The Modern Racist Paradigm: How The Media Forms Conscious And Subconscious Racism

The Modern Racist Paradigm: How The Media Forms Conscious And Subconscious Racism

Duration: 1:15

The television is a tremendous technological device and human accomplishment. Depending upon how it is utilized it can aid in raising awareness of events, issues, and educating its watchers. However, it can also be used as a way of misinforming, indoctrinating, and creating false realities. The following documentary exposes some of the consequences the “white male” dominated media is having on not just American society but the international community as well. The documentary begins by showing an experiment conducted by a student where she asks 5 year-old black kids to choose between white and black dolls based on which ones they think are “nice” and “pretty.” This is the same test Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife, Mamie Clark, conducted in 1939 that was later used as evidence to show “separate but equal” is inherently unequal in the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended the segregation of public schools (The Clark Doll Experiment).

Initially, this may come as a shock, but think how blacks are portrayed in TV and in movies. What attributes are they given? Many of the organizations and businesses we associate with black culture are not actually owned by blacks. For example, BET – it is owned by Viacom, a company where Sumner Redstone is the Chairman of the Board, and Philippe Dauman is the President and CEO (as of 2010). The same is true for music companies (For example, Sony Music). One must ask if this relationship is directly responsible for the content that is produced.

The documentary focuses on the phenomenon of “double eyelid” surgery. Double eyelid surgery is a procedure that creates a “crease” in the upper eyelid, making it more visible. It is sweeping through Asian culture and has been compared to the Western desire for breast implants and face-lifts. Many people who go through with the surgery say they want to do it so their physical appearances match their interpretations of what beauty is. Could the infiltration of western media and western models be fueling this? Perhaps this also explains why many video games created in Asia often have characters who appear “western.”

The film also documents how Arabs have constantly been portrayed in a negative manner throughout Hollywood’s history. Just think about Aladdin. It was my favorite Disney movie growing up, but the racism throughout it is blatant. Further, Arabs play the role of villains, or people that have “more dollars than sense.” Why? Certainly these characteristics aren’t only found in Arab culture.

Ultimately, the documentary exposes how racism has proliferated in the conscious of people all over the world through the media. In order to make up for these prejudices, it is important for us to know they exist and why they exist. I hope this film will lead to discussions that will make us more aware of what we see in the public.

Commentary by eCoylogy