Film Goes Asian

The global cultural flow has been widely recognised to be unevenly in favour with the west, over the east (Wu & Chan, 2007). The west utilises symbolic systems of representation, such as film in mass media, to circulate various images of those deemed ‘different’ through society. In other words, the west uses film to create stereotypes of other eastern cultures as “the other.” Thus, negative or controlling stereotypes of Asian cultures have emerged from the imagination of primarily white producers in Hollywood (Shah, 2003).

These controlling images provide justifications for social control within society (Shah, 2003). Like the stereotypes utilised for native Americans (or Indians) within films, Asians have historically been portrayed as savage, stupid, docile and nomadic to justify various policies of exploitation by the white, or western, population (Shah, 2003). It is a wonder the stereotypes that were created in aid of western power and domination have stuck around for so many years. Wouldn’t a country, such as Australia, who claims to promote multiculturalism, leave this negative stereotyping in the past, where it belongs?

Throughout history, Asians have been depicted in many forms. Beginning with the United State’s fear of an increasing Asian population in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, movies and film about “the other” was determinably racist and offensive (Shah, 2003). Asians, from the very beginning, were marked as different from the western social norm. Men were depicted as menacing, predatory and lusting after white women (Shah, 2003). Women were seen as diabolical, sneaking, mean and determined to seduce/corrupt white men (Shah, 2003). In other words, Asians signified an infection of civility by an inferior culture (Shah, 2003). These representations of the two genders foreground a western society whom was scared of an Asian invasion.

Another stereotype of Asians developed out of the World Wars. At the end of WWI, the Japanese were perceived as cruel soldiers who randomly killed the poor, raped women and burnt houses (Shah, 2003). The Chinese, however, were mysterious, virtuous, industrious and trustworthy (Shah, 2003). Thus, the Chinese was contrasted with the Japanese, seen as a non-threat to western civilisation through their ‘Asian wisdom’ (Shah, 2003). However, when WWII ended, these stereotypes and images reversed. It is alarming how stereotypes can be changed so quickly, forcing western people to think and feel these negative thoughts about a particular culture at any particular time.

In cotemporary media, the Asian stereotype is still filled with segregation and degradation. Men are still seen to be filled with eastern wisdom and act romantically with white women. Additionally, women are still attractive object, determined to get their own way, such as Lucy Lui’s various characters. Many films stereotype Asians as a threat that needs to be controlled. Other images include martial artists, prostitutes, gangsters and fighters. Although society can recognise that these stereotypes are not always accurate, films still continually portray these people in this way. Why? Why must western film be racist, especially in a multicultural world? Why are there these issues of identity?

On a positive note, in the past few years, the Asian cinema has emerged, introducing new sensations and fresh ways of telling stories to Hollywood and carving out the global market, aiming to balance out the global cultural flow. There has been a wake of an increasing flow of cultural influence from the east to the west, with Kung fu/martial arts movies, Japanese anime and other food and cultural practices (Wu & Chan, 2007). Due to a growing Asian population in western countries, these people are looking for films that address their lives and their concerns (Wu & Chan, 2007). Thus, this is opportune time for an Asian cinema in the west. Take Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for example. The success of this movie did not happen in a day. It became popular due to the contemporary globalisation of Asian film and talents (Wu & Chan, 2007). Thus, the binaries of ‘us’ and ‘them’ are becoming increasingly blurred. This is evident in film and TV that depicts a cross cultural collaboration, such as the hit TV series, Glee and Modern Family. In this case, media is being used as an agent for cultural change. This blurring and cross cultural collaboration will lead to a building of western and eastern relationships, and hopefully an end to negative stereotyping. This is positive stereotyping. No culture should have to endure negative mass media for simply being themselves and living according to their social rules and norms.

Although in my last few blogs I have argued against negative stereotyping and detailed how it affects the cultures that are misinterpreted, it forced me to consider... where would our film industry be if it wasn’t for these terrible and wrong stereotypes? For instance, the ‘Indian and cowboys’ films, along with the ‘martial arts’ films played such a vital role in film history due to what was happening, or had happened, at that moment in history. If we take all the movies that have stereotyped a particular culture is some way out of the world, what would we be left with? Do any movies really avoid stereotyping? Is it even worth complaining or voicing an opinion about? Will it make any real difference in the way media and film chooses to portray “the other”?

References:

Shad H. 2003. “Asian Culture” and Asian American Identities in the Television and Film Industries of the United Stated. Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education 3(3):1-10. (RL)

Wu H. & Chan J. 2007. “Globalizing Chinese martial arts cinema: the global-local alliance and the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Media Culture Society 29(195). DOI: 10.1177/0163443707074252

Image Source:

My own drawing.

Indigenous Film

According to Sutton (2010), Indigenous religions within the media are created versions of traditions that are transmitted to a mass audience and typically marked by various kinds of factual errors. Often, movies and television shows underpin a false universalism or misinterpretation of these various Aboriginal traditions (Sutton, 2010). Some aspects of these religions are even 'dumbed-down' or crudely sentimentalized (Sutton, 2010).

Sutton (2010) brings up the 'Disneyisation' of Aboriginal spirituality in the new age media. He uses this term in conjunction with a kind of vulgarization, or something that is complex, subtle and multilayered (Sutton, 2010). Although this author utilized this term to signify misinterpretations and simplifications of these religions within the mediated forms of television and film, it is interesting to consider the Disney movies in themselves. Take for instance, the animated film titled Pocahontas. This children's film highlights the prejudiced relationship between the Powhatan, or Native Americans, and the oncoming Europeans, marginalizing the actual events that would've taken place at this moment of history, as many 'Indian and Cowboy' movies concurrently do. Instead, it places an emphasis of the indigenous character's relationship with Mother Nature. This American-created film thus foregrounds a classical Aboriginal religion and a foreign tradition such as Mother Earth. Within the movie Pocahontas explains to a European the importance of nature and respecting the earth after he details his prejudice against her people. He finally sees the ill of his ways and consequently falls in love with the Disney princess. Therefore, even this children's animated film marginalizes the true history between the natives and the settlers, like many others do.

By neutralizing indigenous and native people, racist and dominant ideologies are maintained. However, this is not right or fair. It results in a loss of identity and cultural heritage for these aboriginal people. It is interesting to think that filmmakers can create these racist movies without thinking about the implications they hold for the people positioned negatively in them. These people have feelings. They can be offended. For instance, Nanook of the North portrays the Inuit community to be unfamiliar with western technology and primitive. Instead of using this fact as a cultural identity to reflect upon, the characters are depicted as awkward and lacking in intelligence when compared to the world of the trader and the white men. Just because a community is different to our western civilisation does not give us the right to make racial mediated representations of them. Each culture is different and unique and has the right to tell their story, their way.

A fundamental way to break down racial discourse in the media is through self-representation. Two films that aim to portray the true Aboriginal spirituality through this self-representational identity include Atanarjuat, and Ten Canoes. To begin, Atanarjuat, or the fast runner, was the first full length feature film to be directed by an Inuit (Raheja, 2011). It privileges the right the indigenous people have to represent themselves and their story. Being self-determined, through media, this film raises awareness of culture by addressing both Inuit and non-Inuit audiences for two different aims (Raheja, 2011). It helps the aboriginal, Inuit people search for a pure and uncontaminated past, to help keep their traditional way of life alive to future generations to make them see how their ancestors truly used to live. As Raheja (2011) foregrounds, “the film excited great pride in the strength and dignity of their ancestors, and they want to share this with their elders and children” (p. 196). It is not racist. It is an accurate portrayal of a community, as they deserve. This helps the people reclaim their personhood, dignity and land connection (Raheja, 2011). Here, they are no longer ill-presented. It aids to rebuild a social and spiritual capacity, with dignity and consciousness. Therefore, this film aims to operate in the service of their home communities to keep their traditional way of life alive, whilst forcing non-Inuit viewers to reconsider mass-mediated images of the Native Arctic people (Raheja, 2011).

Like Atanarjuat, Ten Canoes also helps to create a true indigenous identity. This film forces people to learn indigenous ways and perceptions. For example, the filmmakers and directors would have had to use an indigenous way of seeing, and thus this would affect their decisions. It foregrounds a strong mythical past and present. Originally, the elder’s accused the filmmakers of using the indigenous people, invoking a long history of non-Indigenous exploitation of their people (Davis, 2007). This serves as a reminder of how people have voiced their opposition and objections to this exploitation (Davis, 2007). However, the Ten Canoes has been praised as an exemplary collaborative film (Davis, 2007). This notion of people, in this case the elder, speaking out and opposing to the racial discourses of indigenous people in films foregrounds a learned society whom wants to know the truth. This film takes viewers back to the past in order to integrate it into the present and the cultural future (Davis, 2007).

Indigenous people should be able to tell their story, their way. Racist discourses and stereotypes in media need to be stopped. People are speaking out, and filmmakers should listen. Every culture has the right to the truth. No culture should be misinterpreted, marginalised, crudely sentimentalised or falsely universalised.

References:

Davis T. 2007. Remembering Our Ancestors: Cross-cultural Collaboration and the Mediation of Aboriginal Culture and History in Ten Canoes (Rold de Heer, 2006). Studies In Australasian Cinema 1(1): 5-14. (RL).

Raheja M.H. 2010. Visual Sovereignty, Indigenous Revisions of Ethnography, and Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner). In Reservation Reelism: Redfacing, Visual Sovereignty, and Representations of Native Americans in Film. University of Nebraska Press. Ch. 5, Ebook.

Sutton P. 2010. Aboriginal Spirituality in a New Age. The Australian Journal of Anthropology, 21(1): 71-89. RL.

Image Source:

My own drawing.

Islam and News Media

According to Isakhan, much media attention has been paid to the news media’s role in stereotyping, victimising and demonising people of the Middle East or of the Islamic faith (2009). It can be found that both before and after the September 11 attacks, a remarkably consistent view of Arab and Muslim people relied on racialist stereotyping in news media. These stereotypes deem Muslims to be violent to the point of terrorism, tricky, disgusting and barely human (Isakhan, 2009). These mediated discourses create a climate of fear and paranoia towards these aforementioned people.

Modern Australia news media is a direct result of the Colonial era, where mediated ideologies were designed by European power (Isakhan, 2009). In other words, this period saw the West approach the East with a sense of superiority (Isakhan, 2009). This predominant picture of Islam and the Middle East can be seen to privilege the kind of racialist discourse that is indicative of Orientalism. Orientalism is the character or culture of the peoples of the East. It is an ideological fantasy that bore no relation to the reality of Middle Eastern Society (Isakhan, 2009). It served to stereotype according to fairly negative terms, developing an unquestioned tendency to view the people of the Orient as deficient ‘others.’ This, therefore, marginalises and silences the histories and cultures of the Middle Eastern and Islamic people. As Isakhan (2009) foregrounds, these people were “‘rarely seen or looked at; they were seen through, analysed not as citizens, or even people, but as problems to be solved or confined or – taken over.” Thus, people’s views on Muslims were constructed by European power, or the West’s desire to take over and remain superior to the East.

The history and tradition of the Western media continually uses an ideological tool to maintain the separation between East and West (Isakhan, 2009). With the beginning of political printing press in the 15^th century, we see the first use of media technology to propagate these Orientalist discourses previously mentioned (Isakhan, 2009). The relationship between media and Orientalism sees the printing press legitimizing and propagating the Oriental world view that came with the colonial era (Isakhan, 2009). This relationship has an impact on early Australian news media. This racialist history of news media sets a precedent for the Orientalist stereotypes evident on Islam and the Middle East in Australia today.

Islamic followers continue to endure political and social hatred for their religious beliefs (Ibrahim, 2010). This is because of the media’s choice to perpetuate dominant images of violence over images of diversity (Ibrahim, 2010). Why does the media keep doing this? What is so wrong with showing positive and peaceful imagery of this religion? News media primarily focuses on the extraordinary and shocking, excluding any other perspectives. Thus, the media plays a major role in Islam’s negative stereotyping. The reporting of Islam is often fuelled by hysterical fear and violence, focusing on crisis coverage, such as September 11 (Ibrahim, 2010).

Within mainstream media representations, the Islamic religion is usually treated negatively and associated with terrorism, war, fundamentalism and repression of women. For instance, post the September 11 attacks, there was an increase in hate crimes towards Muslims due to condescending and disparaging news coverage of the event (Ibrahim, 2010). Muslims everywhere became potential suspects, where people were murdered, harassed and threatened (Ibrahim, 2010). From this, two differing media ideologies arose. It is due to these hate crimes that American Muslims were depicted as people of peace in the media following the September 11 attack. Media coverage deemed it unacceptable for people to hate against Arabs and Muslims living in America, broadcasting internal (living within the US) Islamic followers as peaceful. On the other hand, any external (living outside the US) followers were represented as a violent threat, visualising gun carrying, angry men (Ibrahim, 2010). Therefore, Islam as a religion of peace was broadcasted alongside the representation of Islam as violent. Televisions showed American Muslim’s waving their flag, whilst other Muslims seemingly burnt it (Ibrahim, 2010).

The media tends to portray a narrow segment of Muslim activity, a marginal knowledge of the Muslim world and a focus on extremists and more radical followers. For instance, John Miller, ABC journalist, interviewed Osama bin Laden (Ibrahim, 2010). He foregrounded that killing Americans is the core of the Islamic faith (Ibrahim, 2010). This one extremist’s view is reported as the undisputed truth about Islam, framing the religion as an inherently violent faith. This notion is casually accepted by Journalists as the truth (Ibrahim, 2010). Thus, in news media, Islam is mainly represented as an angry religion through imagery of crises and violence.

Journalists are continually portrayed as being ignorant or indifferent to religion, lacking in a basic understand of religion matters and covering religion only when the subject involves conflict (Underwood, 2002). This foregrounds the media’s problematic aspect of Islam, being the lack of knowledge of its context and background (Ibrahim, 2010). It is quite daunting to think that journalists and news people even consider writing stories or creating news items on Islam based primarily on a violent bias. Why does an intelligent and modern society choose to marginalize and silence the good in this religion? The Majority of stories reflecting on Islam do not distinguish between its various branches (Ibrahim, 2010). Why does the media not educate people on the diversity of Islam’s various sects and instead focus on one broad term? Why does it choose to focus only on the bad? Further transparency and knowledge is required when journalists are reporting on a faith that their audience and themselves know very little about. What gives journalists, people who have no background in history or theology, the right to express to the world racist ideologies of this particular religion? Lack of understanding and ill information contributes to Muslim’s negative imagery.

References:

Ibrahim, D. 2010. The Framing of Islam on Network News Following the September 11^Th Attacks. International Communication Gazette (72: 111). DOI: 10.1177/1748048509350342

Isakhan B. 2009. Orientalism and the Australian News Media. Origins and Questions. In Rane H., J. Ewart and M. Abdalla, Eds., Islam and the Australian News Media. Carlton: Melbourne University Press. Ch. 1, 3-25. (RL)

Underwood D. 2002. I will show you my faith by what I do. A survey of the religious beliefs of journalists and journalists' faith put into action. In From Yahweh to Yahoo! the religious roots of the secular press. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. Ch. 9, 130-147, RL.

Image Source:

My own drawing of the marginalised sects of Islam.

Racism, Representations and Stereotypes

According to Hall (2000), racism and the media touch directly the problem of ideology, or representation. This notion of ideology privileges those images and concepts which are the frameworks through which we make sense of some aspect of social existence, or in this case, a religious tradition (Hall, 2000). Therefore, the media constructs definitions and plays a vital role in portraying what a particular race or religion is, or how it is to be viewed and understood. The media articulates, transforms and elaborates various religious world views (Hall, 2000). Unfortunately, this articulation of such religions can lead to harsh cultural stereotyping and mockery. Racism can arise through representations relating to religion, whether fact or fictional. In other words, mediated constructions of religions can cause unquestioned and untruthful assumptions.

How a religion's adherents see themselves and their social relations matters (Hall, 2000). How one sees oneself is important as it enters into and informs our practices and actions (Hall, 2000). Take racist jokes and media comics and caricatures for example. It is interesting to think that when an adherent from a religion picks on or mocks their own religion, then it is humorous. For instance, Jews can make Jewish jokes to people from their own religion, and Black people can make Black jokes and it it not racist because the person telling the joke and their audience are religious or racial equals. Actually, the mocking of their own religion or race shows self awareness within the community (Hall, 2000). Telling racist jokes reinforces the difference and reproduces the unequal relations because the point of the joke depends on the existence of racism (Hall, 2000). However, when a racist joke is generated or repeated to humiliate, then the purpose and humour is lost (Woodbury, 2003).

Representations of the Jewish religion have made the Jewish people victims, from a long history of stereotyping. This stereotyping and negative imagery of Jews has fanned an anti-Semitism, or hate of Jews (Woodbury, 2003).  This notion is foregrounded on the internet through hate-sites, where some go as far as stating 'kill the Jews.' It can be said that this negativity stems from early historical traditions. For instance, throughout history, Jews were seen as stubborn people for refusing to convert to the religion of their hosts, and instead, keeping their own beliefs (Woodbury, 2003). In other words, when invaders tried to force Jewish followers to change their religion, most were prosecuted for refusing to do so. This negative stereotyping was then continued into caricatures depicting the religion to be blasphemous and in league with the devil (Woodbury, 2003). It is also reflected in other media, such as film. For example, in holocaust films, Jews are foregrounded as helpless, passive and childlike people, acceptingly walking into the Nazi gas chambers etc, in movies such as Schindler's List or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Other stereotypes in movies incorporate the Jewish kid who is fat, always comes last and is constantly bullies; or the female Jew who is loudmouthed, pushy and not lusted after my men.

The media needs to influence representational change, as they have the power to do so. Mediated forms need to be utilized to heighten awareness of the unconscious assumptions people may hold about specific religions, such as Jews, Muslims and Arabs, and to learn where these inner images and negative, historical stereotypes clash with reality (Woodbury, 2003). Reporters and other media managers need to recognize that today's religious events and circumstances gain a lot of effect from mediated relations. For instance, a small error on behalf of a reporter or photographer can cause hate crimes, burned synagogues or temples, and overt prejudice. A shortcoming of the way media reports religion is the reporter's lack of religious, historical or theological background. Thus, their writing or reporting is ill informed. For example, we often see that references with Islam and violence and terrorism arise through a lack of understanding with the Muslim religion. Therefore, although reporters do not actually know anything about religion, they report on it anyway, often contributing to negative imagery and stereotyping.

Muslims and Arabs have a long and dark history of representation by Western media (Canas, 2008). For instance, Islamic men are seen as fanatics and terrorists, whilst the women are views as submissive victims of a patriarchal religion (Canas, 2008). As exemplified through Orientalist discourses, members of the Islam tradition are inferior, premodern and violent (Canas, 2008). Following the 9/11 context, these discourses have been greatly reinforced and spread by the media. Therefore, the media has been very detrimental to Islam. Although the media has the power to transform the Muslim stereotype of violence, it chooses not too. Why is the media so stuck on keeping these negative images of religions? Is it to keep their readership? Does the audience prefer to read and see stories of violence and mistreatment to religious adherents who have done nothing but adopt a religious tradition? This is immoral and completely unfair. What has the mediated world come too? Shouldn't the media be used for good, to bring the world together, rather than driving nations apart and influencing racism? What happened to the hopeful notion of a multicultural society?

To exemplify a horrific result of stereotyped reporting, the slaying of reporter Daniel Pearl can be foregrounded. Daniel Pearl, jew, was killed in Pakistan by Israeli soldiers on the basis of his religious affiliation. It is interesting to consider whether this would have occurred if the world and media did not stereotype the Jewish religion. It is also evident in this story that negative Israeli images overshadow more subtle and positive Jewish images (Woodbury, 2003). For instance, the news media never talks about various Jewish athletes. Jewish people are as complex and as rich in diversity as any one of us. It seems unfair to draw this religion down to generalisations and negative imagery through poor media coverage and deliberate stereotyping (Woodbury, 2003).

Therefore, the representations of various religions are products of negative stereotyping found throughout history. The media plays a vital role in constructing how a religion is to be viewed and understood.

References:

Cañas S. 2008. The Little Mosque on the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion. Cultural Dynamics, 20: 195-211. (RL). Also via: http://www.nabilechchaibi.com/resources/Canas.pdf

Hall S. 2000. Racist Ideologies and the Media. In P Marris and S Thornham, Eds., Media Studies: A Reader. 2nd Edn., New York, New York University Press. Ch. 22, 271-282. (RL)

Woodbury M. 2003. Jewish Images that Injure. In PM Lester and EE Dennis, Eds., Images that Injure: Pictorial Stereotypes in the Media. 2nd edn. 121-130. London: Praeger. Ch15, (RL)

Image Source:

My own drawing of the Jewish ‘childish/helpless’ stereotype and the Islam ‘violent/angry’ stereotype.

Sacred and Mediated Nature

Nature’s beauty lures us into its sacredness. We marvel at nature’s maginificence, whether on land or sea, and are lured by its imagery, on and off the media. Thus, mediated nature is seen in song, video, poetry and consumerism. The term ‘green religion’, or sacred nature, is used for religions that are trying to incorporate environmentally sustainable worldviews as a new interpretation of traditional concepts (Klassen, 2012).

On comparing two opposing videos that surround the theme of nature, I preferred the Bliss n’ Eso perspective over the Sigur Ros BBC perception. These videos vary as the first details the harm humanity has caused to nature, whilst the second portrays a still perfect and untouched world of nature. Therefore, the Sigur Ros BBC music video privileges a beautiful world with no real environmental concerns. Consequently, the Bliss n’ Eso video has the most effect as it portrays a natural world that has been betrayed or forgotten. The video imagery of a world of poverty, explosions and war foreground an environment that has been utterly forsaken. This video silently blames humanity for how the world has been treated. It privileges that something needs to be done to maintain nature’s beauty, and soon. It makes the audience reconsider what life is all about, and how we treat one another and the natural environment in this depicted way? Is humanity really that bad?

This above Bliss n’ Eso video portrays why there are spiritual ways of life such as paganism, eco spirituality or “green religion.” In other words, this video explains why people connect with the sacred and spiritual nature, striving to take care of God’s creation. It makes one consider that maybe God should have given the world an eleventh commandment. Should God have made the people of Israel promise to conserve the resources of the environment? Would this have made any such difference to the current state of the natural world? Would we be struggling with the ideology of global warming, and rising sea levels, if people had been more empathetic to nature?

Media can corrupt and utilise the ‘green’ theme of sacred nature to sell products and motivate people to act differently towards nature. For example, the movie titled Avatar awed many viewers by the world and worldview encountered on Pandora (Klassen, 2012). It is a construction of a fantastical natural world where spirituality is embedded in nature. This film foregrounds a spiritual interaction of the indigenous people with the natural world (Klassen, 2012). According to Klassen (2012), Avatar is “a story about a desirable spirituality embedded in the natural world” (p.74). Therefore, it motivates people to act differently in their everyday lives in response to environmental issues. This Avatar moral makes one think about technology and its influence on people’s spiritual views. Additionally, it forces one to consider indigenous culture and religious appropriation and the need for environmental preservation. Alike the Bliss n’ Eso video above, it makes that audience reconsider humanity’s role and view on preserving and maintaining the nature that God gave us. Should more be done to protect our environment from pollution, urbanisation and industrialisation?

Various digital effects and 3D technologies alter the way viewers can access the nature in the Avatar film (Klassen, 2012). These technologies provide an optical illusion of nature with no reference in our real world. This nature constructed with technology appears to be better than our real nature. As Klassen (2012) foregrounds, “only stepping out of the technological mediation that viewer can engage with the ... environmental ethics” within the film (p.86). Therefore, it can be said that people can become depressed in comparing the real world to the fantastical world of Pandora, wanting more from the environment. This is foregrounded through the notion of ‘dark green religion.’

Dark green religion is a concern with nature spirituality, as found within popular culture media (Klassen, 2012). It is characterised as a kinship with the rest of the natural world. Popular culture has a growing interest in themes of spiritual connection to nature (Klassen, 2012). This is seen in many films, including Pocahontas, the Lion King, and of course, Avatar. Therefore, films such as these motivate for environmental and social activism. However, this can be dangerous as people can become depressed that reality's nature is not actively spiritual like the natures in the aforementioned movies.

Thus, media utilises nature to sell products and motivate people through movies. However, this can be dangerous. People can become depressed in comparing the real world to the fantastical world of Pandora, wanting more for environmental protection and preservation.

References

Klassen, C. 2012. Avatar, Dark Green Religion, and the Technological Construction of Nature. Cultural Studies Review 18(2): 74-86. http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/csrj/article/view/2757

Cgmasroor. (2009, Jun 29). BBC Planet Earth – Hoppipolla song by Sigur Ros [Video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH2Z_1-Frb8

Lifeseditor. (2009, Sep 17). Bliss n Eso feat: John Butler Trio – “The Sea is Rising” – Peace One Day Video [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J08MqOtAEVs

Religion and the Internet

According to Wagner (2011), the technological era of today is defined by modern communications media, foregrounding the internet in particular. The foundation of the internet has allowed religious faith to be brought online, where adherents from many different religions can conduct spiritual rituals and discuss various beliefs (Campbell, 2010). This ‘wired’ form of worship, or faith, can vary from discussion boards, to Facebook applications (Christian Bible, Jewish Torah and Islam Koran), to online rituals such as Puja for Hindu followers. Contemporary society is seemingly now a network based community (Wagner, 2011). Finding a community online can give people a sense of belonging and value in the chaotic digital world (Wagner, 2011).

As Campbell (2010) explains, there are three main factors that shape how a religion utilises and responds to the internet and media in general. These principles consider religious authority, community and texts (Campbell, 2010). To begin, the varying sense of boundaries and authority within religious communities means that religions are unlikely to have the same response to media, especially the internet (Campbell, 2010). Religions seemingly act in line with their community’s negotiations with previous media (Campbell, 2010). For example, the digitization of handwritten texts relating to Orthodox Judaism, namely the Torah, through the internet thus raised issues due to the holiness of the text. However, for Christians, religious leaders have always used printing press as a God inspired medium, therefore the use of radio, television and the internet is advocated (Campbell, 2010). Therefore, a religious group’s relationship with media in history comprehends any decision regarding the use of new media forms.

For example, it can be privileged that different religions have different views and uses for the internet. Firstly, Judaism utilises the internet as a new virtual home for the global Jewish community (Campbell, 2010). The World Wide Web becomes a potential holy ground, changing the ways people of the Judaism think about God and faith (Campbell, 2010). For example, Jews can find kosher recipes, Torah study sources, Jewish dating services etc online. However, many ultra-orthodox rabbis attempted to band the internet, seeing it as a danger to the people; incorporating pornography and references to drugs and violence; but this was ignored by non-orthodox Judaism followers (Campbell, 2010).

Secondly, Islam uses the internet in an attempt to allow Muslims to transcend time and space, to reach outside the Muslim world to shape dialogues in the West (Campbell, 2010). Islam is praised for creating an electronic networked community that really engages with our modern times (Campbell, 2010). The Islamic clergy foreground the internet for positive purposes, to communicate about Islam and offer more accurate views to people about Islamic beliefs and practices. For instance, Muslims can find learned commentaries on Islam, Hadith interpretations, copies of the Koran etc.

Finally, Christianity appears to be the most dominant religion online. Christians see the internet as a new tool for spreading the gospel and beliefs (Campbell, 2010). According to Campbell, it is a “new forum for proclaiming the gospel” (Campbell, 2010, p.37). This religion orientates towards evangelizing and getting out the message through modern day technology (Campbell, 2010). Christians simply developed their use of books to a use of cyberspace (Campbell, 2010). Christians can find religious education, news and missions online, as well as a YouTube channel specifically for the Vatican.

Therefore, different religions use the internet for different purposes. However, it has become quite evident in modern society that the internet itself can be foregrounded as some kind of pop religion. Technology has taken the place of deity and people serve it instead of God (Campbell, 2010). For instance, the use of online social media is often a ritualistic activity for the youth of the world. Social media such as Facebook, blogs, tweets, text messages, discussion boards and even Wikipedia sights are important and primary devices of communication for people today. Alongside the technical developments of such items as the mobile phone, laptops and various tablets, people now have the ability to be ‘wired’ all day long. It is quite daunting to think how many people, on average, would log on to Facebook when they wake up in the morning. It is interesting to think that while Muslims would get up each morning to complete one of their five prayers for the day, millions worldwide are awaking to their social media accounts. Although not having any specific “God” related influence, could this ritual be somewhat religious in our network based community? Could the addiction and use of Facebook somehow be a pop religious movement?

References:

Campbell, H. 2010. When Religion Meets New Media. London & New York: Routledge. Ebook. Ch. 1: Religious Communities and the Internet.

Wagner, R. 2011. God Mobs: Virtual Religious Community. In Godwired: Religion, Ritual, and Virtual Reality. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Ebook.

Image Source:

My own drawing.

Religious Branding and Consumerism

According to Einstein (2011), religious marketing has risen over the past twenty-five years or so, due to societal changes. For example, the current generation now have the freedom to decide their individual faith or spiritual beliefs. Nowadays, youth look for a religious institution that meets their requirements and needs rather than simply taking up the religion of their families or community. Other societal developments incorporate the tool of advertising within mass media, through the enhancement of the television and other such media outlets.

Branding, recognised as particular characteristics that identify a product (the product being a religion), has been occupied by churches as a marketing tool. It changes religions into named commodities that consumers readily remember, to increase awareness. This is done by foregrounding various symbols (such as the cross for Christianity), languages and mythologies; unique to each religion (Einstein, 2011). It gives a religion an identity that is beyond its attributes or services (Einstein, 2011). Religions may employ branding to improve their reputation or reposition their traditional values (Einstein, 2011). As Einstein proclaims, religious branding as a marketing tool for faith institutions can be utilised “for a variety of objectives depending on the needs of the institution” (Einstein, 2011, p.337).

Take, for instance, the Church of Scientology, whom has significantly increased their use of marketing and branding. Following some negative public mediated attacks, Scientology advertised a campaign to improve a negative public perception in order to get people back on its side. This public attack involved an internet protest group pursuing a video of the celebrity, Tom Cruise, bad-mouthing the religion. Also, they privileged the death of Scientologist, Lisa McPherson, due to severe isolation, of which the religion claims to hold no responsibility towards.

The advertisement campaign is titled “Scientology: Know Yourself – Know Life” (2009) and incorporated TV and internet advertisements in the format of a video (as seen above). Although the video is compelling to watch and gains the attention of the young target audience, of any race, the advertisement does not explain Scientology. It brands scientology as a solution to one’s life. It sends a message that “your life is not okay” and that Scientology can change this (Einstein, 2011). However, it does not say how it plans to do this. Instead, it utilises beautiful photography and new age music to lead to a website, being scientology.org. It brands scientology as a hip and mainstream religion, thus developing new symbols to target young people. This marketing tool was seen to be affective as the number of visitors to the website doubled following the campaign (Einstein, 2011). However, the videos are somewhat untruthful. They do not explain Scientology. They rather gain the attention of the audience by utilising effective techniques.

It is interesting to think of a religion needing a marketing tool to draw adherents into their Church etc. It makes one reconsider the purpose of religion. If religions are simply in competition with each other for adherents, and depending on media to gain new members, then where is the real faith? Shouldn't followers be able to choose what they want to believe without the influence of advertising and mediated tools? It is not a matter of ‘who is the best religion.’ For example, the Church of Scientology has recently increased its use in marketing following some negative hits from the media involving certain celebrities. However, it should not matter what the media believes a religion to be. It is up to the individual person. People have the right to believe what they want too, without being pushed and influenced by news and advertisements telling them what they are doing right and wrong. For example, Scientology's campaign foregrounding that people's lives are not okay without this particular religion seems somewhat immoral, using 'Hollywood' ideas and techniques to influence people's decisions, rather than giving them the right to their own life choices. 

References:

Church of Scientology. (2009, Jun 16). Scientology Ad: “Life” [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1RaKWS6jb4

Einstein, M. 2011. The Evolution of Religious Branding. Social Compass 58(3): 331-338. (RL)

Ward, P. 2011. Gods Behaving Badly: Media Religion and Celbrity Culture. London: SCM Press. Ch 3. 57 on. (RL)