While discussing American cinema with a citizen of Russia, it was pointed out to me that the US always uses its enemies as the bad guys in films. It is almost never another American. North Korea, Russia, and Middle Easterners are our most common enemies.
My friend tells me that this is not so in other countries. I was a taken aback! I honestly cannot recall an action movie where the villain did not have connections to one of the aforementioned countries. This led me to thinking, what is our aversion to fighting crime that originates in our own backyard. With our constant stream of political news feeds, is it really necessary to perpetuate an us vs them mentality. Can we not be united without a common enemy?
When you think of propaganda, you think of Soviet Russia or WWII posters - you don't think of date night at the movies. You think oppression, fear and dystopian societies.
Few thing in America are as idealized as the military - soldiers are always painted as the unsung heros. Which is great, they do give a lot to keep us safe (I mean no disrespect) but there is a reason we see things this way. Everywhere you look, tv, radio, billboards, small towns in particular are always pushing national pride and an almost idealized worship of the military. Imagine if we treated scholars with such reverence, How do you think that would affect our society? (Photo/CC)
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