Of course by know everyone is talking about the Janet Jackson’s breast being exposed during the Super Bowl halftime show. I’m not surprised. This is not a new development. This just happens to be significant from the media’s perspective because a lot of people saw it and the Super Bowl is practically a religious event for many.
What is more intriguing to me is the fact that the slow and steady cultural inoculation that goes on every single day in this country, generally proceeds unnoticed. The best encapsulation of this phenomenon that I can remember is from a Simpson’s episode in 1995 called “Lisa’s Wedding” where Lisa visits a fortune teller who allows her to see her life in the future. While watching TV in the not too distant future from now, Marge says, "You know, Fox turned into a hardcore sex channel so gradually, I didn't even notice."
This is the same approach that is used for vaccinations against serious infectious diseases where the patient is exposed small or less virulent does of the agent repeatedly until they are capable of withstanding what would otherwise be a lethal exposure. A snake handler is similarly able to build up a tolerance to deadly venom by being exposed to small amounts over time.
This is what the pop culture media relies upon. Additionally there is a generational phenomenon that occurs that doesn’t occur in the natural world that speeds up the process. Whenever a child is first exposed to the mass media of our culture, this begins their measurement of socially acceptable standards. Just like kids who grow up today don’t remember a time before computers and the Internet, kids who see these types of things in pop culture don’t remember a time when they weren’t readily available for mass consumption.
This situation is compounded by the competitive nature of the media industry. Capitalism encourages competition and while in business this can mean that ideally the best product or service wins, in the media this does not mean that better quality wins. Usually the reverse is true as the media will have higher viewership by going after the lowest common denominator. Unfortunately greater choice and access to more venues, especially on television, further exacerbates the problem. In a world with 500+ channels and channel surfing being a pervasive social phenomenon (thank God for my PVR), broadcasters need to grab their viewer’s attention. Sex and violence does grab people’s attention. Tivo said the halftime stunt drew a 180 percent spike in viewership, the biggest ever measured.
With the pace of cultural change ever increasing and the shelf life of the entertainment products ever decreasing, artists and the media outlets that distribute them will continue to seek the opportunity to top one another in breaking the latest barrier that someone else has set. What weapon does the average American have in his arsenal against this onslaught? The only one we’ve ever had – the power of choice - not to watch, or listen or read. And in this case it’s backed up by one of the most powerful tools ever created – your pocketbook.