The Case of the Invisible Buddhist

[binocular]

That may be a good generalization in real life. But in the media, when the director or producer wants to show that someone is of a certain stripe, they will use a symbol that is as familiar to as many people as possible. For example, a Jewish person might have a yarmulke and a bushy beard. A chef might have be overweight and wear an apron or a chef's hat. Muslims are often shown as terrorists in American media or wearing their traditional garb. A barber might have his uniform on or be particularly interested in someone's hair and may possibly be gay. A Buddhist monk would be depicted wearing robes and would be Asian. A lay Buddhist...that's pretty hard. There have been no TV or movies featuring them in my memory.

Or an action hero will have big muscles and look really serious all the time. Or a ditsy woman will make asinine comments and wear revealing clothing. Or a person from the ghetto will be speaking in ghetto slang and wear baggy clothes.

Those are just a few basic examples. If you're an American and watch or have watched enough American TV and movies, as I have, you get a feel for the triteness of these things.

To be fair (although my knowledge of these things is mostly a bit old, I'm not particularly up-to date with what goes on on American tv) the representation of Muslims from traditional Muslim countries, as well as Hindus from traditional Hindu countries is also very scarce or non-existent in popular American tv programmes, at least as far as leading characters go. While they often enough appear in minor roles as cab drivers, owners of small shops and terorrists, beyond that it's like they don't exist. Even though both are an integral part of American society.

And secondly, I think the portrayal of Jews and Christians in mainstream American media is also simplified. Although characters are often nominally identified as Jewish or Christian, in that they themselves or other characters call them "Jewish" or "Christian", in the programmes themselves, there seems to be very little that they do or that is said about them that would actually identify them as such.

[Aloka]

I think it's safe to say that the American media / entertainment complex is the most far reaching on the planet. Millions of people all over the globe have been exposed to shows like Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, Keeping up with the Kardashians etc

Hi dhammafriend,

I live in the UK, I rarely watch TV , I don't have 'Skye', I'm not familiar with the programme you mentioned and I don't watch sitcoms or movies.What would be the point - its just filling ones time with other peoples fantasies. To be honest, its never occured to me whether Buddhists are fairly represented in the media or not.

The various Buddhist traditions and different schools are very diverse and don't always even agree with each on everything . Therefore, if there was some kind of standard "buddhist" in the media it might not necessarily be an accurate portrayal anyway.

Turning off the TV more often Is my suggestion.

.

[mikenz66]

I think it's safe to say that the American media / entertainment complex is the most far reaching on the planet. Millions of people all over the globe have been exposed to shows like Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, Keeping up with the Kardashians etc

Actually, I think that American media has become much less important globally in recent times than it used to be a few decades ago. Most countries now have their own entertainment industry. If you go to Thailand or China, for example, you'll find that there are hundreds of channels of local content on TV in their own language... Same goes for music and cinema...

So your concerns about balance in American media may be important for Americans, or for small English-speaking countries like mine which still import a lot of TV. But not so much for the rest of the world...


Mike

[dhammafriend]

To be fair (although my knowledge of these things is mostly a bit old, I'm not particularly up-to date with what goes on on American tv) the representation of Muslims from traditional Muslim countries, as well as Hindus from traditional Hindu countries is also very scarce or non-existent in popular American tv programmes,...

Thanks Binocular for your thoughtful post, agree here. For me its not about frequency of representation rather its how they are represented: i.e. as normal tax paying Americans who are your neighbors etc. Rather than evil Muslims blowing people up or Exotic Asian monks dispensing crazy wisdom.

What would be the point

I get to see representations of myself on television and other media (I am a mixed race minority). I feel included in my society, my (former) religious tradition and cultural is recognized etc. I'm not seen as a visitor, fresh of the boat.

Turning off the TV more often Is my suggestion.

TV gets turned off regularly I can assure you. I'm currently in advertising so am also exposed to a lot of stuff at work. I'm going to a hell realm for sure!

This is probably because the vast majority of Asian Americans are in fact culturally indistinguishable from anyone else......and quite frankly the possibility that an Asian American might be Buddhist is not something that most Americans really want to know about because it is alien to most Americans who think that Buddhism is a form of idol worship...

Where the heck is this coming from Chownah? I can't even reply to this, the lapse in logic is so profound.

Dhammafriend

[Ben]

I'm going to a hell realm for sure!

I think hell is full.
Just keep walking on the path - you'll be fine.
kind regards,

Ben

[chownah]

This is probably because the vast majority of Asian Americans are in fact culturally indistinguishable from anyone else......and quite frankly the possibility that an Asian American might be Buddhist is not something that most Americans really want to know about because it is alien to most Americans who think that Buddhism is a form of idol worship...

Where the heck is this coming from Chownah? I can't even reply to this, the lapse in logic is so profound.

Dhammafriend

Do you think that in New York walking down the sidewalk or in a department store or through a restaurant that you could successfully indicate which Asian Americans are Christian and which are Buddhist and which are none of the above? Guaranteed you can't for the vast majority.

Do you think that the average American TV viewer gives a whit about Buddhism? Guaranteed they don't.

You also asked:
"In my country we have representation of one particular Dharmic faith throughout or media. We have them depicted in TV serials, soaps, etc as fully formed characters. Is Wendy Wu really the best American media has to offer Asian American Buddhists? Or are they not American enough to warrant representation? Any thoughts?"

My answer is that I guess that Wendy Wu is as good as it gets althought the movie Gran Tourino (overall mediocre bad) had one fairly reasonable representation of an Asian American.

Also, I think you are getting it backwards in that it is not that they are not American enough, it is that they are too American to require representation of their religious beliefs........TV audiences in America are not very interested in watching things to do with religion.....and frankly it seems pretty much the same here in Thailand.

chownah

P.S. Don't be too concerned with the lapse in logic.....it can probably be reversed by just cutting down on time viewing TV.
chownah

[Aloka]

What would be the point

I get to see representations of myself on television and other media (I am a mixed race minority). I feel included in my society, my (former) religious tradition and cultural is recognized etc. I'm not seen as a visitor, fresh of the boat.

I meant what would be the point in watching sitcoms and movies myself, I wasn't refering to you. Sorry for any misunderstanding .

[binocular]

P.S. Don't be too concerned with the lapse in logic.....it can probably be reversed by just cutting down on time viewing TV.

and/or by rethinking the relevance that media portrayal has in one's life. Letting go of the hope that happiness and wellbeing are to be found in "life as it is usually lived". Letting go of trying to find some happiness and wellbeing in being recognized as a Buddhist by non-Buddhists.

I think that pretty much the only reason why it could matter to one whether Buddhists (Asian American or any other) are adequately represented in the media is because one deep down isn't all that comfortable with being a Buddhist and/or isn't all that convinced about the efficacy of the Buddhist path.

If there's anyone in this world who has a solid basis for understanding that happiness and wellbeing are _not_ to be found outside, in the world, it is precisely Buddhists.

[dhammafriend]

P.S. Don't be too concerned with the lapse in logic.....it can probably be reversed by just cutting down on time viewing TV...

Oh snap! OK you win.

I meant what would be the point in watching sitcoms and movies myself

Who told you to watch sitcoms and movies?

Dhammafriend

[dhammafriend]

I think that pretty much the only reason why it could matter to one whether Buddhists (Asian American or any other) are adequately represented in the media is because one deep down isn't all that comfortable with being a Buddhist and/or isn't all that convinced about the efficacy of the Buddhist path.

Cannot agree. You are reaching here my friend. The fact that you came to that conclusion actually says a lot about what your assumptions are.

[Justsit]

Re: your Wendy Wu comment - Major channel American TV is completely driven by corporate advertising. Show content is basically irrelevant, as long as the ads produce income, and ends up geared to the least common denominator. Marketing research guides every decision; this "science" is based on identifying specific demographics for targeting and is the basis for programming choices. "Asian American Buddhists" as a group does not even show up on their radar due to size, not ethnicity.

Public TV and the myriad local stations are different, however. You can see many well produced shows on PBS - Life of the Buddha aired here - and there are many programs geared towards various ethnic groups on local TV, especially in large cities.

But the main channels - that's where the big money rules.

[Aloka]

]
Who told you to watch sitcoms and movies?

Nobody did - I was just saying that I don't watch American TV/sitcoms/ movies (or reality TV ) in response to you saying this:

I think it's safe to say that the American media / entertainment complex is the most far reaching on the planet. Millions of people all over the globe have been exposed to shows like Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, Keeping up with the Kardashians etc

.

[chownah]

Re: your Wendy Wu comment - Major channel American TV is completely driven by corporate advertising. Show content is basically irrelevant, as long as the ads produce income, and ends up geared to the least common denominator. Marketing research guides every decision; this "science" is based on identifying specific demographics for targeting and is the basis for programming choices. "Asian American Buddhists" as a group does not even show up on their radar due to size, not ethnicity.

Public TV and the myriad local stations are different, however. You can see many well produced shows on PBS - Life of the Buddha aired here - and there are many programs geared towards various ethnic groups on local TV, especially in large cities.

But the main channels - that's where the big money rules.

Great post!!!....and I would add that additionally non-Asian Americans are not particularly interested in seeing Buddhist depictions on TV....little market share demographics and little interest in general pretty much nixes most ideas from the advertiser's standpoint.
chownah

[dhammafriend]

Nobody did - I was just saying that I don't watch American TV/sitcoms/ movies (or reality TV ) in response to you saying this:

So you are not one of those millions? OK then I think?

Public TV and the myriad local stations are different, however. You can see many well produced shows on PBS - Life of the Buddha aired here - and there are many programs geared towards various ethnic groups on local TV, especially in large cities.

Thanks for this Justsit! Good post. I'm not completely convinced (no need to try either, I get what your saying). As I said earlier, what's not made visible can tell us a lot about what is. That goes for any society.

Just as an aside please check out these links and tell me what you think. Please read the tweets as well as the articles. Perhaps something a little deeper than economics?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/1 ... 34428.html

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/11/ ... st-tweets/

http://audreymagazine.com/extremely-rac ... -fallen-2/

Dhammafriend.

[Justsit]

There is a very large segment of white America, primarily blue collar with low income and low education, who have always felt threatened by people of color. They, of course, would never admit this is fear driven - indeed, they may not even be aware of it - and their fear is inflamed by branches of media that produce income from that demographic. With the recession, loss of blue collar jobs, etc., this group is more and more disenfranchised, producing even greater fear that breeds hatred. And since American media also thrives on conflict, be it wars around the world, blue vs. red in politics, black vs. white, male vs. female, gay vs. straight, ad infinitum, they gleefully fire up any group that has a cause. They will broadcast on air, in print, or wherever, anything that sells.

America has a long and sordid history of prejudice and discrimination - Native Americans, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Puerto Rican, Mexican, now Indian, each new wave of immigrants, anything "foreign," not-like-me. Nothing new here except the target.