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omi and hooks
POPULAR CULTURE AND ITS EFFECT ON SOCIETY Despite many progressive changes in our society, racism is still a major issue. Younger generations are exposed to racism through popular culture. Michael Omi and bell hooks both wrote pieces discussing the effects of popular culture on peoples’ views of race. Omi and hooks both argue that popular culture is responsible for reproducing stereotypes; Omi claims that racism goes unnoticed by society because it is a subconscious act or learned behavior and it is overlooked, almost invisible, on the other hand, hooks claims that society is in fact aware of racism, but society doesn’t view it as being racist because they believe that it’s representing a progressive change. Pop culture is to blame for this because it allows race to be at the center of almost all themes in the media including film, literature, music and advertisements and it continually defines Americans based on their race; the manner in which race is depicted in popular culture serves as a model for society that says race is an important factor.
Omi’s piece discusses racial issues in our society brought on by the media and popular culture. He argues that society trains people to think that racist behavior is natural. This makes it difficult for people to realize they are thinking in a racist way. Omi claims, “Popular culture has been an important realm within which racial ideologies have been created, reproduced, and sustained. Such ideologies provide a framework of symbols, concepts, and images through which we understand, interpret, and represent aspects of our “racial” existence.” (377) Omi and hooks both support this claim. Omi illustrates an example in American films. He uses the film, Cohen’s Advertising Scheme (1904); a film about a Jewish storeowner who takes advantage of people so he can benefit financially. Omi states that up until this film many of the stereotypes associated with Jews had faded from the limelight. The release of this film
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