America is an Image Culture

As I write, numerous Americans are attending film screenings at cinemas. Countless others are watching television. It is not an unreasonable claim that America is an image culture. We tend to rely heavily on visual stimulants for information and entertainment. The media use movies tend to serve is diversion. Consider the Depression. Movie sales boomed. An increase in movie sales is a trend that follows difficult economic times. During economic troubles, Americans crave the promises of escape that movies offer. That is, movies are a way for us to escape from the troubles of the real world (diversion).

It is also interesting to note that many movies are based on novels. Popular novels such as Twilight and The Lovely Bones have been made into movies, as are classic novels, like Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird. Interestingly, three out of the five Oscar nominations for Best Picture last year were novel adaptations. Why is it that so many movies are derived from novels? I can think of a few reasons. One, it is easy. Storylines are already made out and movie producers and creators can rely on fans of the adapted novel to pay to see the movie. Also, movies are perhaps more accessible to a wider range of people. While some people may not be able to get through novels like Great Expectations, they can watch the film version and get a pretty good idea of what the book is about.

Americans also love the small screen. Most American homes own AT LEAST one television. We spend a good part of our day (for some, up to eight hours!) watching television. We watch it to relax after a hard day at school or work. We watch it because we are invested in certain shows. We watch it out of habit. Television is like another family member to most of us. What's more, some of us just might go crazy without it...


Indeed, we have art museums, we have movie theaters, we have televisions, and we even have illustrations in books. I think it is pretty safe to say, we Americans love our visuals.