The Media’s Creation and Perpetuation of Social Villains

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Who is a villain? Do they have to be considered a threat to a hospital full of elderly citizens? Or are they the as simple as the post man delivering the neighbours mail into your mail slot? The truth is the true villains are those of the Middle East, predominately those of the Islamic tradition. A bold statement I know but it must be true. As I opened the home pages of Channel10news, ABCnews and News.com.au I was bombarded with scenes of individuals of Middle Eastern appearance indulging in less than acceptable activities including burying and then stoning a woman[1] and standing in front of an arsenal of weapons[2].

The social villain constructed within the Australian economy of media transfer is that of the historically feared invader. He who is not of Anglo descent with a strange tongue and different clothes is, for lack of linguistic finesse, bad.

“Declaration of Prime Minister John Howard; ‘We will choose who comes into this country.’”[3]

http://www.news.com.au/world/what-you-need-to-know-about-stonings-and-honour-killings/story-fndir2ev-1226934316113

But where have these perspectives of who is good and who is bad come from. In its simplest derivation could it be argued that without the influence of cultural exploitation and exposure from the media the perspectives of most societies to their neighbouring states would be very different?

In recent time the most obvious and clichéd incidents of media focus is that of the events from the Middle East, mainly in the countries Afghanistan and Iraq. The events of 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq for weapons of mass destruction exposed a new land which had never received such international focus.

These widespread negative images also show how pervasively anti-Arab and anti-Muslim attitudes have become accepted or adopted by Westerners who consider themselves impartial and open-minded.[4]

But how has media facilitated such radical perspective of who is bad? And furthermore, what would drive institutions to create such a frenzy as to subject an entire culture to such vilification?  It would be nice to acknowledge that all Muslim people from Iraq are evil, it would also be just if it were true. It would be clean and simple and easy. It would be a lie. The vilification of this culture allows for fear to be created, and as a by-product of ear is the need for self-preservation.

One researches and gathers information to ensure they know how best to preserve their self. Enter the media; the one stop shop to know who will harm you and your country! The media in its capitalist situation is like any other institution which needs to create urgency and demand for its product. Why would one buy something that is not relevant or in any way insightful to their life.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=xBZ6IWCWes2lbM&tbnid=CYr-Rn_MfpL3kM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fterronezlibrary.edublogs.org%2F2010%2F03%2F07%2Freturn-books-on-time-and-avoid-fines%2F&ei=FOCHU_6ZMsOckAXw5YDgBA&bvm=bv.67720277,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNFlim1XE30IHGDay0X44a7NHqDXjw&ust=1401500042348125

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQI0tdmJ6TvG-vixKUhxBlqWDfb3fsWG6b0y9abPzARpD8QsoNQKg

 

I have presented two issues, one more relevant than the other. The first is a protest internationally which has people demonstrating their disdain for the USA- and thus their western values. The second is a notice for people to return library books on time.  The fear in spiring true life, but intercontinentally separate story is much more engaging than the relevance of a local non-life threatening situation. The library threatens nothing more than a fine, yet is immediate and local. The idea of death being imposed upon a nation is distant but still powerful.

The media are aware of the concept of self-preservation and there is nothing more satisfying to a reader than the ability to be in control and be informed about the world’s perspective and what they should do to continue living in the life they love. In it’ll only be $1.99 a day to be kept in the loop!

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[1]Australian Government (2014). Home page. Available: http://www.abc.net.au/news/. Last Accessed Date:28/05/14.

[2] News Corp Australia  (2014). Home page. Available: http://www.news.com.au/. Last Accessed Date:28/05/14.

[3] Richards, Eric (2008). Destination Australia : Migration to Australian since 1901. 1 .Australia: University of NSW Press. 329

[4] Mohammed M. Aman (2013).Images of Muslims In western Scholarship and Media Post 9/11. Digest of Middle Eastern Studies. 22(1), 44.