Forums

W.E.B Du Bois comments on a double consciousness in “The Souls of Black Folk”. Simply defined, Du Bois is commenting on the way in which people are hyper-aware of the way others see them. In some cases, giving that social opinion great precedence over personal opinion. This idea is greatly relevant to modern day. Consider the way in which media expresses social opinion. Some examples are that women must wear makeup, muscular men are athletes only, attractive women are a size 0, smart women are either too aggressive, too bossy, or too anti-social, powerful men do not need a close social community, etc. Ideals like these are featured time and time again in movies, t.v. shows, and advertisements. In this way, media fosters a standard of being for all which heavily influences individual opinions of the self. In other words, people are inherently comparing themselves to the “ideal” portrayed in media. Thus, Du Bois is correct in suggesting that others opinions of you taint your opinion of the self and this double consciousness continues to have detrimental effects on the modern population especially in terms of race. Media is increasingly guilty of portraying white-dominant media and thwarting all other racial presences. In this way, media elicits the basis for a double-consciousness of perceived "otherness" and needs much work and effort to combat this. This is such a detrimental issue because an ignorant viewpoint should not have the authority to taint the minds of its onlookers. More should be done in modern day media to be inclusive, equitable, and properly representative of all.