They didn't say it doesn't influence people, they said it doesn't reliably cause a complete change in someone's views. Millions of Germans saw and loved the Threepenny Opera, and then three years later they went and voted for Literally Hitler.
But that's what I'm saying. They're using one specific thing to make a larger point about how people are too pearl-clutchy about media. There is no reliable way to completely change someone's views with anything, including drugs. But using that to say people are too concerned with drugs changing people's personalities is disingenuous. Who cares if media doesn't turn a coal miner into a college-educated Hillary supporter? Who, outside of the most brain-dead libs that make up a small percentage of all libs, even thinks that? It's entirely a different point from "This movie should have more black people because everyone seeing more black people in positive roles, or roles in general, will change things culturally". Which is what they're railing against. They're railing against the expectation that media does that. It's like a reverse Motte & Bailey. They retreat to the most indefensible argument from the most reasonable one.
IIRC, Will specifically compared it to hypnotism and how it was found that you can't hypnotize someone to go against their moral character/entire identity.
They didn't say it doesn't influence people, they said it doesn't reliably cause a complete change in someone's views. Millions of Germans saw and loved the Threepenny Opera, and then three years later they went and voted for Literally Hitler.
But that's what I'm saying. They're using one specific thing to make a larger point about how people are too pearl-clutchy about media. There is no reliable way to completely change someone's views with anything, including drugs. But using that to say people are too concerned with drugs changing people's personalities is disingenuous. Who cares if media doesn't turn a coal miner into a college-educated Hillary supporter? Who, outside of the most brain-dead libs that make up a small percentage of all libs, even thinks that? It's entirely a different point from "This movie should have more black people because everyone seeing more black people in positive roles, or roles in general, will change things culturally". Which is what they're railing against. They're railing against the expectation that media does that. It's like a reverse Motte & Bailey. They retreat to the most indefensible argument from the most reasonable one.
IIRC, Will specifically compared it to hypnotism and how it was found that you can't hypnotize someone to go against their moral character/entire identity.
Yeah obviously hypodermic needle theory has been bunk for decades. But media still has an influence.
My point of view is, if your art isn’t saying anything, it’s probably not worth anyone’s time.