Book excerpt: Can teaching media literacy really change the world? Researchers predict that, in 2015, the average American will spend more than fifteen hours every day listening, reading, clicking, and viewing media. Without question, television, films, radio, and music, the Internet, social media, news programs, and books and magazines are part of our daily lives. And while some claim that all of this media consumption is detrimental to society, the truth is it doesn't have to be. Times have changed. Technology connects us today in new and exciting ways. We have more choices and more control than ever, regarding what and when we will watch, listen to, and read. And, as Julie Smith explains in Master the Media: How Teaching Media Literacy Can Save Our Plugged-in World, with that control comes a heightened level of responsibility to think critically about the content we consume. Written to help teachers and parents educate the next generation, Master the Media explains the history, purpose, and messages behind the media. The point isn't to get kids to unplug; it's to help them make informed choices, understand the difference between truth and lies, and discern perception from reality. Critical thinking leads to smarter decisions-and it's why media literacy can save the world.