World Anti-DrugTransnational Internet contest - "Maya"

Anti-drug propaganda is often counterproductive, especially when it follows a “good us” vs. “bad you” model of preaching. All of us have weaknesses and silly ideas, and we can only change behaviors after creating a connection with people, and that always means understanding what brought people to where they are. For example, the media need to show first that they sympathize with young people wanting to be cool and rejecting middle-aged culture and values. Only then will they have the credibility to suggest alternatives. The underlying attitude of superiority in many media messages makes young people reject the sender, partly because young people are full of natural questions about themselves and their choices and futures. As an alternative, the media could present some of the many young people who reject drugs because of their self-esteem and a desire to really be themselves; this will work a lot better than saying “you are silly and simply telling you that will fix you.” This doesn’t work when parents do it, and it certainly won’t work when it is sent out on the mass media from strangers. First connection, then mutual respect, then a change in beliefs.

Along with benefitting from the power of mass messages, I think the media need to accept their responsibility as a major part of how culture is distributed and influences young people. However, I don’t think that simple preaching works, since young people realize and reject it. The most effective ways are to show and encourage underlying values such as responsibility and pride. I really feel that many young people feel unsure about themselves and turn to the main source of certainty that they are offered: media visions of social acceptance and being “different”, even though that is usually shown as fitting in with self-destructive activities like drugs—which needs to include alcohol, pharmaceuticals and tobacco. So messages that encourage real self-respect among young people, along with factual and caring messages about how drugs prevents their dreams, would have a big impact.

I think that “drug fashion” feeds on isolation, consumerism, thoughtless desire for stimulation, “being cool”, and a desire for simple answers. These don’t come directly from the mass media, but it’s obvious that the media encourage all of these in a spiral of culture – commerce – media - culture that pulls people away from healthy pleasures. Without the media’s quick and easy reach of millions, this spiral would be almost impossible.