Populist Movements and the Media

Recently I watched “Princess and the Frog” and more than ever I crave a trip to New Orleans.

A picture with Tiana and a beignet from Disneyland is all I have been able to achieve so far though.

The film captures the imagination for so many reasons, but one significant feature I noticed was the relationship between Tiana and her best friend Charlotte.

In “Princess and the Frog,” Tiana and her best friend are of different color, and yet this fact is never highlighted during the film. Unfortunately, this is not the typical trend in today’s entertainment industry. Somehow ethnic identity and exclusivity have become more important to storylines than actual character development.

The KKK and the Black Lives Matter movements share an important connection to these ever deepening cultural divides in our television and film. Groups such as these provide individuals with a more powerful collective voice for their demographic, but are also a direct result of reactionary group psychology.

Exclusive groups such as these arise from some combination of rapid social change, fear of physical attack, government misconduct and economic turmoil.

Race is an accessible mechanism of power and control for individuals unable to tackle root issues within the government and economy. The average person aims to reclaim an illusion of choice and control over his or her life at a local level. The siren call of membership seems like a quick solution, easier than considering the oft overwhelming concepts of collective resistance or government reformation.

Whereas the psychology which drives these groups is natural, they are nonetheless destructive.

Media outlets stand to profit from the sensationalist journalism and milk every dollar out of racial conflict nationwide. Even the founder of the KKK was in it for a quick buck selling hoods and pamphlets to incoming members.

When you walk across campus, watch a movie, or encounter someone different in any way, you have to keep in mind the famous words of Mama Odie, “You gotta’ dig a little deeper,” and look for reasons to love, because they are already there.