Thought Process

Everyday I sit back and reflect on all the things I've learned or should have learned that particular day. I then follow up my thoughts with some profound question, usually with no definite answer, an exercise in futility to strengthen the muscle between my ears. And much like our illustrious professor, I too suffer from an attention disorder that could at any given moment withdraw me from the conscious world and entangle me with thought and conjecture within my own mind.
One said occasion happened as I flipped through the various news channels yesterday, I noticed each network was covering the exact same story at the exact same time. Normally this would not bother me or attract my attention, but as I listened to other students in Wolfe Center I quickly noticed that a majority were talking about that particular story.
And even more puzzling many students without hearing any other facts echoed the same exact sentiments of the broadcasting reporter. I find this particular troublesome because even when attending church, as the pastor would quote and interpret scripture I would take notes and later double check them for accuracy before I accepted them as truth.
This whole-hearted acceptance of many future journalists displayed the true power of our medium, the ability to condition viewers to believe whatever is reported during the news program of their choice.
Which led me to question whether the news tells viewers what to think or what to think about. Simply by choosing what to air, news outlets dictate all topics of conversation. And though it may be cliche, stories not chosen for broadcast or print are out of sight and therefore out of mind. But even more troubling than the power to control a viewers focus, news has the uncanny ability to persuade and dissuade viewers from taking a particular stance or action on an issue.
I wondered how the media's powers of influence can be applied to our multi-ethnic class and realized the ability of news to broadcast one consistent message to viewers undermines our ability to discriminate fact from opinion. Unknowingly, we categorically accept everything said on the news as truth. And in relation to race and ethnicity we begin to believe the constant repetition of ethnic stereotypes that over time become second nature to us. These subtle stereotypes become common and when something a story is contrary to our accepted perspective we immediately label it as rare.
Black people are illiterate, unintelligent, welfare-wanting, pants-sagging, crime-committing, chicken and watermelon eating burdens on society. So when an individual like President Obama is introduced, people perceive him as a rarity, a circus freak on display for upstanding citizens to gaze at an remark, "wow he's so articulate," as if he was the first, last and only black man blessed with the ability to speak coherently.
And even more troubling, these views are not forced upon us, we crave them, we gravitate to the information that is consistent and reinforces our beliefs. And as we consume the rhetoric and stereotypes spoon fed to us by commentators, editors, and reporters, we sit back and ask questions like "is America ready for a black president," or "what if he's Muslim and not see the problem with answers or the fact the question was asked.