On Facebook You Are Who You Are

Previously I’ve established what movies, television, novels, and other fictional media convey to American audiences. But how do such messages affect our everyday lives? We don't see people running around in spandex, using their massive amounts of money to save a dying city (that's government work). Nor do we see women blatantly transform themselves into queen b's just to prove a point. We do see individuals striving to better humanity through academics, public service, or just being nice, and we do see people change aspects of their lives to better fit in or stand out- whichever is perceived as the way to success.

Cosplay: Not just for Adults

To understand how New American Mythology affects individuals we have to survey how people present themselves to world where they present themselves. Now, you may think, oh, obviously people walking around on the street. No. When was the last time you presented all of your true self to the street corner? You don't walk around (I assume) declaring Harry Potter as the best book series, congressmen talking about rape are idiots, Shock Top is your new favorite beer, or Fantasy Football is the same as Dungeons and Dragon

These proud, albeit random, disclosures of person's personalities occur on Facebook. We present ourselves to the (Facebook) world as we truly see ourselves- unapologeticly (unless you are) redefining ourselves with each status update, 'Like,' wall post, friend request, and defriending. Despite earlier thoughts, people don't use Facebook to create idealized personas. They may censor themselves or refrain from revealing too much, but they want to create an accurate depiction of their true personality.

As opposed to The Sims, Second-Life, chatrooms, and the other anonymous corners of the world wide web, Facebook users see the website as a representation of who they are. It's the one stop shop where others can browse your traits and decide if you are worth 'Friending' and to what extent. (Should we just be FB friends or should I try to hang out with you at school?) Additionally, because Americans tend to only 'friend' people they've met in real life, their actions are accountable. For example, someone posts that they really hate Twilight. Her friends may comment and say that she does like Twilight but really doesn't like Kristin Stewart because she's jealous. Or, people won't want to be the Twilight hater's friend, because she just lied about hating Twilight because it's 'cool'. Typical drama things.


My point is, Facebook is not an avatar creator. If you're familiar with the Jungian Archetypes, Facebook is where "From the Self -the totality of the psyche- the individualized ego consciousness emerges as the individual grows up" (Jung, Man and his Symbols). That is, individuals assemble their 'whole' selves on Facebook, marrying her Shadow, Anima/Animus, and Persona to create a Self that her ego accepts as true, even as each archetype changes. Adapting and abandoning likes, thoughts, and friends allows people to in some sense physically change their Self archetype and better understand who they are as a person. What's more, other people can understand who they are as a person.

Our understanding of a person goes beyond the text: Female Interested in Males and is Married, and instead reads 'Female Interested in [really nice] Males [who enjoy the Southern lifestyle] [but there are none around so she] is ["]Married["] [to Best Friend Katie]. People post their discoveries. They post their triumphs. They post their worries. They post how they fit in. They post how they stand out. They post things they think people want to know- about themselves, factoids, politics, rants, coupons, family. The combination of these posts describe the individual, not the single elements.

We still haven't gotten to the Mythology part of this. Where are the Astronauts, Cowboys, and Zombies on Facebook? They're there, just in a more subtle way. Facebook users display what interests them. The following are fictionalized portraits sewn together from my various friends. You have to keep in mind these are personas because I'm making them up. I've tried to make them as believable/accurate as possible.

The Cowboy:

Perhaps he likes hunting, the TV show Weeds, he quotes Boondock Saints, and the last book he read was The Watchmen.  Him and his bros pose for their pictures with calculated aloofness. He brags about all the girls he met at the club tonight. His photo albums are full of all the 'edgy' things he does- going to house parties, jumping off cliffs, graffiti he saw, and him chillaxin'. His comments skirt towards offensive, but it just shows how witty and free from conformity he is. The profile picture- him and his mutt chillin' with a beer in his dirty backyard.

The Astronaut:

On the Astronaut's profile page is all the beneficial and exciting things the Astronaut does. Her 'job' may be Volunteer at the food bank. She quotes Ghandi, Planet Earth is is favorite TV show, and he reads books like Lost Horizon. Her photos are of exotic places,  on a service trip, or running a marathon. Her Wall is covered with links to interesting facts, news clips, and exciting internet finds. She comments on controversial topics, but in an enlightened way that shows her intelligence. She and her pound puppy snuggle in his apartment to make a cute profile picture.



The Zombie:

Likes The Office, True Blood, Adventuretime, Glee, The Hangover II, Brave, 300, Gone With the Wind, 50 Shades of Grey, The Black Eyed Peas, The Beatles, the Clash, and a plethora of other media. Her photos are of the latest product she bought, dinner she ate, or hairstyle. She updates her page with comments on the latest episode of Jersey Shore or complaint going around town. Her photo shows the cute new sweater she purchased for her cute white dog.

Not Mine.

Again, these are not real profiles. In fact someone who likes to chillax with his buds may also like The Hangover II. Someone who runs marathons may also  like to show off her hairstyle. Someone who has a cute white dog might also go to house parties. How the person presents these aspects of their life determines which archetype they subscribe too. Focusing on products and material possessions is a trait of Zombies, whereas the Astronaut focuses on actions and effects, and the Cowboy on whatever is on the mind.

Another way of putting it:
Astronaut strives to better the 'collective consciousness' using their ego
Cowboy considers the 'collective consciousness' but follows their ego
Zombie mimics the 'collective consciousness' in their ego.

Also, I want to state that the Zombie profiles are not necessarily bad things, as it may come off as in the post. As mentioned earlier, Profiles reflect the individual's changing Self, and going through a phase where one relies on the Persona (of the collective consciousness) is common. If it wasn't, there would be far fewer psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and happy pills.

The President is a Black man

Olympic Reality

During the past seventeen days, an average of 31.1 American million viewers tuned in every evening to watch the 2012 London Olympic Games. Even though NBC monopolized the event, they successfully gave America a Reality where greatness is meticulously measured. Each country sent its most fit and able individuals to compete against each other and prove their country's superiority.

via CBS.com

The United States of America reclaimed the title as the World's Top Superpower by winning not only the most medals, but the most gold metals. We'll beat our pride-swollen chests as our flag rises above the others. We'll celebrate the soldiers'- I mean athletes' homecoming by calling them American Heroes that won the war with non-violent sportsmanship.  We'll politely say, "Nice Try China, it was good to see you again Russia, and that was an interesting show Britain" as our 46 gold, 29 silver, and 29 bronze medals flash in their eyes.

'I only beat you by 3.69 seconds Pereira,
maybe in four-years you can catch up.'

Unfortunately, like most Reality found on television, the Olympics does not accurately portray the world. The medal count seems like a fair way to gauge each country's athleticism (and therefore superiorty), but it ignores other important facts and figures that levels out the battleground. I've found this nifty (although a bit confusing) program that sorts countries and their medal counts by 1) Official Medal Count, 2) Gross Domestic Product to Medals, 3) Population Count to Medals 4) Number of Athletes to Medals, and 5) GDP per Captia to Medals. Columns 2 - 5, I believe, are weighted so that Gold equals 3pts, Silver 2pts, and Bronze 1pt.

Powered by Tableau

First, I congratulate you if you have figured out how to work this cryptic table. If you still need help, here is an example:

China won 38 Gold, 27 Silver, and 22 Bronze.
 (38Gold x 3) + (27Silver x 2) + (22Bronze x 1)
 = (114) + (54) + (22)
 = 190 [weighted number of medals]

1,334,130,000 [Population] / 190 [Medals] = 7,021,736.84
Meaning for every 7million (or so) people in China, it got one [Weighted] Medal

The U.S. n 46 Gold, 29 Silver, and 29 Bronze.
(46Gold x 3) + (29Silver x 2) + (29Bronze x 1)
=  (138) + (58) + (29)
= 225 [weighted number of medals]

311,591,917 [Population] / 225 [Medals] = 1,384,852.96
Meaning for every 1.3 million people in the U.S., it got one [Weighted] Medal

So we beat China in this regard as well. Along with 70 other countries. In fact, the island country of Granada got the most medals per citizen despite getting only one medal.

1 Gold x 3 = 3
104,890 [Population] / 3 = 34,963
One medal for every 34,963 Grenadians!

'Take that China and USA!'

China does beat the US when it comes to GDP, GDP per Capita, and Team (which I think counts every number of medals given away, i.e. the Relay Team gets 4 gold medals x 3). Meaning, despite being poorer than America, its citizens being poorer than Americans, and sending less athletes, Team China won a whole lot of medals. The Chinese government sees value in showing athleticism to the world and pours money into such programs. Americans might find Chinese Olympians' dedication shocking, but it's just a different mindset; they probably think P&G 'Supporting Olympians' Moms' is bizarre.

'Haha!
My Ping-Pong Gold Medal cost less per citizen than  yours James!!' 

Regardless of all this penis-measuring, all of the Olympians worked hard to make it to and through the games. They all proudly represented their countries. (Well, not these people) The world should marvel at their skills and determination. Medals going to other teams does not make them less worthy or less amazing- they are competing against the best. We couch potatoes should remember that any of these athletes could whoop our muffin tops. (Zhang Jike's can hit ping-pong ball at over 60mph)

My message: Don't get too big-headed over Team USA's Offical Olympic Medal count. It's a false Reality that leaves out important statistical information. You can be impressed and proud of your countrymen, however. Just remember when you are bragging:

'You didn't break the Women's 4x100 Relay World Record'

God is a Well-Spoken Black Man

Bruce Almighty (Universal Pictures, 2003)

The title of this post shouldn't surprise anyone. We've seen, or rather, heard Morgan Freeman impart information that only a omnipresent, omniscient being could know. In March of the Penguins (Bonne Pioche, 2005) he revealed how penguins survive Antarctica's extreme climate with faithful love. He showed us what it means to live (and love) even when the end is near in The Bucket List (Warner Bros., 2007).   In Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2005, 2008, 2012), Freeman played a man who had all the tools, was smart enough to repair them, and who knew right from wrong. Even in Wanted (Universal Pictures, 2008) he represented Weaver, the one who chose the hits, who knew who had to die and who to live.

Morgan Freeman's voice-over in the Visa Olympic 'Go World' campaign, well, it's as if God is telling us to cheer for our athletes because He hears us and helps them achieve [our] goals. The 'Go World' tag even shows that God isn't biased. And uses Visa. 

Aptly named Freeman isn't the only Well-Spoken Black Man who gets to channel the voice of God. The 'Token Black' in movies and television has become the voice of reality/reason/truth. Let's look at some of our favorite television shows:

The Office: We have Stanley and Daryl. 

Stanley he doesn't engage in (many) of The Office's shenanigans, he just wants to get through his day and get out. He calls people (mostly Michael Scott) out on BS, doesn't put any pretenses up, AND wants to be a lonely Astronaut.

Darryl, entered The Office from the warehouse (the Other). As such, other characters (Andy) approach him as if he has some sort of 'Street Smarts' and often ask him for advice. Darryl is aware of his power and his freedom to make his own way through the office and keeps a cool, humble head. 

American Idol and other variety-competition shows:

What have Randy Jackson, Ceelo Green, and Nick Cannon got in common? They've appeared as the fair and balanced voice of Reasson. People tend to see the Black as unbiased and objective who rely on their knowledge/experience to make fair judgement rather than personal taste or preferences (opposed to 'mean' Simon Cowell, or 'nice' Sharon Osborn). The variety-competion shows don't limit Blacks to hosting and juding however. Arguably, their Black contestants are the most popular. Remember the dancer tWtich from So You Think You Can Dance (2008)? Or this year's Joshua Ledet on American Idol? They didn't win, but I believe they were the most admired individuals because they relied on their talents rather than mere sex appeal or general acceptance.

Joshua Ledet on American Idol (Fox, 2012)
Singin' with God in his Soul

Is that the key? Does our society see Black as individuals who can only advance with God-given extraordinary talents? A friend of mine explained to me that the only perceived way 'out' for a African-American man was through sports or other 'entertainment' media (aka talent). Don't believe me? Take a look at NBC's portrayal of one of our Olympians:

African Americans as God's chosen race counters historic records, but it makes sense if we look at today's facts. 79% of the African American population identify themselves as religious as compared to 56% of the general population. As a religious community, African Americans have added much to American culture, namely the long lineage of Gospel Music that African slaves brought to America and adapted to Christianity. Martin Luther King Jr., in-arguably the greatest American figure in the latter half of the 20th century, lead the Civil Right Movement with his preaching skills (and strong, resonant voice).

Of course, America now has an African American President, who ran under the campaign of 'Hope' and 'Change'. Presumably, Americans voted for this great man because they had faith in his talents to advance American in the 21st Century. We believed in Him. Barack Obama campaigned the same year Bruce Almighty came out. We can't really discern the movie first helped Americans see Black as the keeper of knowledge, or if it only happened after voters elected Obama into the Oval Office, but I propose the two were related.

What we do see in recent years is more African Americans portraying characters who protect and/or posses some sort of secret knowledge- whether that be technical skills, moral high ground, or outright intelligence. Although this does not mean representations of African-Americans in the media accurately reflect demographics, nor are all representations Black (i.e. Tracy Morgan's character in 30Rock). It does reflect a change in America's mind-set, one that acknowledges the African American community as valuable to America's well being.

Poster for Book of Eli movie

Other 'Black:'

• Eli in Book of Eli (Alcon Entertainment, 2010): Do I need to explain this one? 
• Nick Fury in The Avengers (Marvel Studios, 2012): Up until 2002 this character was white. 
• Perry White in Man of Steel (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2013): Again, traditionally white character. He's the Editor-in-Chief at the Daily Planet.
• Heimdall in Thor (Marvel Studios, 2011): The gatekeeper who sees both the Earthly and Asgard Realms
• Storm in X2, and X-Men: The Last Stand, (Twentieth Century Fox Film, 2003, 2006): She becomes the school's leader (keeper) after Xavier's death. 
• Troy Barnes in Community (NBC, 2009 - 2012): He has magical skills to fix A/C and Plumbing!
• Agent J in Men In Black (Amblin Entertainment, 1997, 2002, 2012): He has the street-skills to save the world! 
• Morpheus in The Matrix (Warner Bros, 1999, 2003): The guy searching for 'The One' to liberate the people. 
• Mufasa in The Lion King (Disney, 1994): "Remember who you are..."

In Association with 'Black'

• Oprah in Life (Discovery Channel, 2010)
• Maids in The Help (Dreamworks SKG, 2011)
• Shirley Bennet in Community (NBC, 2009 -2012)

Have more? Do you dispute my claims? Comment below.