Two videos are going viral this week. One is about a cop. The other is about Richard Sherman. Both raise interesting questions about how we think about media representations.
First, there is a video of a Texas cop playing catch with a kid. I love this video. It shows a part of police work that we rarely (if ever) get to see. Mass media representations usually show cops behaving badly, so this is a nice change of pace.
But, although the mass media is framing this as an "unusual" or "surprising" video, we should be critical of this. Most cops wouldn't blink an eye at this video. Many that I know feel grossly misrepresented by the news. Many are equally, if not more upset, when they hear about fellow officers who make the news for corruption, brutality, etc. Not only does this cast a stain on the police, it also pains individuals who care deeply about keeping communities safe.
Also, from what I know, police departments have long hosted youth athletic leagues and other outreach efforts in distressed areas. This video is only "unusual" or "surprising" because we're pumped full of fear and cop caricatures on the nightly news.
And then, there's the video of Richard Sherman. Even if you aren't a football fan, you've probably seen his now infamous post-game interview with Erin Andrews. This video has sparked online conversation about everything from the role of athletes in society to the persistence of racism in America.
I've found it interesting that many people are countering the backlash against Sherman by saying that he is a different person off the field. They are reporting that Sherman is active in charitable work. Some point out that he graduated with a 3.9 GPA from Stanford University. In other words, there is a side to Sherman that we are glossing when we use this video to generalize about him as a person.
Ultimately, these videos help us remember the challenges of creating an informed opinion without lots of data. Media representations are always partial and we should remember this whenever we use sound-bites to generalize about people or organizations.
 |
| Richard Sherman giving an impassioned interview |
But, although the mass media is framing this as an "unusual" or "surprising" video, we should be critical of this. Most cops wouldn't blink an eye at this video. Many that I know feel grossly misrepresented by the news. Many are equally, if not more upset, when they hear about fellow officers who make the news for corruption, brutality, etc. Not only does this cast a stain on the police, it also pains individuals who care deeply about keeping communities safe.
And then, there's the video of Richard Sherman. Even if you aren't a football fan, you've probably seen his now infamous post-game interview with Erin Andrews. This video has sparked online conversation about everything from the role of athletes in society to the persistence of racism in America.
Ultimately, these videos help us remember the challenges of creating an informed opinion without lots of data. Media representations are always partial and we should remember this whenever we use sound-bites to generalize about people or organizations.
Comments
Post a Comment