Consumption

In the Davila reading I was particularly drawn to the idea of “cultural-citizenship,” and the way that media can influence how Latinos, or minorities, may feel about their place in the United States. Latinos can often be painted in a particular light that only aligns with a stereotype. However, even if someone of Hispanic descent is a native born citizen of the United States because of how the media commercializes/markets the Hispanic culture they may never fully believe they are apart of the United States Society. In my video I included the quote, “We need to analyze commercial media in conversation with other venues of signification, neither in opposition nor in collusion, but rather in relation to state-produced ideologies and other existing frameworks that may affect people’s belonging on the basis of race, culture, or nationality.” I felt as though this quote touched on what both advertisers and consumers need to do when it comes to understanding different cultures instead of automatically falling for a stereotypical image. I felt as though this paralleled with the audio in the clip where Lin Manuel Miranda explains why there should be less of a divide in media when it comes to casting. In Tony-Award Winning Play Hamilton, which is the video featured in the clip, Miranda has cast the founding fathers of our nation as minorities which shows that a latino man or woman, or a person of color, does not need to be held back from playing a traditional white role just because of their culture and race. By casting these characters as people of minority groups it allows consumers to disregard stereotypes and allows Latinos to feel as though they are cultural citizens.

Do you feel as though you are apart of a specific audience when it comes to media? If so what group are you apart of that you feel the media is trying to appeal to?

Do you think your media consumption affects your social realities and the way you think of yourself and others?