I remember when I saw the first advertisement for the new race-divided Survivor. I was appalled and with good reason. I anticipated that there would be public uproar when the show started, so I watched 1 or 2 shows so I would be able to contribute to the uproar. Problem was that I didn’t even hear a little roar and in watching the show to fight it, I actually ended up contributing to ratings. A real catch 22, when it comes to the media. You watch to fight against it, but in doing so you keep the show going and everyone just acts like the world is hunky-dory and does nothing.
It is no longer ‘survival of the fittest’ but ‘survival of the fittest race’. This show is taking steps back from individual equality. Yes, we are definitely not equal yet. The caucasian race still seems to dominate at the world scale, but we are moving towards integration and equality. Separating us by race in mainstream television is irresponsible and inappropriate. Pitting the ethnicities against one another sort of emulates a mini world war on our own television screens.
Even if the teams become integrated, only one person wins and that person represents their race. So the other three races are losers and the winner gets bragging rights because of the color of his skin?
I mean what’s next, Canadian Survivor, Aboriginals, Maritimers, Prairies and Frenchies all competing for the title of the best race or culture or whatever??? This type of media is inhibiting all movements towards social respect and equality.
This was not a social experiment, this was a move to get people to pick sides and create controversy. I am offended by this blatant segregation of the four “main cultures”. Not only are these cultures being stereotyped throughout the show, but now the world comes down to four types of people? Picking ‘the main four’ completely disregards the vast cultural diversity that exists within our world.
What really strikes me is that when it comes to divisions by race it is noticed, but what about “boys against girls” which is everywhere in our culture. Having groups compete to demonstrate their greatness will only evoke social problems. This world is divided by race, gender and class; so in some ways the media is simply representing society. However, since the media is so influential to our daily lives there is a grand responsibility on its shoulders to make accurate and unbiased representations about people and perhaps contribute to changing these inequalities
The other article about race and ethnicity in the movies raises some interesting notions as well. I think all races are portrayed in stereotypical ways that do not accurately or respectfully represent that culture as a whole. I think any movie or television show in the media can be dissected to find underlying racism and/or sexism. Because these things are so embedded in our real lives, they are also entrenched in our mass media.
The question is, is it the media’s racial and sexual portrayals that affect our culture or is it our culture that needs to demand changes in the workplace, government, education and the media?
Perhaps if the media could portray us all as equals, we could start to see it as a possibility in real life? I think that may be a little too idealistic and also scary to give such a huge responsibility to TV and movies!
Representing for their race…
