Learning Through The Media

When it comes to films, people either see it for entertainment or for something with a meaning/lesson behind it. Ava DuVernay's films usually contain a lesson or a certain meaning behind them as well as providing entertainment to an extent. In the movie "Middle of Nowhere" it is uncommon to see many adult dramas that move you and feel a sense of accomplishment. It is attuned to real people and their complex problems, and emotions you can relate to without regards to the race of the characters involved. The story is so realistic of what happens to a wife and a married to a husband that is sent to prison takes its subject too serious to over dramatize it. The film shows the viewer the path of self-actualization. Having to find yourself when you feel trapped in the middle of nowhere emotionally going on a quest that allows for no shortcuts or simple solutions. Films such as these give viewers a different or understanding perspective on how different/similar people's lives can be. Movies don't always have to be overly dramatic or filled with action to be compelling. Movies such as Selma, The Pursuit of Happiness, and Rocky gives viewers a sense of inspiration for everyone to understand.

The Black Temple

Ever since black slaves were shipped to the U.S, the black body has been used for many things such as sexual pleasure, experimentation and forced labor.After the decline of slavery, Jim Crow laws enabled Western society in the south to exploit black bodies for labor and sexual pleasures. In this era, the media uses its power to influence the mind into listening to and doing what they want them to. Due to the way the media functions, sex sells. Due to the fact of sex selling, the sexual exploitation of the black body happens everywhere in our society. The biggest target of exploitation would be the black female body. Society would describe the female body as “hot tail”, which is one of the many example that describes the female body in a sexual manner. The black female body has been external controlled by mostly white men and women. Society has defined black bodies as "exotic experience", but also demonizing black sexuality by associating it with bestiality and unnaturalness. The London Times reported on the public exploitation that surrounded the display of Sara Baartman’s (Hottentot Venus) body, writing that they brought her away from her own country without her consent, was kept here for exhibition without her consent. Black people have been stuck in a battle since the early twentieth century to regain control over their bodies. However, the history on the exploitation of their bodies continues even after the decline of slavery.

http://rebelpundit.com/urban-media-and-the-exploitation-of-black-communities/

       Chimamanda Adichie's speech on the "Single Story" resonated with me the most out of all the topics discussed. We all come from different aspects of life with a story to tell from every single one of them, but yet people bunch together certain types of people due to the usage of the single story. The usage of the single story is basically another way of stereotyping another person. They use one source of knowledge to form an entire view on one thing. Adichie admits in her speech that we're all guilty of making an assumption about a certain thing or person one time or another. The phrase "Don't judge a book by it's cover" has been around for a very long time, but it's almost like human nature to judge someone solely based on their outward appearance before actually knowing what that person's life really is about. In my opinion, the whole "Single Story" mechanism is used as a way to understand something or someone without having to delve into it and actually try to get a firm grasp of what it truly is. It's not always negative but it still paints a label on said individual. The link below is a small project made by students which give a small example of what a single story is like. The project reflects on stereotyping but that's basically part of what the usage of the single story is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iZc8SuWML8