I found Bell Hook's explanation of minority representation in the white male dominated media very insightful and thought provoking. Though misrepresentation runs rampant in the media, I feel that it is not intentional, but expressed on a subconscious level in character/plot writing. Many people are engrained with a certain stereotype of a minority, whether viewers or film producers, which is then translated into what we see on television shows and movies. When viewers see these representations, they are being somewhat programmed to believe that this is what a certain minority is like. Included in the viewers are also the minorities themselves. I feel that often times, when the viewers subjected to misrepresentation see mass media's portrayal of themselves, there is often a desire to mimmic what they see. Whether it's a tough acting, street smart black teenager or an impossibly skinny bombshell wearing hardly any clothing, there is a subconscious desire to accept and perpetuate what the viewer is seeing as reality. I guess, in a sense, it's a vicious circle. The problem of misrepresentation and degradation may have started with white-male supremacy, but it continues in the culture's "normal" interpretation of minorities.
So all in all, Bell Hooks makes a good point to think critically of how characters, whether black, female, or otherwise are represented. Do they reinforce or break down the walls of degradation and stereotyping? How does the general population react to these representations?
Cultural Criticism and Transformation
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I agree with the notion that when the public is repeatedly exposed to certain stereotypes or misrepresentations of certain groups, it becomes difficult to separate these images from reality. And sadly, the media shapes what the public sees as acceptable and desirable (such as instances of scantily clad females being portrayed as desirable in rap videos).
Although I believe it is correct to say that audiences may accept misrepresentation at a subconscious level because of the continuous onslaught of similar images, I think that in the directing/producing/writing aspects of media, the images produced are VERY intentional. For example, I don't think many rap artists write lyrics about sex and violence money because they subconsciously believe this is what they should do. They do it because because record labels know what sells and will promote violent images (fully aware of the consequences) in order to make a buck.
I largely agree with this, though I am not sure I believe media subconsciously reproduces white supremacy and the stereotypes associated with marginalized populations. As viewers of media and consumers of popular culture, I believe we, as an audience, are not always active in the process of viewing. We may not have a lens to critically analyze media, or even in the event that we do have a lens, we may not actively employee it.
Those who produce media are consciously engaged with the representations they produce whether it is for the purpose of "simplicity", or as hooks suggests, for making money. When passively viewing/consuming, there is a degree to which we, as audience, do not recognize (mis)representations of race, gender, sexuality and class. Representations of race, gender, sexuality, and class become visible when they challenge stereotypical understandings held by the dominant society.
I find it really interesting that you thought misrepresentations weren't intentional. I do agree with you that White supremacist capitalist patriarchy is so imbedded in the fabric of society that many people do not perpetuate these harmful ideologies intentionally. However, I also think that there is intentionality behind some of it, especially when it comes to popular media and films. The way our society currently runs is a system that works very well for folks that fall within certain categories (those ruled by White supremacist capitalist patriarchy); why would they want to see it changed? A lot of money goes into keeping the current system sustained, even though it is harmful to marginalized populations. And, as hooks mentioned, using films and music to do that is very effective.