The Military and Society: Reaching and Reflecting Audiences in Fiction and Film

Abstract

Descriptions of the most popular current (1997-1999) American novels and movies mention military culture in only about 6% of the books and 4% of the films. Most are either reflections of the past (such as Saving Private Ryan) or projections of the future (such as Starship Troopers), although they do reflect today's attitudes. This cultural "gap" can also be seen in works that only glance at the military (Wag the Dog).

Military or ex-military protagonists in popular action novels and movies see themselves as tough realists with higher standards, technological expertise, and responsibility than their civilian counterparts. Contemptuous of politicians and intrusive media journalists, they like finding creative ways around "constricting" rules. But the more "literary" books and films tend to be more critical of the military's bureaucratic inertia and preoccupations with status and power. This widening gap essentially reflects a shift from an American ethic of national service toward one of self-service.