I thought the podcast was so interesting this week. I have always been so confused over the hold that media has on us. I am not saying that I am any different — I let myself get equally sucked in. But it is crazy to think that this new age of media is not just affecting our day to day but also is triggering our biases when trusting leaders. The conversation about FDR was so weird to think about. Timing really is everything when it comes to this issue but I think that the fact that we would trust his voice and words but not his appearence is insane. This is similar to what Dr. Bezio brought up about Nixon and JFK. I think that it is really weird that these studies have been replicated and we still react like this. Further, I think it is crazy to think of a world in which you would have no clue what a leader really sounded or looked like. Now, there are sound bytes and videos circulating that many, many people will automatically recognize.
The evolution of media is still continuing to grow at a very fast rate. It is concerning to think that we are choosing leaders over physical appearance. This is kind of like the new “influencer” culture in which people put value and trust into people who are attractive. I have always hated that we put people on pedestals with no actual substance. I also think this discussion is so relevant to pop culture right now because all of these celebrities that have such a captivating hold over us, look very similar. There is no diversity and it is sad. I understand that we trust people with who we can already make a connection just based on looks, but I wish our lizard brains would actually get with the times because consciously, we know that we can trust others even if they do not really look like us.
What you said about today’s media triggering our biases when trusting leaders, and made me think about how this occurs. I think that while some media does so accidentally, much of it very intentionally feeds on our implicit biases and caters to social standards that make or may not actually be reflective of our society.
We definitely have a tendency to hold people on a pedestal in influencer culture, especially when they are conventionally attractive or look like us. Within the world of TikTok and Instagram, these tendencies are exacerbated by the algorithms that make up your feed, your suggestions, and your FYP, so that even if you would enjoy video from people who are not as conventionally attractive or don’t look like you, they are harder to find, or at least are not suggested as often. I think it’s really important to call out racism and colorism in how we construct what is conventionally attractive as well, as just another example of how systems get into your head.