Media history
Britney Trach
Media 10 fall 2013
December 2, 2013
Extra Credit
Britney.Trach@student.smc.edu
The media has a huge impact on society due to the fact that we learn about our culture through what we watch. When we watch the media we absorb what they show us whether it is educational or misleading. We form stereotypes based on what we see in the media because in most cases that is all we are taught and have not experienced or understood the true illustration of a certain races or ethnicities, ultimately we are taught what Hollywood’s image has created. Media affects all cultures and people by essentially creating stereotypes and grouping people into what the majority of people would commonly understand, all around the world. When we see a certain culture or race of people repetitively depicted as something we begin to form the idea in our generation that those people are only a certain way.
In our first movie we watched, Ethnic Notions, we discussed African Americans and their depiction in society. There are historically 3 depictions; the mammy, the coon, and Sambo. The mammy was an older woman who usually was very happy, a loyal servant, overweight, dark skinned, and a slave to the white people. This image of the Mammy creates an illusion that all women black slaves were like this. The black mammy is essentially the anti-thesis of the white woman. She is stripped of all sexual women characteristics. She is not a desirable woman so she doesn’t out a threat on the pretty white women. This is another reason why the white audiences like the black caricatures. It is easy for the superior race to dehumanize the inferior race. Another African American depiction is the Coon. The coon is found as entertainment to the white audiences. They are put down or demoralized so the white audiences can agree with how the media presents the blacks. They are either funny, happy, or goofy which makes them a desirable
Media 10 fall 2013
December 2, 2013
Extra Credit
Britney.Trach@student.smc.edu
The media has a huge impact on society due to the fact that we learn about our culture through what we watch. When we watch the media we absorb what they show us whether it is educational or misleading. We form stereotypes based on what we see in the media because in most cases that is all we are taught and have not experienced or understood the true illustration of a certain races or ethnicities, ultimately we are taught what Hollywood’s image has created. Media affects all cultures and people by essentially creating stereotypes and grouping people into what the majority of people would commonly understand, all around the world. When we see a certain culture or race of people repetitively depicted as something we begin to form the idea in our generation that those people are only a certain way.
In our first movie we watched, Ethnic Notions, we discussed African Americans and their depiction in society. There are historically 3 depictions; the mammy, the coon, and Sambo. The mammy was an older woman who usually was very happy, a loyal servant, overweight, dark skinned, and a slave to the white people. This image of the Mammy creates an illusion that all women black slaves were like this. The black mammy is essentially the anti-thesis of the white woman. She is stripped of all sexual women characteristics. She is not a desirable woman so she doesn’t out a threat on the pretty white women. This is another reason why the white audiences like the black caricatures. It is easy for the superior race to dehumanize the inferior race. Another African American depiction is the Coon. The coon is found as entertainment to the white audiences. They are put down or demoralized so the white audiences can agree with how the media presents the blacks. They are either funny, happy, or goofy which makes them a desirable