Repeated negative representations lead audiences to accept them as truths

Evidence

A significant majority (84 per cent) represented Islam and Muslims either as ‘likely to cause damage or danger’ or as ‘operating in a time of intense difficulty or danger’. In doing so, Islam and Muslims were repeatedly represented as being the antithesis or Other of ‘the West’ through having contrasting belief systems, actors, characteristics, attributes, qualities and values. Because of the nature and recurrence of such representations, it was noted that it was highly probable that those who are repeatedly exposed to such representations would begin to accept them as ‘truths’. Another consequence noted was that if Muslims were continued to be represented as an ineluctable Other, then it might be difficult for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike to see how Islam and Muslims can be ever be or fit into that which is deemed to be ‘British’ or take an equal participatory role in that which might be seen to be ‘our’ way of life. — Chris Allen, Islamophobia, 498

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Descriptions can become true because people act on them believing they are true — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 577; Audiences can decode the same message in a globally contrary or oppositional way; Formal balance and impartiality in media mask real dominance of prevailing interpretations (+3 more)

Related

• Ninety-one per cent of press representations of Islam were negative (similarity 0.80)
• Representation meaning arises independently of authorial intention and depends on preexisting social knowledge (similarity 0.79)
• All representations are embedded in their representer’s language, culture, and institutions. (similarity 0.79)
• Enemy societies get deformed into shared myths barely tied to fact (similarity 0.79)
• Atavistic group-character research remains acceptable for Muslims though not for others (similarity 0.78)
• Reductive images of Islam spawn mirror-image apologetic counterreductions (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Formal balance and impartiality in media mask real dominance of prevailing interpretations #exemplifies (0.82)
• Audiences can decode the same message in a globally contrary or oppositional way #qualifies (0.78)
• Positivist truths are linguistic illusions grown canonical through use #complicates (0.75)