In the section of chapter 2, "Ideology and Pop culture" of Berker's book, a valuable point that is brought up is "through common sense of popular culture, organizing their [all people] lives and experience." In the film, American History X, Norton's character lives a life that is focused on any race other then white non-hispanic does not deserve equality in society. But the fact of the matter is that this character is changed by a series of events.
When the main character actually looks past the propaganda of symbols and what others have told him to believe in, he looks to his own understanding. In result, he has an epiphany. A scene in the film where this is portrayed is when he has to fold laundry with an African American man and the man makes a mockery of the KKK. This scene and other scenes with this character shows a more human and significance to African Americans than what Norton's character has ever seen. By following ideology set by pop-culture to tell anyone what to think, takes away the right to choose our foundation of knowledge rather than what we are told. When it comes to dish soap and foods its ok to listen to pop culture, but with other human beings, it should not occur.
I never saw American History X as an indictment of the mass media. I mean, yes, some of the neo-nazis and skinheads in the movie make use of propaganda materials. But the main characters seem socialized into their narrow, hateful view of the world (and especially of ethnic minorities) by many other things besides the media--most prominently, they are raised by racist parents and influenced personally by a charismatic white supremacist leader.
ReplyDeleteIs there anything in the mainstream mass media that you think might socialize America's young people to develop racist attitudes? I guess I tend to be a little more interested in the everyday examples than in the extreme examples (although sometimes it seems like our everyday socio-political discourse is getting more extreme all the time).
I feel that since we live in an attempt of a politically correct culture, it may be harder to find ideologies that mainly promote racism. However, I do believe that underground subcultures in the entertainment industry may promote racists ideas to the extreme. In other words, even though it may not seem to exist, it really does.
ReplyDeleteEven though time has past since I have posted this blog, I still feel that if anything, the film does show these subcultures do exists. I do agree with you when you mention that it is sometimes is also the parents influence on the person to lead to this ideology.