Monstrous Muslim depictions are loved precisely because they feel familiar

Evidence

It doesn’t matter that Homeland is a meditation on fear, anxiety, and hate. Millions of Americans watch the program, and it is a favorite of President Obama’s. Homeland is not alone in its horrid depiction of Muslims, and if it was not accompanied by dozens of other television productions, movies, books, and other media, perhaps it wouldn’t be lauded, showered with praise and awards. It is not the exception to the rule—it is the rule. This is what makes Homeland and other shows and movies that feature atrocious representations of Muslims acceptable and loved. They are familiar, retelling stories familiar to us from a childhood and a history filled with such characters. — Sophia Rose Arjana, Muslims in the Western Imagination, 750

Categorization

• XREF: The ‘familiarity breeds acceptance’ mechanism connects to the reader’s core thesis: the image is normalized by repetition across centuries until it feels like natural truth.
• SEED: Angle: the psychological reward of confirmation — audiences love being told what they already believe, which is why monster depictions win awards.