While reading Lippmann I took particular interest to a few points that stuck out in my head as concepts that I have experienced first hand. Lippmann spoke frequently about how we cannot help but have stereotypes, because we go into experiences with a vision already in my mind. This is a natural reflex, but as I thought about it I was angered by how frequently our visions are influenced by others. For instance, when I began my student teaching I was bombarded with negative attitudes about the school I was going to enter. Before I knew it, I was thinking negative thoughts that were unwarranted – just because other gatekeepers influenced me. But, if we are aware of stereotypes we have, as Bradley Gorham* points out in "Race/Gender/Media", we can work harder to enter situations with an open mind. Why not go into something with good pictures in our heads, rather than stereotypes which have been planted? If we do this, we are not creating great barriers between ourselves and others (Lippmann) before we have a chance to create our own picture. If we are trying to limit gatekeeper’s influence, I feel this is a good direction to go.
I chose this quote to analyze because I feel that I can really apply to my life and to other’s lives around me. What we do, based on the pictures in our minds, affects others and in turn, affects us. This is a ripple affect. If we go into a day with a positive stereotype of the world (because remember, stereotypes are not always negative), we are more likely to encounter positive people and positive situations. The same is true if we go into a day with a negative/angry/bitter stereotype of the world. My personal belief, and what I take from this quote is why not start with that kind stereotype and do ourselves a favor!
*Bradley Gorham is a professor at the University of Michigan. His particular interest is in the effects of mass communication and how stereotypes and media are affected.
“For when a system of stereotypes is will fixed, our attention is called to
those facts which support it, and diverted from those which contradict. So
perhaps it is because they are attuned to find it, that kindly people discover
so much reason for kindness, malicious people so much malice” Lippmann Chapter 9, Section 2)
I chose this quote to analyze because I feel that I can really apply to my life and to other’s lives around me. What we do, based on the pictures in our minds, affects others and in turn, affects us. This is a ripple affect. If we go into a day with a positive stereotype of the world (because remember, stereotypes are not always negative), we are more likely to encounter positive people and positive situations. The same is true if we go into a day with a negative/angry/bitter stereotype of the world. My personal belief, and what I take from this quote is why not start with that kind stereotype and do ourselves a favor!
*Bradley Gorham is a professor at the University of Michigan. His particular interest is in the effects of mass communication and how stereotypes and media are affected.
1 comment:
I really like your thoughts on stereotypes. I especially liked when you said “Why not go into something with good pictures in our heads, rather than stereotypes which have been planted?” Being an education major, I feel like that is something that every teacher should accomplish before going into the classroom. It might help to change our society into no longer having negative stereotypes and for people to always face new situations as a learning experience with good/positive pictures in their head.
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