May the force be with you.... and prosper

Everybody was up in arms when President Obama made an improper sci-fi reference on Friday.

With the "sequester" budget cuts taking effect, it is easier than ever to see proof of congress' gridlock and inability to solve its own problems.  In a press statement, Obama jokingly stated that he couldn't use mind control on his political opponents to spur them into action.  However, what he said should "somehow do a Jedi Mind Meld" to convince republican lawmakers to comply.  Now, with enough research into the two similar-but-completely-different science fiction series-- Star Wars and Star Trek-- one could almost understand what he was trying to say.

Clearly the president was trying to bring an ounce of levity into a grim series of budget cuts.  However, what everybody-- from social media to the major news networks-- took away from that conference was the mistake in pop culture references.

This is a clear example of the power of the media to influence what we talk about.  This particular instance reminded me of a similar gem from the Obama/Romney election.  Mitt Romney was on a morning news talk show, and they asked him who he liked better, Snooki or Honey Boo Boo; and apparently Mitt Romney's choice of Snooki caused just as much of a media sandstorm, allowing for multiple commentaries, and response videos from Honey Boo Boo itself.

Seeing the Media as this gatekeeper for informing the public relates to the topic of Structuralism and Attributed Celebrities.  Sure, we can make what we want out of joking comments like Mind Meld or choosing Snooki, but by giving so much credence and weight to these comments, we're only contributing to the media's power as gatekeeper.