The Culture Of Fear Analysis

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Have you ever wondered how much of an effect the media has on American people? It is common to have heard of the media having a negative effect on body image, but have you ever thought of the media having an effect on how one views something? More specifically, why one fears something? The Culture of Fear, written by Barry Glassner, illustrates why American people fear certain things and how the media has an influence on that. Barry Glassner, sociology professor at the University of Southern California, originally published The Culture of Fear in 1999, but ended up making changes and created a 10th anniversary edition in 2009 which included more up-to-date instances to back up his research. The Culture of Fear, was written in order to show…show more content…
One example of a concept used is generalizing. Generalizing is defined as the use of a sample to speak to a larger population, which is something that Glassner showed to be a huge problem. The media generalizes certain situations and makes it a much bigger deal than it is, causing a lot of problems. An example mentioned in the book has to do with “stranger danger.” The media has portrayed that strangers are dangerous, in regards to sexual assault and child abduction, when Glassner states that most crimes are committed by people that the victim knows. This is an example of generalizing, because the media focuses on the fewer number of cases committed by people the victim didn’t know, in order to show American people that it is a problem. Another concept, master status, is used when Glassner explains how African American men are portrayed in society in comparison to Caucasian men; as well as African American and Caucasian women. Another concept that was very recognizable was social structure, the way in which society is organized. The media has always had a huge influence on their viewers/readers, which is the way that American society has always done things, and most likely always

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