So, I am beginning to work on my graduate thesis. I am getting my M.A. in Media Literacy. I thought I was going to do some really heavy, thought provoking piece on feminine stereotypes in film. And then I saw a couple of ads in a magazine. What follows is the beginning of a whole new topic and a whole new direction for me. For the next several months, I will update my blog regarding the topic below. I will share what I have and have not found, any thoughts I may have on this new topic, and how it's coming along.
Currently, I am taking Media Research and our goal is to produce a 10 page (or so) paper regarding a topic within media that has a purpose. We are to pose a new question, a new way of thinking about a topic and try to answer it. The question(s) I have posed below are on a much larger scale than this smaller paper (and some are opinion), but I am going to use a small faction to begin my research and continue on with this topic during my final class.
So, what you see below is the basis for my thesis. It is by no means a finished product. This week, my goal is to make this statement clearer and more concise and also begin my literature study. We'll see how that goes...
The United States is currently at war. Actually, we are at war with several different factions. We have the War in Iraq, the lesser known War in Afghanistan, both of which brought about the War Against Terrorism, the War Against Drugs, the War Against Poverty and the War Against Illiteracy, better known as No Child Left Behind, which, ironically, seems to have been left behind. Everything we fear, we wage “war” against. Where does this fear come from? Is it fear of the unknown? Is it a psychological response to man’s inherent nature to “fight or flight”? Or is it created by and then perpetuated by the government under the guise of “freedom” and “protecting our way of life”?
There are two recent ads (within the last month) in Time magazine. The first ad depicts a crowded airport/train station/bus depot scenario. In it are several sepia colored people of presumably Middle Eastern decent. And a caption that reads, “How do you fight an enemy who hides behind the innocent?” The second ad is a picture of an Altus II robot plane, complete with missiles, flying over a presumably Middle Eastern town with a caption that reads “Never let them out of your site.” Both of these images are startling when you take a look at the production values of the ads. By the way, the ads are paid for by the United States Air Force.
The ads beg the question/hypothesis: “Is The United States government/military perpetuating the fear of terrorism in order to justify why America is still involved fighting a war that seems to have no end in sight?” It also makes one wonder are there other ads, print, television, radio or video that also fall along this line of using fear as a marketing tool? Are there statements that have been made by government officials that fall under this category? Are the ads working? Are there counter ads? Why is fear such an effective tool? Has fear been used by the government in the past?
By researching military ads made during the last seven years (since the 9/11 attacks), as well as various government statements from such people as President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress and military officials, I believe an answer can be found. Exposing the truths behind statements and ads will help to open the eyes of those who refuse or cannot see the truth for what it is. There will possibly be a link between fear and the government through advertising. If the government can keep Americans afraid of terrorism, if they can keep perpetuating the fear of the unknown, they can keep us under control. The government can continue to have Americans who will fight without asking questions, an America that will continue to throw away billions of dollars in a war that cannot be “won” and a loss of countless lives all in the name of “freedom”.
To this date, over 4,000 American men and women have lost their lives fighting this war. This does not take into account the number of Americans who have been injured. It also does not take into account the number of Iraqi citizens who have been injured or killed within the last five years. How many lives does it take? What will it take for the American people to understand they are being deceived by the government of the United States?
This project is highly relevant in a time in which America is struggling to right itself in the now global/human market. America’s past is built upon it’s citizens who have struggled and protested against regimes and old doctrines time and time again. From tyranny, to slavery, to women’s rights to segregation, we have struggled to gain acceptance within the eyes of our own government as human beings. Do we continue to allow our current administration to treat us as sheep, corralled for “freedom”, or do we stand and fight for our own freedom and the true freedom of others.
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