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When I think of a cultural resource that represents an imagined alternative to our current cultural, social, political, and economic conditions, I think of the novel and film series The Hunger Games. The series explores a dystopian version of our own society within the United States. It follows a corrupt totalitarian government that has created mass wealth disparity. Though it is highly dramatized with children killing each other as a “game”, there are some powerful parallels to our real world. 

In the fictional Hunger Games society, the nation is split into subdivisions. Each district has an economic role yet as the district number increases so does the distribution of wealth. District 11 is painted as impoverished and reminiscent of American slavery in the South with a primarily black population. District 12 is destitute with the majority of adults working in mines and barely having food on the table, mirroring the United States Appalachia. Meanwhile, District 1 is the wealthiest of the subdivisions producing luxury goods. Those in The Capital are the most affluent, they spend their days in extravagance going to parties and dressing exotically. This lifestyle is flaunted through the media along with the streaming of The Hunger Games as a form of entertainment. Capital members watch the killings as sports and district members watch because it is all they have access to. In addition, the government controls the districts through strict military surveillance where any sign of noncompliance is immediately shot down. 

While our current society has yet to reach these extremes, there are many similarities. Within the U.S., 37.9 million citizens live in poverty, many of which are minorities, and can be linked to a lack of education and access to health care. 

Why The Hunger Games Is Increasingly Relevant

This deep dive takes a look at the parallels between our society and The Hunger Games.

Similar to The Hunger Games, there are numerous circumstances where law enforcement is taken too far. The Black Lives Matter movement was a direct response to the violence and hate crimes that POC’s face in their everyday lives, including from law enforcement. 

BLM fist and The Hunger Games Salute

A more recent comparison of current events and The Hunger Games are the protests that took place outside of the 2024 Met Gala. The Met Gala, like many of the forms of entertainment that we see in mainstream media, is a spectacle celebrating wealth and the exclusivity of a class-based event. Though the Pro-Palestine protests were not necessarily challenging wealth disparity, they were using the opportunity of a highly publicized affluent event to advocate. They took advantage of the irony of rich celebrities dressing up while there is a war taking place. The Hunger Games reflects our own media that celebrates reality television, extravagance, and wealth, while most of the viewers are living paycheck to paycheck.

Current events and politics seem only to become more serious. Government surveillance grows as media outlets become less independent, federal regulations are strengthened, and inflation and tariffs make the prices of eggs go up. While we are not at the point of a full-on Hunger Games dystopian world, the similarities are clear. However, with serious systemic change a totalitarian government can be avoided. By addressing the wealth gap and making health care, education, and balanced diets more accessible, the grim image that The Hunger Games paints can be less realistic. Progression and growth must be approached for the next generation. As our modules discuss, “For students who lack access to media literacy resources outside of school, it is critically important that they have access in school”.

As a  young woman the main form of stereotyping that I have experienced in media is through sexism and how female characters are often represented as one dimensional. As we learned in this week’s modules, there are numerous racial stereotypes that underrepresented communities are often depicted as. Similarly, women frequently fall into archetypes that often differ from their male counterparts when portrayed in media, especially within film and television. There are 7 dominant female archetypes that are consistent in media: The Lover, The Huntress, The Maiden, The Mother, The Queen, The Mystic, and The Sage. Though there are a wide range of archetypes, they often are surface level with one character only falling into one archetype. 

From my observations, when a female character starts to bleed into multiple categories, her character suddenly becomes stifled rather than progressive.  An example of this is the iconic Princess Leia of the Star Wars franchise. While she is introduced as a “damsel in distress” she quickly refutes this generalization by proving to be quick witted and feisty. Her character expands into multiple archetypal pipelines, something which many people are a fan of. However, after the first movie, A New Hope, her character is more limited. While the storyline continues to revolve around the male lead, Luke, and explores his journey, growth, and temptations, her character becomes more dependent on the male characters around her. Her personality is more so based on the “Will they? Won’t they?” relationship with Hans Solo and the way the other male characters view her. By the time the last film of the trilogy is made, her screen time primarily takes place while she’s in a highly sexualized bikini. Though she still maintains her head strong qualities from the first movie, her sexuality and love life becomes the highlight of her character. 

Another example of female characters subjected to one dimensional personalities can be seen through the hit show Modern Family. Though I myself am a fan, and do think that the female characters are strong and funny, it is clear that their personalities often revolve around the male characters. The female characters are primarily seen through their gender roles as “the nagging mother” or the “hot wife”. One of the main characters, Claire Dunphy is seen as high stress, type-A, and overlooked by her children. These attributes are emphasized by her male counterpart and husband, Phil Dunphy, who is seen as the “cool dad” and easy going. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media states that men are less likely to be depicted as competent parents yet more likely depicted to have a strong career. This can be seen in Claire and Phil’s relationship. Claire is primarily a stay at home mom, constantly helping with the kids’ school and extracurriculars, and keeping the house organized and running. Phil has a career as a real estate agent and though he does interact with the kids, he doesn’t necessarily parent them. Gloria Pritchet, another prominent female character, is often the butt of the joke as a result of her sexuality. Her entire personality can be pinned as the “feisty hot latina”. Again, her personality is influenced by how she mirrors her very masculine traditional husband. She is made to seem loud and fiery, “the trophy wife”, and the caring mother of her son. While the attributes of these women are not necessarily negative, they do not create well rounded characters.

Claire vs Gloria

Gender roles in media are incredibly influential. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media explores how gender depictions influence young children’s idea of where they fit in society. Though women are no longer solely expected to be delicate housewives, the media needs to represent a variety of women to the public. Male characters are often created to be complex characters with different views and personalities. While the same can be said for women, it is not to the same extent. Often when women are presented as strong and authoritative, the media removes their femininity. When female characters are presented as popular and pretty, the audience immediately thinks “ditzy”. It’s important to represent women as complex characters that fill various roles. Perpetuating gender stereotypes can be avoided by creating characters from a female’s perspective rather than the preconceived female archetypes.

What first comes to mind when you think of book banning? You may think of the infamous burnings that took place in 1933 Nazi Germany where over 25,000 books were burned for representing an “Un-German Spirit”. In this period of time, numerous blacklisted Jewish, German, and American authors had their works burned for views opposing the dictatorship. Now highly regarded figures like Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein were banned across Germany. While this is one of the most severe instances of book banning, there is a history of censorship that far precedes it and lives on to this day.

The Empty Library in Berlin serves as a memorial to the book burnings that occurred on May 10, 1933. I was able to visit the memorial on a trip over the summer.

According to Columbia University, book banning can be dated back long before the Hitler regime. While you may think of Shakespeare as the core of your High School English curriculum, many of the playwright’s works have been criticized for themes of sexuality and violence throughout history. In 1818, English physician Thomas Bowdler created a censored version of a collection of Shakespeare pieces. His work removed the majority of the original content changing words like “God!” to “Heavens!” and rewriting Ophelia’s suicide as accidental drowning. Created to be family friendly, the collection altered Shakepear’s pieces to an extent where the story no longer held the same meaning.

Considered to be the first book ban in the United States, the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was banned in southern states in 1852, for its abolitionist views and for arousing debate on slavery. While the most notable example of book bans at this time, numerous other texts were banned and burned for promoting anti-slavery ideals. Citizens were imprisoned for the possession of such materials.

The United States is no stranger to book bans and censorship. Despite the First Amendment, Columbia University states that, “school boards often make decisions that prioritize “community values” first and access to information second” when regarding what content should be available to students. One of the most notable instances where a school’s role in censorship was questioned, was in the 1982 Supreme Court Case Island Trees School District v. Pico. When the school board received parental complaints regarding “permissive” library books, works like Slaughterhouse-Five and Langston Hughes’s Best Short Stories by Negro Writers were banned for being anti-American and anti-Chirstian. Pico, a student in the district, debated that this decision was made for a group’s moral values and not because the content lacked educational value. The case was later brought to the Supreme Court and was ruled that the government “cannot restrict speech because it does not agree with the content of that speech”. While in this specific case, book bans were denied, there is still much confusion on the extent to which a school can censor texts.

While book banning seems like something from the past, “the number of book challenges increased by 65% in 2023”. Various arguments have been made to rationalize these bans. From Harry Potter promoting paganism, C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia touching on Christian ideals, or Fahrenheit 451 questioning government authority. Today, much like in the past, it is minority representation that is primarily being banned. Books about LGBTQ+ communities and POC voices are often the target of censorship. Banned Book Week has become an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and to raise awareness of current day censorship. Despite activism from librarians, journalists, students, etc, book banning has yet to be resolved.

When looking through the world history of censorship, it really comes down to political propaganda. Whether it’s fantasy, religion, educational, or almost any genre, if a book challenges the political or societal norm, it is deemed dangerous. Despite our freedom to speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition, the lines are blurry when it comes to the banning of books. Looking at propaganda and persuasion techniques, it is clear that often the device of Card-Stacking is used to skew the public’s judgement of texts. Throughout history, world leaders and governments have used one sided stories and opinions to enact censorship.

Whether from political leaders, school boards, parent committees, or religious groups, almost anyone can persuade and manipulate to dissolve public information. While there is often truth to opposing arguments like the dangers of explicit language or sexual content, it is important that books be accessible to the public. This allows for new ideas, growth, and healthy discourse to be made. It becomes dangerous when institutions use persuasive techniques to falter understanding and growth.

Welcome to my 24-hour media diary for Monday January 27th. 

8:00 am – TikTok

I started my day by scrolling through TikTok. I’ve tried to be more aware of how I interact with the app. I’m more observant of the algorithms that are being fed to me. Recently my FYP seems to be filled with News and interview clips. 

I looked into the TikTok Terms of Service. Even with having a slight understanding of digital privacy, reading the fourteen part agreement was overwhelming.

9:00 am – Spotify

While preparing for work, I listen to my Spotify “Daylist”. A customized playlist that changes throughout the day. I love listening to my Daylist as  a reliable way to listen to music that I know I’ll like. However, sometimes it feels like I’m being fed the same music repeatedly and it’s hard to explore new genres. This Forbes article explains how Daylists “‘learn’ what users are interested in based on continued tracking of interactions with Spotify”. 

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Spotify and Pride and Prejudice

Listening to music and my audio book is how I spend my work breaks. Audible is my go to for audiobooks. Since listening to Pride and Prejudice I’ve noticed that I’m constantly getting suggestions to listen to similar content.

4:00 pm – New York Times

I signed up for a New York Times subscription. While creating my account I had to submit the traditional personal information. One part of the sign up process that was unexpected was the prompt to choose the type of content I am most interested in.

5:00 – 7:00 pm – Canvas and MyASU

I log onto Canvas to read announcements and look at my modules. I also logged on to MyASU to look into future scheduling and finances. These platforms require personal registration information to be used.

8:00 pm – AMC Theatres, MAPS, Calendar

I bought tickets to see the movie One of Them Days using my AMC Stubs subscription. Buying tickets via the AMC app automatically linked my ticket to my Calendar and MAPS. Before leaving for the movie I was notified on my Calendar and received a notification telling me how long it would take to get to the theatre. 

Concluding Thoughts:

After focusing on how my personal data and information is used, I saw some patterns. The majority of media I consume is algorithm based. It’s clear that much of what I consume is based on my interests and that I am somewhat stuck in a filter bubble. Despite starting new subscriptions, I am consistently fed information that is based on prior online behaviors. Zuboff discussed in our lectures that corporate surveillance is the predictions made based on human behavior. Going forward I want to be more intentional with reading the Terms of Service of the sites I’m using. Understanding what I’m agreeing to and the information I’m voluntarily giving can help me narrow down what I consume.

Welcome to my 24-hour media diary for Friday January 17, 2025. With a combination of my part time job at Starbucks, my online assignments, and my chronically online addictions, I come into contact with numerous forms of media in just one day.

5:30 am – Instagram and TikTok

As much as it pains me to admit, I almost always start my day with a cup of coffee and a good scroll through social media. With the looming national ban on TikTok, I decided that I need to get my fill of the app while I still have it (little did I know it would make its return after only 12 hours). Before I start getting ready for the day I switch off between Instagram, seeing what I’ve missed in my long distance friendships, and TikTok where it’s just too easy to doom scroll. 

6:00 am – Netflix and Spotify

While I do my morning activities like brushing my teeth, doing my makeup, and quickly finding my work clothes, I watch the classic Sex and the City via Netflix. Having a familiar show with entertaining characters like Carrie Bradshaw helps the dread of going to work (dramatic much?) just a tad easier to manage. Of course, on my drive to work as I watch the sunrise, I put on Spotify and listen to some Fleetwood Mac. The album “Future Games” is my recent favorite.

6:30 – 2pm – TikTok, Texts, and C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew

While at work, I’m not actively using media as much. However, my work breaks are the exception. I really try to intentionally remove myself from my phone and I’ve been successful through reading. Ever since I heard about director Grega Gerwig planning on making multiple film adaptations of the iconic series, I’ve been breezing through The Chronicles of Narnia. Right now, I am reading The Magician’s Nephew. Unsurprisingly, I still use my phone here and there, checking messages, texting my brother, and of course the momentary scrolling of TikTok.

2:30 pm – Netflix and Spotify

To decompress from the work day I make myself a rice bowl for lunch and go back to watching Sex and the City on Netflix.

4:00 pm – Spotify and Runkeeper

With the new year starting I’ve been a lot more intentional with working out. I went for a 3 mile jog around my neighborhood. To keep track of my pace and mileage, I use an app called Runkeeper that lets me log how I feel and gives me the statistics on my runs. Music is a necessity to get me pumped and motivated so of course Spotify plays a vital role.

4:45 pm – Spotify

After my run I blast an assortment of Fleetwood Mac, Clairo, and Sade while I take a quick shower. 

5:00 pm – Canvas, Emails, and Yellowdig

The first week of Spring Semester has really just been getting back into the groove. I checked my emails to see the announcements from ASU and my different professors. I logged onto Canvas to watch a few lectures and complete the Syllabus quizzes. I then participated in my various Yellowdig discussions, introducing myself to my classmates and participating in some conversations about my first modules.

7:30 pm – Instagram

After a couple hours of studying a meal is much needed. I kept seeing this one viral pasta recipe all over my Instagram explore page so I decided it was time to make it! After watching the recipe on Reels a few times and gathering the ingredients, I got to cooking. For dinner I had a delicious Parmesan Ditalini pasta dish and I highly recommend it!

8:00 – 10:00 pm – MAX and TikTok

While eating my home cooked meal my brother and I decided to watch the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away on the streaming platform MAX. We have been watching all the different Ghibli movies that are so nostalgic of our childhood. I ended off my night with some more TikTok scrolling.

Concluding Thoughts:

After going through my media usage in a journal log format it’s pretty clear that I am utilizing one form of media or another at all times. It’s a bit concerning to me how much I “doom scroll”. In the moment I know there are better ways to utilize my time, but it is such an easy trap to fall into. Going into this week with the idea that an app like TikTok would be banned I had a variety of thoughts. I felt sad and nostalgic but I also felt more motivated to start living life less chronically online. It’s interesting to see how just after 12 hours of not having the app I have somewhat forgotten those plans. Looking at the different media I consume it also seems that there is not a distinguishable credible source. Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok are certainly at the bottom of that list with an abundance of false information and questionable content, but I’m not sure that I can identify a running app or my music taste as “credible”. Media that I consume from my classes on Canvas would probably be the most trustworthy and credible. Much of the content I am taught about is required to be scholastic documents and sources. Most of the bias that I am consuming through online classes is also used intentionally as a learning tool.