After reading "Cultural Diplomacy: It's the Culture, Stupid" I now realize how much of a role the media plays in our perceptions of other ethnicities, religions, and cultures. In fact, I never really would have thought that media and culture would play such a large part in relations and perceptions of people in other countries. As far as media goes, I think it is really important for everyone, especially Americans, to understand how important the potrayal of cultures are. Our minds and opinions are so easily shaped around the images that we see on the television and in movies. It seems that whomever is our political enemy is, whether it be the Russians during the Cold War, or Middle Eastern Muslims during the post-September 11th period, they are also our cultural enemy, best represented in television and movies. There are very few examples that I can give where a Middle Eastern person is the protagonist in a movie or television episode, whereas I can give countless examples of Middle Easterners as "the bad guys."
However, culture and media can have a positive effect on cultural relationships as well. In the article by Cynthia Schneider she says that people in Egypt based their opinions off of the television show, "Friends." In this aspect, we can use media as an advantage to further our political and cultural aims across the world. We can show other countries that all Americans are not filthy rich money grubbers and power hungry tyrants. In the same aspect, Schneider claims that hip-hop and jazz can bring our different cultures together because everyone can identify with a similar struggle. We are not so different from Russians and Middle Easter Muslims, and we can used culture and media to bring us close together and further our understanding of each other.
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I agree with you that media does play a big role in the way we view other cultures. However, I have first hand experience with these perceptions. I'm from the Persian Gulf and I grew up watching American TV shows, movies, and listening to their music. I think that what we see in the media can affect our opinion of Americans, or westerns as a whole. Throughout my teenage years I watched Friends, which shows a regular, standard, way of living for people in the US. But I also watched The OC which shows Americans living lavish lifestyles. I think if you're not really that familiar with a cultural group, you may easily believe that that’s their normal lifestyle, whether lavish or not. However, I had the advantage of traveling to the US and Europe throughout my life and so have a firsthand look at the way people really live. Therefore, I think that influenced my views when watching TV shows and movies because I know that not all kids live like the ones on The OC and Gossip Girl. But I think all in all, media does influence our perception of other cultures, whether for the better or worse. Like you mentioned Kendra, the portrayal of Middle Easterners in movies has for the most part been as "the bad guys" and so I feel that perpetuates the idea that they are in fact bad guys. I remember most recently the movie Taken where the men in the end of the movie who wants to buy the girl are Arabs. Even the license plate of the car was from Qatar, I think.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the music, I think western and eastern styles definitely influence each other. The Schneider article "Cultural Diplomacy: It's Culture, Stupid" discusses this issue. People in Middle Eastern countries do listen to the same music people do here, and that has influenced our style of music. There are some singers that do rap. I sometimes also hear some rhythms of Arabic music in English songs.
However, I think the way media affects our opinion of each other isn’t always a good thing. Therefore, I think it's important to understand the real facts about a culture and not simply judge it by the way it is portrayed through the media.
Hey, Kendra!
ReplyDeleteThe thing about your post that struck me most was the ending when you started in on the positive aspects of media in shaping a country/ethnicity/culture's reputation. I think we have been so bombarded with bad views of the media that we completely forget its redeeming qualities. Over the years, countries have created beautiful masterpieces of art, whether in the cinema or in the recording studio. While it may not appeal to everyone, it demonstrates a culture's creativity (an overall positive aspect!).
I also liked how you brought up the music aspect. When I read that article, I think that was the thing that struck me most. How is it possible that other countries listen to American/American-like music, but we can't be bothered to listen to even a British artist? It simply is amazing.
I know that there has been a history of negative portrayals of certain American enemies within American media. And I would agree that these groups deserve a better image so as to give the American people a more balanced view of groups that are often seen only as evil enemies. I think that if members of these cultural groups that are already residing within the United States work with their home countries, that together they can help improve their own images within American media.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the story of successful and cooperative cross-cultural communication is ultimately two-sided, something that I think we have not really touched on in class. There really is only so much that we can do to improve our image abroad, to dispel stereotypes in our own media, and to facilitate successful cross-cultural communication. Other nations also have to be vigilant in erasing stereotypes of Americans if successful relations are to be maintained.