Last Word...

"Capitalism knows only one color: that color is green; all else is necessarily subservient to it, hence, race, gender and ethnicity cannot be considered within it" - Thomas Sowell


First off, I would like to state that I found this course on Race, Gender and the Media to be thought provoking, if, at times, redundant. It was a great concern of mine that the recurring themes of the class, or the repetitive mention of inequality and the need for enlightened perspectives, would leave some students in the class jaded, having the opposite affect intended, planting cynical seeds. I don't think this happened upon visiting with classmates. Being slightly older than the other individuals enrolled in the course, it was interesting to observe the way younger members of my generation view race and gender. The subject matter is mercurial and at times explosive, but it was rarely combative, with members of different races and genders having intense but open discussions on the state of our world and the media that covers it.


As for the media, I think the above quote hits the nail on the head. The media, whether it be papers, web-sites, advertisements (especially), or television programming, is out to generate revenue. It goes hand in hand with our capitalist roots. Of course, the fourth estate's job is to keep an eye on the government and other agencies that serve the general public, but it wouldn't be able to do so without making that ever important dollar (look at all the papers closing down recently). If it would make a company more money to advertise a product in a particular way, they would most certainly do it and not think twice about it. The system of free enterprise we subscribe to may be grounded in greed (which has recently provided some nice setbacks in the form of asshole Wall Street types), but it has allowed more people of lower class to raise up and gain wealth and success than any other system yet enacted in the history of the world. Some minor government regulation is necessary to avoid the issues mentioned previously, but that's another conversation for another time. What is key is that it simply isn't about color, gender or ethnicity: it boils down to socioeconomic status. That is how people are racked and stacked (of all colors). Yet, there is always a chance through hard work and ingenuity to rise above where you started:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV_A


What Milton Friedman just said is so simple, many won't allow it. They may very well be called Liberals. So, while we lauded the election of our first black president this past November, did we really help the people who are down in the dumps (as I've stated, color isn't involved)? By creating bigger government, aren't we providing a patchwork solution? I digress, but it is fitting!

Socially, I feel that each generation is becoming more accepting of the "other", as there is no real way of secluding oneself away from these different cultures anymore. As was stated in class, by 2050, Caucasians will be the minority in America for the first time ever. The Internet and other media outlets allow for the observation of other cultures at any time of the day. Therefore, it is important we purvey the true nature of these people. How can we do that? It is obvious that people of diverse ethnicity, as well as women, need to be involved in the process of media production. Not only this, but based on merit (something everything should be based on), more people of these backgrounds should be considered and granted positions within the ranks of the decision makers. It will provide a broader perspective, and this doesn't mean it has to change the content. Maybe these other individuals will devise a new way of packaging the same message? Show other ways of going about delivering content in a more responsible manner that still generates capital and no one would take issue, I can guarantee that.


An anecdote comes to mind that I think sums up the natural progress we are making simply by losing places to run from people who are different. One of my professors was discussing race in a class, and he brought up his son. His son had a new friend named Kwame, and when he was dropping him off at high school, my professor said, "which one is Kwame, buddy?". His son looked at the group of kids standing together and said, "The one in the blue and yellow striped polo". It was a black guy. My professor relayed the difference in mindset from his generation to his sons. Whereas someone older would have said, "The black kid", his son pointed him out not by the color of his skin, but by his apparel. This is a clear example of not seeing race as a factor of differentiation. I find this to be more and more the case these days, barring poor influence from parental figures.


Heading into the media field, it is as simple as the rule I have been taught to live by since day one. Treat others as you would want to be treated. In this regard, that means using my abilities as a journalist to cover all people in same way, and judge everyone by the same criteria.