Assumptions Are More Than Words Analysis

In Chapter Three, “The Warren Harding Error,” Gladwell focuses on what he calls “the dark side” of thin-slicing, which can be when our first instincts betray us, and we actually make errors based on our snap judgements. Gladwell begins by talking about Warren Harding, who was one of our presidents back in the 1900’s and explains how people felt he should be a good president based on his good looking appearance. Harding was tall, dark, and handsome and people felt he would be a good president because he had the “presidential appearance.” According to the book, historians said that Harding was the worst president of the United States. Gladwell’s exemplification of Harding expresses that it is okay to make snap decisions, but you have to keep

The assumed influence and expectations of others obstruct the underlying truth about a person. Assumptions establish and feed presumed expectations of

In today’s world, the exchange of information between individuals is largely based on the media alone. Conversations are held through social media sites, the news channels become the deliverers of new waves of specifically chosen stories, and the rest of the media effects the subconscious of the society. Movies, television shows, and “general” knowledge contribute to the rest of the mass media that affects the minds of people. The subconscious of the people can form the characteristics of the young and solidify ideas within the older population. The problem of the current society is that the subconscious ideas transferred to the media is particularly in the favor of Caucasians. This excludes people of African descent, Latinos, Asians, and other recognizably new minorities such as transgender. The overall effect of this subconscious problem is not very measurably but it can have disastrous consequences within each respective culture. Among all the minorities listed, African Americans and people of African descent have a tendency to be the most often misrepresented.

As society continues to advance, it is evident that technology is vital to the facilitation of everyday living. In today’s media, minorities are constantly being represented in a negative light. Those who fall victim to this tend to be Latinos and African Americans. In the news, there are many aired reports of acts of violence that are portrayed as being committed either by an African American or a Latino. Entertainment media also does its part in showing minorities through negative stereotypes and are underrepresented in important leading roles. Both tend to be seen as antagonist characters or minor characters, while others, such as Anglos usually play leading protagonist roles. Mass media has an influence on how society sees Latinos and African Americans because these perceptions of minorities are constantly shown. Sociological studies on the content analysis of mass media have confirmed that negative portrayal of minorities helps to perpetuate radical prejudices and sustain their low status. Furthermore, it is important for Latinos and African Americans to be given equal opportunities to be positively portrayed.

The media has always played a significant role in influencing and shaping individuals’ perceptions of race in U.S. society. The way the media interacts and portrays people of color (POC) reinforces the universal stereotypes and systematic racism that take place in both the media and other social systems. These systems unconsciously privilege Whites and oppress POC while maintaining racial tensions and inequality. By understanding and engaging in critical self-reflection, the role of media can play a part in improving the racial consciousness in order to improve the social realities of people of color.

There has been much debate over the perception of African Americans in the media and how it affects their self-identity. It is easy to find examples of bias in portraying African Americans, but not a lot of causal research to prove that it causes problems with self-identity. A case can even be made that the amount of media presence by African Americans, whether biased or un-biased, has greatly helped to unify and give voice to a small minority group.

    Although the African American image has become increasingly recognizable on modern-day television, that image is not always a positive one. Whether this was intentional or not, research has been conducted that highlights the effects of this denigration on the

Assumptions can lead to implications affecting even intelligent people. Take the example of individuals listening to music on the iPod. The general assumption is an Afro African is likely to listen to rap music. Unintentional prejudice develops by watching a host of talented Afro-American musicians excel in rap. Similarly, we assume persons with tattoos are a rebellious lot often seen in dangerous situations and likely to be an ardent biker.

“Mass media have played and will continue to play a crucial role in the way white Americans perceive African-Americans”. The media use words to depict an African American in the news. For example, during hurricane katrina in 2005 two men stole from a grocery store. The article for the black man said a young man walks after "looting" a grocery store. The same article said that the white man “found” food in the grocery store. When a black man commits a crime and it makes the news the man is perceived as a thug or hood. When a white boy commits a crime he is considered mentally

The media in the US has been accused of misrepresenting African Americans consequently enhancing their discrimination(The Leadership Conference, 2014). Media is key in reinforcing or advancing specific cultural practices both positive and negative. Research studies conducted on race in media representation identified that from 1955 to 1986, only 6% of media characters were African Americans while 89% were white. Of the identified blacks, 49% lacked high school certification while 475 were poor. The poor representation of the blacks by the media is instrumental in reinforcing the perception that African Americans are inferior to their white counterparts. Given the historical events of the American society, media should make efforts to address racism and related mentalities. Adverts and other mass media content was and continues to enforce racism. The use of racially insensitive caricatures and content with racial undertone continues to bedevil the American society. Given that virtually every household in the US owns a television, broadcasting racially offensive or advancing related themes is bound to reinforce the racist attitudes among Americans.

The media is a profoundly impactful outlet, which has the capability and power to change ones perception about something or someone. However, there are innumerable portrayals that are deemed stereotypical to many people, such as Black people, who happen to face those cynical depictions. Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager from Ferguson, Missouri was killed by former and now resigned officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Brown was portrayed as a nonchalant troubled student who bullied people. The media failed to enlighten the greater public on how he was supposed to go to college the day after he was murdered and how he was a compassionate kid who loved and care for children. This is a prime example of what misuse of false information is, because

This passage draws a conclusion based on unwarranted assumptions with haste. When examining the stated and unstated assumptions closely, we can find critical logical flaws that impair the argument of this passage.

This paper is going to look in to the role mass media plays in how women of color and adolescents see themselves. My sources will give insight to how black women are directly and indirectly affected by the media. Stereotypes of black women shape how they see themselves but also how others see and treat them. Although mass media affects black women, ethnic media is shown to play a much bigger role in determining our self- image. Ethnic media can have a negative or positive affect based off how strong your ethnic identiy is. Others tend to have their standards on what being black and beautiful means. This leads to colorism in the black community. Women of color have had stereotypical images that demonized and dehumanized them throughout history.

Racism and discrimination continue to be a prevalent problem in American society. Although minorities have made significant strides toward autonomy and equality, the images in media, specifically television, continue to misrepresent and manipulate the public opinion of blacks. It is no longer a blatant practice upheld by the law and celebrated with hangings and beatings, but instead it is a subtle practice that is perceived in the entertainment and media industries. Whether it’s appearing in disparaging roles or being negatively portrayed in newscasts, blacks continue to be the victims of an industry that relies on old ideas to appeal to the majority. The viscous cycle that is the unconscious racism of the media continues to not only be

Mass Media has perpetuated racism through the inaccurate coverage of news in our country. The media has played a huge role in prolonging racism by disproportionally reporting on events and news that are tied to minority races. Decision makers should take notice to this awful trend because are country is becoming more and more racially divided day after day. The media has only weakened already weak ties between the white majority and minorities, creating much controversy and hostility. It is vital for policy makers and the american people to realize that the media’s agenda is much different from the public agenda and that the media does not operate in the benefit of American society. It is important to know that the media has drastically affected core values and put our country’s progression of race relations in danger.