Stereotypes in Popular Culture

In today's fast paced, modern society media can mean a number of things. It could refer to the traditional newspaper, or it may refer too more updated forms of media like pod-casts. Regardless of the type of media, one thing is certain; the fact that media is biased. Due to the nature of media (to report recent news, events, trends and etc) it is certain that all parties of interest, all those involved, will not be represented equally. More often than naught, we find that said parties are separated by race and the stereotypes, which accompany them, which is to say that races are not represented equally in American popular culture. We frequently observe the entertainment industry abuse current stereotypes for monetary gain. Oftentimes, the perpetrators are members of the very party whose presence, on a national and global scale, they stand to damage and in certain cases, destroy. An example of this common occurrence can be the current situations facing three of the main minority races in the United States. African -Americans (Blacks), Latinos, and Native Americans (more commonly called Indians). Due to the fact that stereotypes about the three are so public and accepted, many members buy into the lies themselves. African-Americans feel like they have to be thug-like to be accepted, and that school is a waste of time. Latinos share a similar, oftentimes, worse disposition, while Native Americans are still painted as the savage, warlike, anarchic clans of yesteryear. Rather than risk ridicule and worse yet, bankruptcy, many companies further said stereotypes for the sole purpose of making a profit. The unintended side effect of this however is that the lines between reality and fiction become blurred in a sense.