CRM 3317 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Moral Authority
31 Jul 2018
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11/10/17 (17) the mediated spectacle of imprisonment (pt. 2) Positive functions of the prison film: revelatory. It brings to light practices that audience members might disapprove of and did not realize were actually occurring in prisons. It can teach the public about what actually occurs within prisons (e. g. chain gangs, corporal punishment): benchmarking. The audience watches the films which helps set the standards as to what is acceptable within these institutions. When the public experiences outrage, their outrage can lead to a new set of standards within these institutions: defense. Any gains that have been established in the system, because of revelatory and benchmarking functions, creates a defense function against authorities from backsliding towards the old practices. Once the audience becomes aware, they have the ability to advocate for a forward progression. It keeps the memory alive about events that might otherwise be forgotten (e. g. prison riots, massacres of prisoners): humanizing/empathy.
