Extreme/Mainstream Views

The mainstream and extreme views may like opposites but they are much more complimentary as opposed to polar opposites. Mainstream can be loosely defined as society's or a group's prevalent ideas, attitudes, morals, practices, etc. Mainstream ideas as a whole, are generally more safe ideas, to appeal to that group or society's main population. Extreme views can offer a little more excitement. Their ideas usually differ so much from the general consensus, it draws in the mainstream.

I think back to class when we were reading about the Tea Party. The Tea Party stemmed from the more mainstream right wing views that the Republican Party stands for. The mainstream media focuses on this party due to their extreme views and their overtly racist protests of Obama. The acknowledgment and time spent talking about this party has given the party steam. Constant exposure can bring an extreme group to be a mainstream one.

offensive Tea Party signs

When it comes to movies and music, the mainstream always seems to be "dissed" on. People love movies or bands when the general public hasn't adopted them into the mainstream. Liking and discovering music and movies that aren't played on the radio or recognized by peers always seem to give an individual a certain satisfaction. Uniqueness is something that many strive for almost making that mainstream. It's a strange circle.

What I find interesting is that music groups and movies embrace being extreme or different from the mainstream, like their fans, but when the mainstream receives their message, and society embraces them or their work (and see cash), it's easy to go from independent to mainstream.

Looking at something such as white nationalism, it's hard not to notice what's going on with the Tea Party. I know that not every person in the party have the same extreme views about Obama, but they are the ones that carry the most attention. Though the group gets represented in a negative light by some media outlets, their existence and influence is still recognized by the mainstream media.

I've hit this note a couple of times already, but white nationalists feel that the Jewish run media portray white nationalists in a negative light purposely in order to discredit and set aside their views.

Movies like Higher Learning and American History X, aren't highly thought upon in white nationalist circles because they are said to be Jewish propaganda. Though they claim these movies to be based on extreme stereotypes, making the trouble white youth a neo-Nazi and a black athlete as a victim, I found a couple comments interesting in the Stormfront forums. One person said this about Higher Learning,

Seeing this movie so long ago made me do research into race relations, the result was one of the many parts that led to my racial awakening. So I think that movie has done a lot to turn Whites into WN's. Maybe more movies like that should be made. Thank you John Singleton!

though Higher Learning doesn't portray WNs in positive light, their message, no matter how extremely its portrayed, can still cause racial awakening in some.

Though they feel that movies misrepresent them, it could be doing them favors by having these stereotypes wake up the "sleepers." If this person, hadn't seen this movie, would his/her views still be the same today? When extreme views make their way into the mainstream, a group can be upset that their message can be skewed to make them look like the bad person, but isn't their message reaching a mainstream audience a win for themselves as well?