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Seriously, do you think "Better Call Saul" represents lawyers in this state too. If people can't separate fictitious shows on TV with reality than there really is no hope for them. Remember it is a "TV setting" not some slanderous documentary.
The problem is not that people can't separate fiction from reality, the problem is that most people don't give things that much thought, so they fall back on simple associations reinfrced by popular media.
Since most people know precious little about New Mexico, up to and including that it is even a state or the US, their most basic associations with our state is what our popular culture has instilled them within in the most recent period:
-In much of the second half of 20th century, the most common association with New Mexico was nuclear bomb tests and LANL.
-In the same period, for those who may have driven to California from points east, it was Route 66.
-In the 90s and early 2000s, Roswell aliens were a popular reference to New Mexico. I heard a lot about aliens when talking to people back east.
-In this decade, Breaking Bad was a widespread, global (at least in Western countries) cultural phenomenon. I can't tell you how many friends and acquaintances from elsewhere in the country and Europe mention "blue meth" jokingly when we catch up.
The association of New Mexico with 'meth' is not uncommon due to the show. That doesn't mean that thinking people automatically conclude that Breaking Bad is an accurate picture of daily life in New Mexico, but it is high on the list of automatic, almost unconscious, associations with our state these days.
I mean, NYC has a rather low murder rate per capita, but immensely popular TV shows like Law and Order, with probably thousands of episodes in the franchise, lead many Americans and foreigners to believe that NYC is the murder capital of the world.
It is just the way of it where popular media and its effect on public perception are concerned.
The problem is not that people can't separate fiction from reality, the problem is that most people don't give things that much thought, so they fall back on simple associations reinfrced by popular media.
Since most people know precious little about New Mexico, up to and including that it is even a state or the US, their most basic associations with our state is what our popular culture has instilled them within in the most recent period:
-In much of the second half of 20th century, the most common association with New Mexico was nuclear bomb tests and LANL.
-In the same period, for those who may have driven to California from points east, it was Route 66.
-In the 90s and early 2000s, Roswell aliens were a popular reference to New Mexico. I heard a lot about aliens when talking to people back east.
-In this decade, Breaking Bad was a widespread, global (at least in Western countries) cultural phenomenon. I can't tell you how many friends and acquaintances from elsewhere in the country and Europe mention "blue meth" jokingly when we catch up.
The association of New Mexico with 'meth' is not uncommon due to the show. That doesn't mean that thinking people automatically conclude that Breaking Bad is an accurate picture of daily life in New Mexico, but it is high on the list of automatic, almost unconscious, associations with our state these days.
I mean, NYC has a rather low murder rate per capita, but immensely popular TV shows like Law and Order, with probably thousands of episodes in the franchise, lead many Americans and foreigners to believe that NYC is the murder capital of the world.
It is just the way of it where popular media and its effect on public perception are concerned.
I am going to have to disagree agree, yet again. I will stay civil.
I know about our nuclear history but the Trinity test sites and LANL were only a small picture of the nuclear program. Hanford in WA, Oak Ridge Ridge in TN, and of course Nevada played a large part of it. So that isn't about NM as it was nuclear history in the US.
The Roswell alien stuff was used as a gimmick by the city of Roswell to scoop in some easy tourism dollars.
Yes, the blue meth was a good joke and the city managed to scoop in some easy tourism dollars.
There are Route 66 stuff in just about every state where the old route when through. NM was hardly alone here.
This state's economy is based mainly on energy prices and federal govt. prices. We need to diversify and the film industry is a way to do that. I REALLY don't care what subject matter they shoot as long as they spend money in this state. So it was the quality of Breaking Bad not the subject matter that made it a big winner.
Sadly, a lot of people like to be ignorant and that is why we need to have stupid things like "New Mexico USA" on our license plates instead of "New Mexico" like every other state.
Okay, I think I have said enough. I am starting to get a little wired, the combination of blue meth and Hatch green chile is starting to get to me. (I am joking.)
I'm not sure what you are disagreeing about. Surely you know that TV shows influence people's perceptions? That's all anyone has said about it.
I've never seen "Breaking Bad", so I don't know what impression people would get or if it portrays Albuquerque in a consistently negative way. Regardless, Albuquerque appears to have enough crime issues in reality, to warrant its reputation.
Who is "they" you are talking about?
And by "drugs," do you mean alcohol, marijuana, opiates or just what?
These kind of generalities bug the heck out of me.
If you're going to make this kind of general statement you should back it up with facts.
I think there's a lot of "they's" in a lot of places that do all sorts of drugs. But there are a lot more folks that don't.
Well it dosent take a genius to understand what he's talking about.
They do a lot of drugs in New Mexico also Breaking Bad did not help.
Why would that give NM any worse reputation than California? This forum is the only place I've heard that NM has a bad reputation.
And what would a TV show have to do with it? You do realize, don't you, that most people understand that TV, with the exception of documentaries, is just fantasy and entertainment? Most people don't confuse it with reality.
Why would that give NM any worse reputation than California? This forum is the only place I've heard that NM has a bad reputation.
And what would a TV show have to do with it? You do realize, don't you, that most people understand that TV, with the exception of documentaries, is just fantasy and entertainment? Most people don't confuse it with reality.
Yes, Thank you. I have been trying to say this and I am glad that I am not the only one that thinks this way!
And what would a TV show have to do with it? You do realize, don't you, that most people understand that TV, with the exception of documentaries, is just fantasy and entertainment? Most people don't confuse it with reality.
Most people do not think Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are real people. Most people do not think Walter White blew up a downtown coffee shop or that there are barrels of blue meth buried in the desert.
Many people do think that there is a drug problem in New Mexico. And they are right.
Furthermore, fictional TV shows reinforce that perception, not by convincing them that the events of the show are based on actual events, but by creating a convincing setting for the story.
What the general public does not know is that the drug problem is a tiny facet of everything good and bad about the state, but there are no popular TV shows showcasing New Mexico cuisine, our mountain vistas, the comfortable lifestyles that most of us enjoy, etc.
Basically, the point of the argument that New Mexico has taken a hit to its reputation is because the most high profile references to the state, fictional or not, do indeed portray it in a bad light.
Most people do not think Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are real people. Most people do not think Walter White blew up a downtown coffee shop or that there are barrels of blue meth buried in the desert.
Many people do think that there is a drug problem in New Mexico. And they are right.
Furthermore, fictional TV shows reinforce that perception, not by convincing them that the events of the show are based on actual events, but by creating a convincing setting for the story.
What the general public does not know is that the drug problem is a tiny facet of everything good and bad about the state, but there are no popular TV shows showcasing New Mexico cuisine, our mountain vistas, the comfortable lifestyles that most of us enjoy, etc.
Basically, the point of the argument that New Mexico has taken a hit to its reputation is because the most high profile references to the state, fictional or not, do indeed portray it in a bad light.
No amount of Pollyanna-ism will change that fact.
I'm still not buying it. That show is new. Are you saying that almost overnight, because of the appearance of a new TV series, suddenly NM's reputation has plummeted? That simply isn't true. Most people nation-wide barely know where NM is, IF they know.
Their first association with it, for some people, would be Roswell, woo-woo. For others--Monument Valley. For others, Olympic-class skiing at Angel Fire, and for a few with vacation homes in Taos and Santa Fe--adobe architecture. I don't think Rumsfeld, Julia Roberts, and Goldie Hawn would have homes here if it had a bad reputation.
I'm still not buying it. That show is new. Are you saying that almost overnight, because of the appearance of a new TV series, suddenly NM's reputation has plummeted
The first season of Breaking Bad ran from January, 2008 to March, 2008. The last episode aired September, 2013.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 08-11-2017 at 06:21 PM..
Most people do not think Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are real people. Most people do not think Walter White blew up a downtown coffee shop or that there are barrels of blue meth buried in the desert.
Many people do think that there is a drug problem in New Mexico. And they are right.
Furthermore, fictional TV shows reinforce that perception, not by convincing them that the events of the show are based on actual events, but by creating a convincing setting for the story.
What the general public does not know is that the drug problem is a tiny facet of everything good and bad about the state, but there are no popular TV shows showcasing New Mexico cuisine, our mountain vistas, the comfortable lifestyles that most of us enjoy, etc.
Basically, the point of the argument that New Mexico has taken a hit to its reputation is because the most high profile references to the state, fictional or not, do indeed portray it in a bad light.
No amount of Pollyanna-ism will change that fact.
Okay, really is there ANY state where there is NOT a "drug problem" We were not even a meth hotspot. The Appalachian states in rural areas had it worst.
Also NM is one of the most picturesque state in the US. It is a great place if you love outdoors or photography.
Also the NM tourism board has rolled out an extensive "New Mexico True" campaign that seems very successful.
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