Chapter 2 Notes: Why Do People Use Media?

Personal identity is significantly influenced by media such as movies and TV shows.
These media narratives shape expectations about behavior, particularly in roles like 'daughter'.
Family members also have expectations about one's identity, rooted both in their own experiences and media messages.
Social connections within groups are often based on meeting social expectations.

Symbolic power is the ability to influence others' actions through symbols (Couldry, 2012).
It involves creating reality via media production and transmission of symbols.
This power is not equally distributed; White, upper-middle-class individuals are often overrepresented in media.
Journalists, who consume media, can inadvertently reinforce this overrepresentation.
Self-referential media feedback loop: Media increasingly references previous media content rather than reflecting reality (Noth & Bohara, 2007: 1).
This loop shapes the social world, making certain narratives common while marginalizing others.

Rhetorical skills enhance a person's ability to gain authority, social power, and influence.
Fame's history reveals that social identity is carefully constructed and can lead to symbolic power that shapes reality (Braudy, 1997).

Joan of Arc: A French peasant girl who, through repeated stories, gained social power separate from wealth or military might.
Taylor Swift: A contemporary example; her music contains empowering messages and addresses societal pressures on women.
Swift's actions, such as navigating record label issues and rerecording music, demonstrate control over her intellectual property.
Her 2023 tour achieved significant media saturation, comparable to Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 1980s (Sisario, 2023).

The lack of public attention can be painful, leading to feelings of injustice and deprivation (Couldry, 2012).
Some individuals participate in competitive shows or join platforms like YouTube to seek social validation.
Competitive individualism arises from beliefs that effort and ability define success (Couldry, 2012: 95).
Media messages drive social change, enabling both individual and societal transformation.

John Dewey: Democracy involves communicating experiences to others, breaking down barriers of class, race, and national territory.
Public discourse helps discover common interests (Dewey, 1916/1944).

Trayvon Martin's Murder (2012): Increased awareness of anti-Black racism and violence, leading to the Black Lives Matter movement.
YouTube videos documented police brutality and racially motivated violence.
George Floyd's Murder (2020): Triggered widespread protests involving millions globally (Buchanan & Patel, 2020).
Political discourse can suffer from polarization, especially when movements rely on common ground.
Donald Trump's refusal to concede the 2020 election and his call for supporters to rally in Washington led to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
Rioters had expectations for violence cultivated online.
Groups like QAnon, the Proud Boys, and neo-Nazis destabilized American democracy through violent political activism.
Violent activism can appeal to those alienated from traditional political discourse.
Jacob Chansley: The spear-carrying rioter at the U.S. Capitol, exemplifies aggressive civic behaviors resulting from frustration and grievance.
Democratic mobilization for social change should not involve violence.

Lack of participation due to social inequalities, systemic racism, and abuse of power.
Democratic self-governance requires free, open, and non-violent communication.
Jürgen Habermas: Emphasized exchanging ideas and opinions in public to identify common interests and brainstorm solutions (Habermas, Lennox & Lennox, 1974).
Interaction with others is essential for making sense of the world.

Zeynep Tufekci: Activists can organize without organizations via social media, rapidly increasing awareness of events (Tufekci, 2017).
#Parkland hashtag: Used to summon protesters after the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre.
Movements built without long-term collective decision-making can be fragile.
Digital technology amplifies existing tensions and paradoxes in society.

Digital tools help access documents critical to demonstrating abuses of power, such as the livestream of George Floyd's murder.
Misinformation and fraudulent news can sow division.
Social media's audience-targeting capabilities can discourage participation in the democratic process.
A 2016 survey: Showed that almost a third of Americans remembered seeing false social media posts (Tufekci, 2017).

In a networked public sphere, the absence of agreed-upon expertise indicators can intensify partisanship and social divisions (Tufekci, 2017: 273).