Molly McLaughlin CAPS #5

Pop culture is described as "a new name for low culture, referring to those cultural products that most people share and know about, including television, music, videos, and popular magazines" (Martin, Nakayama).  Surrounding us every day, in almost every aspect of our lives, pop culture has a certain impact on us.  Music, television, movies, the internet and so much more, all fall into the category of pop culture.  Currently I am addicted to the television show “Lost”, watching episode after episode on Netflix.  This show is considered one of the best and most popular shows ever aired.  There are questions that linger over pop culture, questions such as, what impact does it have on us? What are the images and messages received from pop culture doing to us and for us?

A quick overview of the show, a group of 40 some people survive a plane crash and live on an island together for several months.  They have to hunt, fish and fend for themselves.  Awful things happen while they are on the island, disease, death and attacks from the "others" who live permanently there.  When looking at “Lost” there are several stereotypes seen within the characters. First there is Sayid,   a communications officer and interrogator in the Iraqi Republican Guard.  Through out the show we learn more and more about Sayid, we see several scenes of him torturing people, and is even kidnapped and tortured by a female victim he had once burned with acid.  Even after his time on the island, hone almost everyone is changed and trying to be better, Sayid once again is shown as an assassin, killing with no mercy.  I found this interesting as the show started in 2004, only 3 years after the terror attacks of September 11th.  Many times pop culture works as a social movement or touches on social issues. 

Another example of stereotyping in this show would be of the korean couple, Jin and Sun.  While their relationship changes through out the show, when we first meet the couple they are in very stereotyped aspects in their relationship. Jin is very controlling, he does not like when skin is showing on Sun at all, or if she speaks to any other male on the island he becomes angry and violent.  Sun is timid and scared of her husband, she is constantly trying to protect him from damaging is honor or pride.  Also every time Sun's father is shown in this series he is a very stereotypical, angry, cold, businessman.  

Finally there is Michael, an african american male from New York.  Him and his son, Walt, are together on the island but have little to no relationship with each other.  In flashbacks we are shown how Michael and Walt's mother fought, broke up and eventually how the worked out Walt's living arrangements.  Ultimately, Michael has nothing to do with Walt, because Michael has little money and Walt's mom doesn't want him in his life.  When Walt's mom dies, Michael picks him up from Australia and feels very overwhelmed with Walt, asking his mother to take Walt because he doesn't want him.  I feel this is a play on how African American males are seen in our culture.

With pop culture playing such a large role in our lives, it is essential to explore how we interpret the messages we receive. All three of these examples are can been looked at as harmful and bad stereotypes.  "Lost" often uses race to enforce stereotypes.