Impact of Social Issues on American Pop Culture: Based on Ruby Bridges' Film

Pop culture is a part of our American culture. Social media and virtual media are big factors of how we perceive others and life. Jeffrey Fleishman wrote an article named “How an Angry National Mood Is Reflected in Pop Culture” he believes that social media has affected our lives and we do not see the reality of life. He argues that social media, films, and art has changed our opinions and have influenced us in different views seen today. He argues that we express anger through social media and other sources that aim it to certain audiences and has evolved through the years, he goes on to say, “But our anger today in the arts is aimed at narrower audiences and amplified through social media and appears more pulse-pounding and instantaneous than in past decades.

” (Fleishman 533). Fleishman stated, “Our rage these days often cuts deeper than our sense of humor” (535). He claims that our anger is expressed way more than being ourselves.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified writer

Proficient in: American Culture

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Or many individuals state their opinion and it can come out wrong and people interpret it differently. Pop Culture is essential for informative purposes, Fleishman is right about anger being more in common in America through social media, films, but as well as in writings.

Anger has been expressed through various platforms such as social media. Social media is used as a platform for many people in the world to advertise, send a message, and share their personal life. In the Fleishman article, he asserts, “Social media taunts have poisoned our political discourse and disfigured our reality” (532).

Fleishman proclaims that social media has changed our ways to communicate our political views and how we interpret reality and connect to our life. Fleishman argues that we convey anger and we do not necessarily see how to be smart about how to use social media and what should be acceptable to post. In the article “How Donald Trump Used Social Media to win (and maintain) the Presidency” written by Chase Martinez. She stated, “He was able to win Americans over with his unfiltered, unapologetic, and controversial opinions and the ability to get instant reactions to these comments by simply putting a tweet.” She confirms that not only was the President smart about how to grab his audience, but he also expresses his anger and everything he does through social media rather than doing it in a more professional way. Martinez argues that the president being the voice of millions has brought out anger for several individuals who do not agree with his views. He spoke poorly about several groups of people because he believes in the stereotypes of these certain group of individuals. Everyone is on social media so everyone is aware of his ideas because he feeds his audience with entertainment due to his posts on Twitter. People are following him because they either agree with him or see it as a way of entertainment. This causes the anger the majority of America has.

Films have evolved since the first time they came out to audiences. Films today are known to entertain although they can also stereotype or show anger about something. Back in 1998, a film such as Ruby Bridges was released to show racial difference in 1960. The film is portrayed by a little girl who goes into a school of all white children. The city made big chaos because she was African American. Many parents were angered because a little girl of color was attending “their” school. Films back then still showed anger on serious conflicts that today in society are still a problem but not as they used to be back in the 1950s. Fleishman believed that we have become close-minded and not open to various disputes. According to Fleishman, “Our humanity has been demarcated on smaller and smaller screens that often brim more with quicksilver judgment than open-mindedness” (535). He argues that our shared humanity brings fast judgments rather than making us be more open-minded. Audrey Wells the screenplay writer and Angie Thomas, the novel author of the film The Hate U Give. Wrote about a film that showed the views of different worlds of the poor and wealthy. The main character, Starr, experienced a fatal shooting which then caused problems from various sides of her community. This film showed so much anger towards her and within the community, she grew up in. Starr stated, “People say misery loves company, but I think it’s like that with anger too.” She believes that when people are angry, they as well want that attention or talk to someone that can agree with them, so they know that they are in the right of being angry. Both Fleishman and the films connect because not only do the films show frustration and conflict, they as well show how they have evolved. This is what Fleishman is trying to explain because we cause so much anger, that we do not know how to stay open-minded and, in the film, we see groups closing off and just being mad but at the end, they resolve this madness and become more aware.

Writing has also been a big factor in our different views on social issues. Several writings are written to inform or let the reader understand the author's argument on their beliefs of various issues. Fleishman stated, “We have become an angry, fractious lot, a Game of Thrones for a digitized and unsettled century” (532). He argues that we have become angry and uncontrollable century. In the novel, Invisible Man, by the author Ralph Ellison it addresses social and intellectual issues facing African Americans. The narrator of the novel goes through a roller coaster of events and emotions in his life that causes him to be angered at certain people. He felt invisible because people assumed things because he was a man of color. He felt like he had no identity. Ellison states, “I remember that I'm invisible and walk softly so as not awake the sleeping ones. Sometimes it is best not to awaken them; there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleepwalkers.” He argues that those sleeping ones are not aware of who he is as a person and not assume by his physical appearance. He as well believes that awakening them will be a bad idea rather than a good one to teach those about his humanity. Fleishman and Ellison had the same concepts on the position of how cultural differences are still issues that might never be resolved and yet causes anger to Americans.

Overall, Fleishman outlook is fairly accurate. His main points about American showing anger through different platforms is something that is seen today everywhere. I agree that Americans still illustrates anger through social media, films, and writings. His ideas and the following examples above connect with one another because they evaluate how Americans have shown anger not today but decades ago. Yet it has calmed down in recent past years it is still seen in society. Fleishman affirms, “Our predilections both in popular culture and politics have increasing turned tribal” (533). Meaning our preferences in our culture are split within different groups rather than becoming united.