American film and music's influence on destructive social values

Popular American Culture

The analogy of the tail-wagging-the-dog has never been more prevalent than in the expression of contemporary angst, vision and dreams popularly embraced by American film and music. Where both mediums were once the looking glass through which society could admire its best qualities and endeavor to rise above its worst ones, the passage of time and the resultant re-invention of personal values have transformed them into templates for destructive behaviors predicated on greed, loss of identity and desperation.

SEX

What ever happened to commitment and fidelity? The themes of early movies and songs revolved around the premise that for every woman there was just the right man, a romantic journey of discovery that was as happily anticipatory as the final destination itself was secure and ever-lasting. One needs only to look at America's dismal, 50% divorce rate to question the validity of those early promises, a disenchantment subsequently reflected in the big screen's uninhibited bed-hopping romps and the music scene's reinforcement of the philosophy that if at first you don't find love, you may as well just put a bullet in your brain. The excessive displays of nudity gracing CD covers and bouncing throughout movie plots have further fueled an interesting dichotomy: some interpret this mass market exhibitionism as permission to shed their sexual inhibitions (along with everything else) whereas others, assaulted with unbidden images of naked and youthful perfection, can't help but make mental comparisons and deem themselves as "lacking."

AGE

It is no coincidence that the largest consumer group at today's record stores and at the movies belongs to the same age category as the most popular artists and up-and-coming stars. Both industries are heavily geared toward youth, subliminally espousing the notion that imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery but the fastest route to financial success and peer envy. In addition, the skewed view presented that only the young have something of value to contribute to society has impacted the negative way in which today's youth respond to their parents, their teachers, and other adult authority figures whom they regard as woefully prehistoric and out of touch.

RACE

The steady assimilation of other ethnicities and cultures into mass media entertainment has been a plus insofar as educating the ethnocentric, particularly in terms of breaking previous stereotypes and depicting minorities in roles of authority and prestige commensurate with the jobs, responsibilities and accomplishments of their real-life counterparts. In addition, the inclusion of non-Caucasians in major films and the meteoric achievements of ethnic musicians who have brought their signature sounds to life provide positive role models for inner-city, rural, and immigrant youth. Not so positive, of course, are the traits of arrogance, selfishness and insensitivity to others that sometimes become part of the emulation message. The obsession of becoming an actor or a rock star has also served to blind our youth to the practicalities of getting a good education first and developing marketable job skills to fall back on.

WORK

In real life, work is a necessary means to an end. In film, of course, the end is always achieved whether the protagonist is gainfully employed at the time or not. His or her employment status also seems to have no direct bearing on the standard of living (regardless of city), nor the furnishings artfully assembled within. For the sake of plot contrivance, low-end service jobs are misrepresented as yielding a fairly comfortable income and plenty of flexibility in one's hours to go pursue other interests. Not only does this carry the potential to be demoralizing to individuals who actually have to work in those dead-end, minimum-wage occupations but the flagrant abuse of the employer's time, resources and trust serves the twofold objective of challenging authority and challenging the work ethic itself. In the area of music, what few songs are penned and sung about work per se are in the context of it being a necessary evil and an impediment to the enjoyment of more satisfying, short-term pursuits.

CRIME

The emergence of the misunderstood anti-hero in today's films and music has set forth the conflicting message to viewers that although crime is morally and legally wrong, it can still be awfully glamorous and lead to more perks than plodding along and riding the straight and narrow. Those who tread the path of danger are generally better dressed, better fed and drive much more desirable vehicles than those who would bring them to justice. Coupled with the supposition that attractive law-breakers are easier to forgive for their transgressions than ugly ones, moviegoers are routinely exposed to eye-candy characters whose particular circumstances encourage empathy rather than arouse anger. We want them to get away if for no other reason than to satisfy our thirst for entertainment and make them reappear in a sequel. To no surprise, it is the intent of the scriptwriters to vicariously challenge audiences to consider what they themselves would do if confronted with the same scenario and the choice of good vs. evil. Such mental handsprings manifest themselves not only in re-evaluation of past actions that might have yielded higher rewards but in strategizing future moves to put oneself ahead of the competition and/or secure a long-sought prize through any possible means. The glorification of crime as a career choice -- as depicted in cinema and song -- presents a mixed message, especially to the young and impressionable. Additionally, the excess of "reality shows" that hold nothing back in showing audiences the sleazy underbelly of prostitution, the adrenaline rush of high-speed chases and explosive crashes, the violence of robberies and hostage situations, and the aftermath for the victims of criminal events has countermanded the very reason that most people were originally drawn to "reel" life to begin with: the escape it afforded from "real" life.