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Relationship of media and society
Approaches to the relationship between media and society
Approaches to the relationship between media and society
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South Park as Parody of Society
South Park began airing in 1997. The commercials that preceded it gave the impression of it being another stupid cartoon; however, when I began watching, I realized important issues were being covered through the repeated behaviors and actions of its characters, through the influences these actions could have on the viewers, through the reinforcement and rejections of certain stereotypes, through the long-term effects that could result from watching the program, and through its reflection of social reality.
Some of the repeated behaviors and actions of the characters include one of the children (Kenny) dying during each episode (followed by Stan yelling, "Oh, my God! They've killed Kenny" (South Park).); the children ragging the overweight kid; the African-American chef obsessing about sex; and the geneticist performing insane experiments in his spooky laboratory.
Kenny has been shot, run over by a train, impaled on a flag pole, beheaded, crushed by Mir, and taken by Death himself--to name a few. Cartman, the overweight kid, has been called "fat ass," "lard ass," and "the fat kid" (South Park). There are numerous references to his weight throughout each episode; he eats continuously, thanks to his Mother's cooking and offering cookies, chocolate-chicken pot pies, and Cheesy Poofs. Each time Chef (voice of Isaac Hayes) offers to explain important issues to the kids, he breaks into a song about making "sweet love" to a woman. This leaves the children wondering just what the heck he is trying to say. There are references to his having sex with every available (and even unavailable) female in the town. There is a take-off of The Island of Dr. Moreau with a geneticist--mimicking Marlon Bran...
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...in most of the episodes these negative actions and beliefs are dealt with in a manner that seeks to alleviate them. Unfortunately, this manner of alleviation is found in the subtext, and most people are not willing to look that far; it requires too much effort.
Frighteningly, the show is a parody of society itself. In film, parody is usually the death-knell of a particular genre. Years ago, I read that Ren and Stimpy (another cartoon) was proof of the decline of our civilization because of its attacks on societal norms. Could South Park be further proof of this decline, or is it just a funny cartoon that allows us to laugh at ourselves while dealing with our fears?
Bibliography
South Park. Prod. Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Comedy Central, New York. 1997.
Superman. Dir. Richard Donner. Perf. Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman. Dovemead Film Export, 1978.
"No one is born a racist bigot. In other words, racial bigotry or racial prejudice is not genetically or
The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on America's Culture Since its start, the television industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about African-Americans through characterizations, story lines, and plots. The situation comedy has been the area that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jefferson’s in the 1970s to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have always been controversial. However, their significance upon our American culture cannot be disregarded.
Generations of native people in Canada have faced suffering and cultural loss as a result of European colonization of their land. Government legislation has impacted the lives of five generations of First Nations people and as a result the fifth generation (from 1980 to present) is working to recover from their crippled cultural identity (Deiter-McArthur 379-380). This current generation is living with the fallout of previous government policies and societal prejudices that linger from four generations previous. Unrepentant, Canada’s ‘Genocide’, and Saskatchewan’s Indian People – Five Generations highlight issues that negatively influence First Nations people. The fifth generation of native people struggle against tremendous adversity in regard to assimilation, integration, separation, and recovering their cultural identity with inadequate assistance from our great nation.
Television is the pinnacle of human creation. A box the size of an animal that could produce pictures that move and was created thousands of miles away in a studio by other humans whose job it was to entertain the public, but does the need to entertain remove from the possible knowledge to attain. Shows like Family Guy, Futurama, and South Park are some of the many shows that people decree as pointless, a joke, a waste of time, or idiotic. To the unknowing eye theses shows are indeed nothing more than a joke or entertain, but if one were to take a closer look into the shows it is possible to see that jokes, storylines, and characters represent a bigger picture. Family Guy, Futurama, and South Park are some of those shows that use satire to
if we do nothing about it. The story of South Park is centered around four fourth graders, Eric Cartman,
The world of the First Nation’s treaties questions ignorance of oral history, the way the treaties were upheld but not respected and the common agreements between Canadian government and aboriginal law. The ignorance is how the oral history of first nations was ignored and forgotten. The oral history states that the land was to be shared and not given away; it cannot be bought or sold. First Nations were placed on the land as guardians. The government ignored this oral agreement and made a written agreement that stated that the First Nations “ceded and surrendered” the land, stripping them of their claim to it. It wasn’t until modern day that the treaties have been recognised, oral and written. First Nations voices are finally being heard about their land, but still have negotiations going on to try and repair the damage that was done when the oral history was ignored, but it is still a low priority for the government.
This paper supports Thomas Flanagan's argument against Native sovereignty in Canada; through an evaluation of the meanings of sovereignty it is clear that Native sovereignty can not coexist with Canadian sovereignty. Flanagan outlines two main interpretations of sovereignty. Through an analysis of these ideas it is clear that Native Sovereignty in Canada can not coexist with Canadian sovereignty.
The author of “Shopping at J-Mart with the Williams”, Lindsay Coleman, discusses race, ethnicity, and belonging in South Park. She talks about how South Park joins the “long tradition of decidedly impolite, racially charged comedy” (Coleman 131) through rhetoric. Coleman goes on to give specific examples of racially based actions in different episodes to show the commonality of this rhetoric in South Park. She explains how typical black stereotypes are portrayed in some episodes to help highlight South Park’s use of racial comedy. She also explores the role reversal of race through “social condition” (Coleman 131). In America, most people associate wealth with white men/women, but in South Park, the black men and women are the wealthy people.
When the FOX network aired "The Simpsons" in 1989, the show brought the yellow-skinned and four-fingered cartoon characters named Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson into millions of American living rooms. This bent archetype of the American family, as well as the hundreds of zany characters that populate their all-American hometown of Springfield, fast became the targets of enormous criticism. Elementary schools banned T-shirts bearing the images of the Simpson family and their slogans. Former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett and even President George Bush berated the show as subversive and demeaning (McAllister 1494). However, a more careful investigation of the show reveals far more than nose-thumbing gutter humor--enveloped in sarcasm and comedy, "The Simpsons" offers a thought-provoking critique of American politics, faith, and the American family.
The “advocacy explosion” in the United States in the 20th century has been caused by the extreme increase in the number of interest groups in the United States. The general public views the increase and the groups themselves as a cancer that has come to the body of American politics and is spreading. The explosion in the number of interest groups and interest group members and finances has had an effect on the decline of the American political party and partisanship, the effect on democracy and the public interest, and the bias that has come with interest group competition.
In this book, the author Brian Cogan discusses the most controversial television show in history, South Park. He discusses how South Park, even though it seems simple, is a very thoughtful program on television that discusses many social issues. The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, created a social and political commentary that has been the most successful in television history. Cogan discusses how South Park is a commentary on American culture that is focused around controversial issues. The sitcom allows for the creators to become involved in discussions regarding issues such as religion and sexuality.
It is important to recognize Indigenous people’s right to self-determination and self-governance because it involves the state’s obligation to protect the rights of all its people. The government has a legal obligation to consult with Aboriginal groups when it involves activities that interfere with their treaty rights. Academic critics of Aboriginal rights and Indigenous self-government, such as Tom Flanageans, have argued that Europeans used individual title to property as a method to “dismantle indigenous communities” by separating the land from collective ownership to individual property (Coates, 2008, p.12). The depth of concern on these issues should not be underestimated since it involves fundamental concepts of fairness and equality within the justice
Early childhood education is a very important step during a child’s educational career. This is the level where the entire framework is laid. The four major areas of development are further defined ...
In the new millennium, the concepts of racial diversity in multiculturalism have become part of the fabric of American discourse. Consequently, the television industry faces an increased pressure from advocacy groups to better reflect the nation’s demographic reality. Many observers of American popular culture believe that multicultural television fare presented when children are most likely to be viewing this critical to advancing acceptance of racial and ethnic diversity in the United States. (Wilson, Gutierrez & Chao) Being a show designed for younger audiences, Everybody Hates Chris is able to address racial stereotypes to young audiences and possibly impact the way younge...
Like political parties, pressure groups can be considered another system that connects the citizen more directly to government. However, at the same instant there are marked differences in both composition and function that define interest groups as different entities from larger political parties. According to V.O. Key Jr. in a composition appropriately entitled Pressure Groups; pressure groups “Ordinarily… concern themselves with only a narrow range of policies;” and unlike the goals of political parties, their intentions are to “influence the content of public policy rather than the results of elections.” Nevertheless, it is a realized fact that special interest groups with a mass membership are considered to be congregations with enough power to affect election results and “pressure party leaders, legislators, and others in official position to act in accord with their wishes…”