America goes to the Movies
January 31st 2007 04:55
Following on this line of who loves drama and how much, I read an article for class today (completely coincidentally) discussing how America's penchant for violence, sex, and general debauchery, as we portray it in the movies is one of the leading causes of anti-american sentiments abroad.
I vacilate between belief and disbelief on this one. The article specifically refers to American Beauty and points out how the seediness and depravity of even the "typcial" suburban family was enough to convince foreigners abroad, with no other contact to American life, that the USA is a depraved nation, indeed.
But do the images depicted in this *popular* art form, but art form nonetheless, actually stir up feelings of anti-americanism or do they merely provide a good outlet for feelings that already exist? In assuming that non-American's would not be able to distinguish between life as rendered artistically and life as reality, are we not continuing to give amunition to those who oppose us? Denying the intelligence of the enemy doesn't hurt them as much as it will hurt us in the long run. Do people really not know the difference between the movies and life? Doesn't this point to a much greater problem? Namely that education has been too thin, too sparse, and too marginalized that the vast majority of non-Americans have trouble differentiating between information intelligently presented and art, beautifully presented?
So, are we asking for it by sending our love of drama overseas in film canisters? Are we giving the enemy ammunition for a fight or are we merely providing them with a cover for the animosity they already harboured? Are we imbuing ourselves with more insight and more knowledge by suggesting that our drama is indistinguishable from our life for most, or do we fail to miss a cruicial opportunity to change world opinion, capture hearts and minds by continuing to export our excess to friends, enemeis, and those who are, as yet, unsure?
And deeper still, *is this who we are?* Despite the percentages of pre-marital sex shown on TV and movies being significantly higher then statistics from real life, and likewise instances of violence and homosexuality, is this who we are? Are we what we love?
I vacilate between belief and disbelief on this one. The article specifically refers to American Beauty and points out how the seediness and depravity of even the "typcial" suburban family was enough to convince foreigners abroad, with no other contact to American life, that the USA is a depraved nation, indeed.
But do the images depicted in this *popular* art form, but art form nonetheless, actually stir up feelings of anti-americanism or do they merely provide a good outlet for feelings that already exist? In assuming that non-American's would not be able to distinguish between life as rendered artistically and life as reality, are we not continuing to give amunition to those who oppose us? Denying the intelligence of the enemy doesn't hurt them as much as it will hurt us in the long run. Do people really not know the difference between the movies and life? Doesn't this point to a much greater problem? Namely that education has been too thin, too sparse, and too marginalized that the vast majority of non-Americans have trouble differentiating between information intelligently presented and art, beautifully presented?
So, are we asking for it by sending our love of drama overseas in film canisters? Are we giving the enemy ammunition for a fight or are we merely providing them with a cover for the animosity they already harboured? Are we imbuing ourselves with more insight and more knowledge by suggesting that our drama is indistinguishable from our life for most, or do we fail to miss a cruicial opportunity to change world opinion, capture hearts and minds by continuing to export our excess to friends, enemeis, and those who are, as yet, unsure?
And deeper still, *is this who we are?* Despite the percentages of pre-marital sex shown on TV and movies being significantly higher then statistics from real life, and likewise instances of violence and homosexuality, is this who we are? Are we what we love?
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