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A Socratic approach to media literacy offers a strategy for detecting illogical assumptions, beliefs, and values that are embedded in media presentations. Adapted from a method of inquiry developed by the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, this approach enables individuals to identify the implicit suppositions behind the messages in many media presentations.
According to Alain de Botton, people are generally unwilling to challenge conventional opinion. , Established ideas, such as the purpose of work or the institution of marriage, are products of a particular time and culture and, consequently, are considered matters of common sense. But de Botton points out that animal sacrifice and slavery were accepted societal conventions in the ancient Greek society; however, these practices no longer seem normal or reasonable in modern society.
In addition, the widespread acceptance of prevailing opinion reinforces the feeling that the prevailing views must be correct and legitimate. de Botton explains,
Our will to doubt can be...sapped by an internal sense that societal conventions must have a sound basis, even if we are not sure exactly what this might be, because they have been adhered to by a great many people for a long time. It seems implausible that our society could be gravely mistaken in its beliefs and at the same time that we would be alone in noticing the fact. We stifle our doubts and follow the flock because we cannot conceive of ourselves as pioneers of hitherto unknown, difficult truths.1
Indeed, individuals who challenge conventional ideas are often ostracized--or worse. Witness the fate of Socrates, who was sentenced to death for challenging the basic tenants of Greek society. But even in less extreme cases, people who hold contrary views often feel isolated and marginalized.
The Socratic method of inquiry consists of the following steps:
1. Locate a statement confidently described as common sense. For purposes of illustration, de Botton cites a fundamental tenant of ancient Greece: “Being virtuous requires money.” 2. Imagine for a moment that, despite the confidence of the person proposing it, the statement is false. Search for situations or contexts where the statement would not be true. - Could one ever have money and not be virtuous? - Could one ever have no money and be virtuous? 3. If an exception is found, the definition must be false or at least imprecise. - It is possible to have money and be a crook. - It is possible to be poor and virtuous. 4. The initial statement must be nuanced to take the exception into account. - People who have money can be described as virtuous only if they have acquired it in a virtuous way, and some people with no money can be virtuous where they have lived through situations where it was impossible to be virtuous and make money. 5. If one subsequently finds exceptions to the improved statements, the process should be repeated. The truth, in so far as a human being is able to attain such a think lies in a statement which it seems impossible to disprove. It is by finding out when something is not that one comes closest to understanding what it is. 6. The product of thought is...superior to the product of intuition.2
Adapting the Socratic approach to the analysis of media programming provides a strategy for identifying inconsistent and illogical suppositions in the presentation. These ideas frequently go unchallenged because they are characterized by their naturalness--that this is the way that it is supposed to be. Media programs often present a preferred reading, in which the audience sees the world from the point of view of the main characters and, consequently, assume the role, perspective, and orientation of the primary figures. Because the perspective adopted by the protagonists are presented as natural and normal, the values and beliefs that make up the world view of the presentation go unquestioned.
However, the Socratic method of inquiry can bring these illogical suppositions to light. To illustrate, consider the following television commercial for Dr. Pepper:
A handsome young man struts down a city street. He is wearing a sleeveless tee shirt, displaying a trendy tattoo on each shoulder. The young man is the center of attention. He glances behind him; following his gaze, the camera spies two young woman admiring him. The camera again shifts to the young man; however, he is now chugging a can of Dr. Pepper. The camera shifts to a shot of a third young woman who puts her hand on her chest, seemingly breathless at the sight of our hero. Next, we see a male doorman who is visibly impressed by the striking appearance and attitude of our Dr. Pepper drinker. These visuals are accompanied by a blusey jingle. The camera then tilts downward, revealing that the protagonist is a dog walker who has a full complement of canines on leaches. As he turns the corner, our hero becomes entangled with an attractive young woman who is also walking a cadre of dogs. This is almost a disaster, nearly causing our protagonist to spill his soft drink. In the last shot, the two are walking down the street together, accompanied by the lyrics, “Dr. Pepper--you make world taste better.”
The first step is to identify the implicit assumptions in the commercial. Then, the Socratic method of inquiry can be employed to ascertain the truth of these statements.
1..Being admired by others (most particularly, by members of the opposite sex) is a matter of ultimate importance - Is the young man’s happiness dependent upon the approval of others? - Would the young man be unhappy if he wasn’t the center of attention?
2. Attractive people are accepted, admired, and important - Is it possible for a person who is not physically attractive to be considered acceptable, admirable, and important? - Is it possible that a physically attractive person would not be considered acceptable, admirable, or important? - Are there attributes other than physical beauty (e.g. integrity, decency, or humor) that could be considered acceptable, admirable, and important?
3. Dr. Pepper makes people more attractive - Does drinking a Dr. Pepper contribute to the attractiveness of the main character? - Would the main character have been just as attractive even if he wasn’t drinking a Dr. Pepper? - Would the main character have been just as attractive if he was drinking another brand of soft drink or drinking nothing at all?
4. Purchasing a Dr. Pepper makes life more pleasurable - Is it possible to be experience pleasure without a Dr. Pepper? - Is Dr. Pepper the only brand of soft drink that can bring pleasure? - Is it possible to be unhappy while drinking a Dr. Pepper?
5. Drinking Dr. Pepper is necessary for a successful romance.
- Did the Dr. Pepper play a vital role in the successful romantic interlude? - Could the romantic encounter have occurred if the character was drinking another brand of soft drink? - Could the romantic encounter have occurred if the character was drinking at all? - Is it possible that the romantic encounter may not have occurred even though the young man was drinking a Dr. Pepper?
The Socratic method of inquiry reveals illogical suppositions in the commercial that convey disturbing messages, The ad presents a narcissistic world in which the main character derives his greatest pleasure by watching others admire him. A hierarchy of appearance exists in this world, in which physical attractiveness is the sole criterion for attention, admiration, and romance. Within this context, Dr. Pepper is a magic elixir that “makes the world better” by transforming a person’s appearance and, therefore, making romance possible.
However, under rational scrutiny, these product claims must be substantially reduced: Dr. Pepper is a soft drink that some people may find pleasurable.
Conclusion The Socratic approach to media literacy offers a strategy for uncovering false suppositions contained in media programming in order to identify misleading and deceptive messages in the text.. This theoretical framework is a useful tool that enables individuals to develop a critical distance from what they watch, read, and hear, so that they can make independent judgments about the messages contained in media programming.
Finally, it should be noted that the Socratic approach to media literacy is one of a number of strategies that can provide fresh insight into media content. Depending on the specific area of study, one approach may be more useful than others. Becoming familiar with these various approaches will enable students of media literacy to interpret media content from different perspectives
End notes
de Botton, Alain, The Consolations of Philosophy New York: Pantheon Books, 2000. p. 13 Ibid. pp. 14-15
About the Author Art Silverblatt is Professor of Communications and Journalism at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, and U.S.A. He is author of three books on Media Literacy. The Second Edition of Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages (Praeger Publications) will be out in April 2001.
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