The evolution of television and the new communication technologies, especially those associated with the internet, have resulted in the visual domain receiving much more emphasis at the expense of the aural (hearing) domain. This report addresses the increased emphasis on visual imagery over aural messages as it relates to U.S. Army cultural initiatives in varied contexts. As we move to being a more visually oriented society, via web based and new communication technologies, aural forms of communication that generally have more emphasis on critical thinking are being displaced by the visual domain that stresses more imaginary associations. Thus, the visual dominates at the expense of the aural and the imagination presides over critical thinking. Familiarity with this phenomenon will benefit those seeking to enhance Army cultural understanding in that increased emphasis on the visual domain results in dilution of critical thinking about cultural variables when visual images have significant impact upon the development of such cultural awareness. Illustrations regarding the aforementioned will be drawn from military contexts and general societal scenarios as well. As such, the reader should be able to recognize how the visual domain is gaining more and more emphasis, at the expense of the aural domain, and how this has been occurring incrementally over time.

visual imagery, aural messages, mass mediated technologies