Light of Thy Countenance

The graphic novel by Alan Moore, Light of Thy Countenance, can be considered literature for several reasons. By definition literature requires some skill in the art of language. Light of Thy Countenance is very poetic in structure and form, as commentary that the graphic novel is on television has universal applications. This too is a component to be considered literature, which Light of Thy Countenance succeeds well at. The relevance of the power of television even with the rise of internet is still true to this day; especially with the merger of these two media powers, in such websites as Hulu and Netflix. The distortion of reality that TV induces still occurs now more than ever with the invention of reality TV, viewers are even less sure of what is authentic and what isn’t. Personally I know many people who believe that their favorite show is real and unscripted. One friend in particular was so convinced that One Tree Hill her favorite show was real that at the very mention to the contrary she would began screaming for that person to stop make such accusations.
The terrifying truth that TV has such power over our minds may never be overturned. With the media developing ever new ways to subconsciously influence our thoughts, it will soon be a battle of wills to remain in control of our own thoughts. Not only has advertising mastered the art of subconscious suggestion, by the media has overruled our idea of culture by creating a new universal media based culture. The perfect example of this is the redefinition of what we find attractive. The difference between what most people find beautiful has changed greatly due to the media’s involvement in our perceptions. For example, modern men in the media all have chiseled features and muscle bound bodies; women have perfect skin, slim figures and large breasts. For most of Americans those are bodies we can only dream of, but because we see it on TV that becomes what we expect our partners to look like, however unrealistic it may be. The further irony of this situation is that lately many of those beautiful bodies on TV have been airbrushed by computer programs to look even more incredible. With such overwhelming power over our mind how can we ignore the relevance of Light of Thy Countenance?