When I say "the people" I mean it in juxtaposition to "the top". You're blaming the top, the media, etc. I'm saying you should be blaming the general population, not the top. You're
And I'm not saying that anyone has been brainwashed, hypnotized, etc. You are the one who said that the people are "idiots". That includes Asians, blacks, hispanics, whites, etc. and that some great unnamed "top" and "media" are what drives people like Elliot Rodgers to hate his Asian-ness.
I simply disagree with this.
Of course the media has influence on what people think. But the imagery that the media chooses to portray has its roots in the general cross section of the population. Here's a simple example - long before tv and radio, black people were considered more violent and less intelligent. Modern media continues to promote that imagery - but modern media did not create the imagery. The source is not the media. The source is the general population and their stereotypes, the media reflects that more than it creates it. It's a giant feedback loop. People have beliefs, media reflects those beliefs back at them because the people in media share the same beliefs. Validation of already held beliefs takes effect.
Which is why when media changes it's imagery, like it does now when it reflects more minorities, more mixed couples, more minorities in leadership positions, you get more people complaining about an "agenda". If the media was creating the belief systems people would be far more accepting about the changing imagery. But they're not. The new media imagery contradicts their internally held beliefs so they're trying to reject the imagery itself. If people refuse to accept the idea of a more diverse society, they will not watch it and only those programs that reinforce what they want to believe with remain.
You're seeing more minorities in positive light in the media, not because the media has changed, but because society itself has changed. As society changes, the media will change. But only as fast as the general population will support it via ad dollars and media consumption.
So, I think you're wrong. The negative imagery is not starting with media. Media is reflecting back what the society itself thinks. It plays a role but it's not the starting mechanism.
