Media and rich white girls
Socialist Autonomia
22-06-2005, 05:38
Is it just me or does the media (American specifically, I wouldn't really know about others) have some strange obsession with rich white girls who go missing?
Seems like you can't go a week or two without hearing about another one, even if there's nothing particularly special about this new rich white girl or the circumstances of her disappearance. Is it like this in other countries?
Sdaeriji
22-06-2005, 05:43
Does anyone remember during that time when Elizabeth Smart was missing, there was that black girl from Philadelphia (I think) who was abducted and thrown in a basement to die, only to chew through her bindings, escape from the basement, and run to the police to get the people arrested? She was given maybe a couple days of air time while still-missing Elizabeth Smart got loads of media attention.
*conspiracy theory detector goes off*
:rolleyes:
Ravenshrike
22-06-2005, 05:45
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/09/AR2005060901729.html
(White) Women We Love
By Eugene Robinson
Friday, June 10, 2005; Page A23
Someday historians will look back at America in the decade bracketing the turn of the 21st century and identify the era's major themes: Religious fundamentalism. Terrorism. War in Iraq. Economic dislocation. Bioengineering. Information technology. Nuclear proliferation. Globalization. The rise of superpower China.
And, of course, Damsels in Distress.
Every few weeks, this stressed-out nation with more problems to worry about than hours in the day finds time to become obsessed with the saga -- it's always a "saga," never just a story -- of a damsel in distress. Natalee Holloway, the student who disappeared while on a class trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba, is the latest in what seems an endless series.
Holloway assumed the mantle from her predecessor, the Runaway Bride, who turned out not to have been in distress at all -- not physical distress, at least, though it's obvious that the prospect of her impending 600-guest wedding caused Jennifer Wilbanks an understandable measure of mental trauma.
Before the Runaway Bride, there were too many damsels to provide a full list, but surely you remember the damsel elite: Laci Peterson. Elizabeth Smart. Lori Hacking. Chandra Levy. JonBenet Ramsey. We even found, or created, a damsel amid the chaos of war in Iraq: Jessica Lynch. (article cont.)
Andaluciae
22-06-2005, 05:46
people watch it, media assumes people like it because they watch it, media tracks down more such circumstances, etc.
The Druidic Clans
22-06-2005, 05:51
I stopped watching the news a long time ago. "This person went missing (and yeah, a rich kid)" and then "This person went missing, (again a rich kid)" and then "Recently in the Michael Jackson case (rich white guy :p)".....All I saw on the news and I really couldn't care less about the woes of a millionaire in a court room or some rich kid across the country going missing...
Now the General Forums here have become a good source of info. Seriously, in every political topic you get both sides of the arguement, though one side usually out numbers the other here you still get both sides, and then on other issues like the War, still get both sides on the issue.
See Nation States News, we're really Fair and Balanced! :D
Socialist Autonomia
22-06-2005, 05:53
*conspiracy theory detector goes off*
:rolleyes:
The bastards probably kidnap the women themselves! And by "the bastards" I obviously mean Freemasons, International Jewry, Satanists, Shapeshifting Reptilian Aliens, enemies of the Timecube...
[/end-crazy-ass-bearded-militia-compound-guy rant]
I don’t think any of these people are rich. Middle-Class is more like it.
Cannot think of a name
22-06-2005, 06:05
*conspiracy theory detector goes off*
:rolleyes:
You might want to get that checked. Usually a conspiracy involves a stated or implied agenda and not a recognizable trend in media coverage.
Rich white girls are often involved in the average American male's fantasies. My statement is based on observations and maybe a bit of stereotypes.
Marrakech II
22-06-2005, 06:16
I don’t think any of these people are rich. Middle-Class is more like it.
Yip, Its like a drug to some people. Its a real life soap opera. There is a target audience for these stories. suburban women. The usual stories are about suburban girls. This way this target audience can identify. Me, well its sad. Other than that there are a dozen other kids that go missing or kidnaped or whatever.
Gauthier
22-06-2005, 06:21
Why else would some people have nothing better to do than bask in the mass-media prostitution that is Paris Hilton?
The Druidic Clans
22-06-2005, 06:21
Damn, upper middle class at the least. Most of the people the news shows going missing always have big ass houses with 5-7 bedrooms, cadillacs and Navigators....lucky sons of...
Marrakech II
22-06-2005, 06:22
Damn, upper middle class at the least. Most of the people the news shows going missing always have big ass houses with 5-7 bedrooms, cadillacs and Navigators....lucky sons of...
They could be deep in debt? I have run into lots of posers in my time.
Does anyone remember during that time when Elizabeth Smart was missing, there was that black girl from Philadelphia (I think) who was abducted and thrown in a basement to die, only to chew through her bindings, escape from the basement, and run to the police to get the people arrested? She was given maybe a couple days of air time while still-missing Elizabeth Smart got loads of media attention.
Even Maddox got in on it.
Called her "Elizabeth-Not-So-Smart" and praised the black girl.
Yeah, for those of you that don’t know, most Middle Class people here in the US are in serious debt. You can’t judge a person’s wealth by looking at their stuff here (well, not usually).