I watched an episode of The Cosby Show. It must have been a bad one "Play it Again, Russell" because I couldn't focus on it. Though, while watching it I realized that Cosby was acting as Cliff the way that he tells his jokes. I just thought that was really interesting.
Watching this show has made me think of other shows that Gray mentions in chapter four. Mostly, it got me thinking about cops. It's terrible, but bring me videos of white criminals that have done something other than drunk driving. Almost every other crime is committed by a person who is not white. Could you imagine what people would think of us if they only watched cops? Well hell, white people only really get drunk and drive around, occassionally beat their wives. Not too shabby. Those other guys though, they are the real trouble makers. Absolutely terrible. The worst part about it is that the media changes our perceptions of what's going on. I remember learning in an intro to criminal justice class that the rate of robberies had gone down. However, due to media coverage of robberies most people in the United States were under the impression that robberies were getting worse. Isn't that just dandy?
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haha. the people who run the media want us to see only what they want us to see. it's easier to create an "us vs. them" mentality if we can clearly see the division. this is just totally random, but maybe it's easier to control people if this division is created? idk. but the media really does focus on bad things. i like to say that news isn't news unless someone is having a worse day then you are.
ReplyDeleteThe media does have a power to it. You hardly ever see white muderers and if you do they are often times a serial killers. On TV white killers have something wrong inside their heads, while black killers usually do so because of a fit of passion. Does this suggest white people are just lunatics and black people don't know how to control themselves?
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy to see the degree to which people are influenced by what they see in the media. I have never been a big fan of the show "Cops", but I have seen it on occasion. I never picked up on the stereotypes though. It is interesting that a show like "Cops", something that is supposedly realistic, can have that much of an influence on viewers perceptions of crime and those responsible for it through the portrayals of different races on television.
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