I would like to add on to Friday's lecture about Lou Dobbs and his anti-Hispanic attitude. Personally, I do not understand what the issue is regarding the telenovela that is aiming to help Latinos become familiar and less afraid of the Census.
What is brainwashing? The telenovela is portraying a census worker who is trying to show to illegal immigrants that they should not be afraid of the government census. They should tell the government that they are here and not be afraid of persecution. Where is the brainwash? They are wanting watchers to "change" for the good of the nation, for the good of their people. for good in gerneral.
How is that any different from anti-drug campaigns? Saved by the Bell is one of my favorite shows of all time; I still watch it every morning when it is on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO73-WlOHhM
These two videos (I wish I knew how to embed videos!) were immediately brought to my mind during the lecture. I feel as though they are the same thing as the telenovela: a show that sends a message to its target audience. The Saved By the Bell clips: Aimed to stop drug abuse among tennagers, for their own good and for the good of the country. The telenovela: Aimed to deminish the fear of the census in Latinos, for their own good and for the good of the country.
Really, what's wrong with that?
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I completely agree with you on this one. When watching the Lou Dobbs clip I kept thinking to myself, he has no idea what he's talking about. I believe that this telenovela is a great idea because it will positively influence members in the Latino community to participate in the census which is essential for the functioning of society.
ReplyDeleteI was also an avid Saved By the Bell watcher and I recall how I feltj when both of those episodes aired. I watched the clips, even though I had seen them in the episodes a thousand times. I remember thinking back then how scary Jessie acted on caffeine pills and the seriousness of the "anti-dope" commercial. They truly did influence me but in a positive way. I do not feel as if the producers of that show were out to brainwash teenagers but encourage them to use good judgment when approaching difficult situations. I look back now and I am thankful for the lessons I learned through watching those particular episodes of Saved by the Bell. I think my parents were probably much happier to see me watching a show that encouraged good behaviors over a show that encouraged bad ones.
When I first heard about the census telenovela I was surprised that this was even an issue. I think that the novela will not only help encourage Latinos to participate but also raise awareness about the importance of the issue. I think that this is a creative way to express the significance of certain issues, especially considering the popularity of telenovelas among the Latino culture. It is similar to Saved by the Bell in that the producers are hoping that their show will prove to be entertaining and influential. However, it differs from Saved by the Bell because instead of being one episode, it’s an entire series focused on the main issue. The producers are simply trying to take a stand on something that is vital to America and weed out any insecurities about participation. I can hardly see any brainwashing tactics in that.
I completely understand why this became an issue. This has been labeled by some as a brainwashing technique because it could be considered an example of the government deciding what is good for the people rather than the people deciding for themselves.
ReplyDeleteDistrust of messages sent by a government immigrants who hasn't always treated them fairly entirely makes sense. Government showing up in their safe-haven of entertainment sends even more flags.
I don't necessarily agree with the cynicism that claims government issues should not be included at all. However, the discussion of the issue of the government's involvement in positioning this issue, however, develops the issue within the novela to its fullest potential. It highlights the fact that its existence is deliberate so perhaps the audience doesn't simply glaze over it as they follow the plot.