Holding Up a Mirror to a Classless Society

            Even though the article was brief, I enjoyed reading Suarez’s L&C chapter because it reminded me of what a crucial role the media plays in shaping social inequalities.  When Suarez mentioned that we rarely see a white man being arrested with his hands behind his head on television, it occurred to me that the media has a strong affect on what individuals believe to be normal or not normal.  Even if we don’t realize it at first, these subtle details (for instance, tendency for a black man to be arrested on the news rather than a white one) shape how we perceive the world.  Television often idealizes life.  People, forgetting that television is impractical and often unrealistic, begin to try to shape their own lives to be like the ones they see on television and then feel disappointed when their lives do not turn out to be as perfect as the fictionalized ones on television.

            The news in itself also affects how people will place themselves on the social hierarchy.  If people hear that others are doing well (for instance, a broadcaster announces that America has pulled out of the recession) while they themselves have remained in the same position, these individuals might feel discouraged and decide to place themselves on a lower rung of the social ladder.  In addition, if rich people are given more time on the news, others will feel their own personal lack of money more so than they would have if working class people appeared on television.  I would be very interested in reading more articles on how the media and television affect the growth of social inequality in America, if anyone has any ideas or links please don’t hesitate to share.