Essay

“The media, the corporations, the politicians... have all done such a good job of scaring the American public, it's come to the point where they don't need to give any reason at all.”Daily television shows are slanted towards generating fear, the news broadcasts violent crimes rather than realistic problems, and the media sells fear to society. Michael Moore argues that the United States of America lives in a climate of fear due to the media.

Daily television shows watched by millions of Americans of any age are slanting towards generating fear. The show COPS, one of the longest-running television programs in the United States, follows police officers arresting mainly Black and Hispanic people committing violent crimes. Michael Moore argues that such television series like these creates fear in the society, especially towards Black and Hispanic people. Moore interviews the producer of COPS, who says his show sells because of the violence and if filmed non violent it would not. South Park, an American animated sitcom, has various skits in Bowling for Columbine. Michael Moore included South Park in his documentary, for the show is known for its crude, surreal, violent and dark humour. The television shows on T.V. are becoming more and more slanted towards fear, attracting many young adults and even children to watch, giving them the idea that such violence is normal in society and it is how people act.

The news does not film the realistic problems happening in society, but instead films on violence and supposed hazards. During Moore’s documentary, he follows a news reporter heading to a scene of a Black man carrying a rumoured gun. Moore attempted to interview him, enquiring why he chose the gun occurrence preferably over a drowning baby or the pollution covering the Hollywood sign. The news selects the generally more intense stories, instead of the ones that are realistic in everyday culture. The news also has an availability to scare the people, by the means of broadcasting unlikely potential hazards. Moore brought into play the killer bees that never came and the myth of razor blades in candy apples. Moore claims that the media, such as the news, produces a feeling of fear in America.

Fear sells, therefore scaring the society with the media profits businesses with higher guns and security systems products sold.  Moore interviewed a man who sets up home security systems, who informed Moore that his services go up as the fear in media progresses. On a different note, the media can also be incredibly influential of eliminating articles of fear such as hand gun ammunition. Moore and two victims from the school shooting in Columbine went to K-Mart to try and refund the bullets that were still lodged into their body. They had no luck, and proceeded to buy out all ammunition at the nearest K-Mart store and brought the media with them. A spokesperson then announced that they will change their policy and phase out the sale of handgun ammunition. Moore and the two victims going alone had no impact; however the appearance of the media made an immense impact. Media has total control of what they tell the people and can simply inform us with dreadful issues to pressurize the people the society to go out and buy protection. Media also has the power to eliminate things that cause fear, such as handgun ammunition.

The media has made the United States of America live in an environment of fear. Television shows such as Cops and South Park display and create fear, the news prefers to inform society on supposed hazards and horror rather than practical problems, and the media scares society into purchasing protection that is not necessary. Do you not think the media should be reassuring us rather than creating fear?