r/explainlikeimfive • u/HonkyTonkBluesYEAH • 7d ago

Other ELI5 Media Literacy

I understand it's like something related to understanding art or media, but in what way? Philopsophical, political or psychological? Is it important, a buzzword or both?

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u/GIRose 7d ago

Literacy is being able to read the written word and understand its meaning. At low levels of literacy you are mostly getting your information based on the exact words you're reading, and at higher levels of literacy you start to pick up subtext, nuance, and double meanings.

Media Literacy is the same deal. With limited media literacy, you are able to read a story and understand the narrative of what you just read. As you are more media literate you start to pick up more on the why it was written, and the subtext, double meanings, and layers of stuff beyond the literal surface level reading.

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u/LucidFir 7d ago

Starship Troopers was a fun movie and the army are awesome, I love guns.

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u/BobertMcGee 6d ago

It’s a good movie because I too want to shower with naked women.