point, where a dramatic decentralization of information will occur, due to enabling technology, and to increased sociopolitical tension.