Fear, Identity, Obsession – How Contemporary Media Reflects and Shapes Genetic “Common Sense”
This project explores how modern media, in the form of advertising, film and TV, social media, politics, and even video games, reflect and shape the new age “common sense” surrounding genetics. Through our research, we identified three main themes apparent in this genetic conversation – fear(mongering), identity-building, and consumer obsession. All three of these threads come together to form a complex, chaotic, and rich dialogue. Throughout this zine, we justify our interest in pop culture as a mechanism for creating “common sense” and exerting influence, drawing readers’ particular attention to the resurgence of genetic language in the broader American political discourse to create an understanding of the “bigger picture” of our project. Project by Vanessa Richards and Greta Gilmor.