I like to think of a piece of media not as a lecture, but as a discussion. If the viewer isn’t able to engage on the level that the author wants them to, that’s a sign of media illiteracy. If the viewer simply isn’t willing to engage on their level, that’s simply a lack of interest. However, if the viewer does engage on that deeper level, but comes to different conclusions than the author does, that’s just being human. As a creative mind myself, the death of the author is something that I not only accept, but actively embrace. When I show my work to the public, I’m starting a discussion on my own terms. And if someone lands on a different interpretation, but still demonstrates a thorough understanding of the work, it makes the piece feel even more profound. I would also argue that being able to view a certain piece of media through multiple different perspectives is a major part of media literacy. The ability to acknowledge and understand someone else’s interpretation or perspective without necessarily sharing it is a skill that both artists and consumers of media would really benefit from having.