If Hollywood 'Made' Obama, it Also Made Problem Issues

Next time someone dismisses the idea that mass media can exert influence on American culture, point to a Jan. 18 New York Times article titled, “How the Movies Made a President [1].” In that piece, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott argue that fictional depictions of black U.S. presidents helped pave the way for a real one.

“The presidencies of James Earl Jones [2] in 'The Man,' Morgan Freeman [3] in 'Deep Impact,”' Chris Rock [4] in 'Head of State' and Dennis Haysbert [5] in '24' helped us imagine Mr. Obama's transformative breakthrough before it occurred,” the authors wrote. “In a modest way, they also hastened its arrival.”

Furthermore, Dargis and Scott say that a number of black filmmakers and movie stars have “helped write the prehistory of the Obama presidency.”

If the authors are correct and Hollywood did help lessen the role of race in the electoral equation, then it has performed a service to the nation and is to be commended. The mass media clearly holds tremendous power to influence public attitudes, and did so in this case for the better.

But the entertainment industry's power of persuasion is not just a force for good. We shouldn't forget issues where Tinseltown's contributions haven't been quite so constructive. From promoting sexual libertinism to glorifying violent crime to sewing anti-Americanism, the entertainment industry has a lot to answer for.

Here is a far-from-exhaustive list of issues and the Hollywood products that promote the liberal take on them.

Teens should have sex:

Forget abstinence. The message from these frolics is “Everybody's doing it, or trying to do it, and you should too.”

Porky's

American Pie

Cruel Intentions

Girl Next Door

Most Judd Appetow works

Gay and other “alternative” sexual preferences are to be celebrated:

They're either “just like you” or they're victims of a repressed and repressive society.

Big Love

Will and Grace

Brokeback Mountain

Boys Don't Cry

Ellen

Drugs are cool and fun:

Stoned slackers bumble their way through life and, mostly come out on top. Reality is less forgiving, and irresponsibility has consequences.

Cheech & Chong movies

Pineapple Express

Harold & Kumar Movies

Abortion is noble:

Abortionists are humanitarians doing their part to help others. The lives of the infants they kill aren't much considered.

The Ciderhouse Rules

Vira Drake

Violent crime is cool and sexy:

Violence isn't so bad, as long as you look and sound good while you're doing it.

Bonnie & Clyde

Reservoir Dogs

Pulp Fiction

Kill Bill

The thug lifestyle is cool:

Even if characters do suffer consequences, bling, cash and cool dominate.

American Gangster

Notorious

Hustle and Flow

America and its military are corrupt and evil:

U.S. soldiers are either bloodthirsty psychopaths or hapless pawns. U.S. government (if Republican) is power-mad, greedy and without honor.

Platoon

Redacted

In the Valley of Elah

Stop Loss

Rendition

Lions for Lambs

The Bourne Identity

Law and Order

We could go on…

Matt Philbin is managing editor of the Culture & Media Institute.