To be considered "white" in American society is to meet certain criteria that the majority of Americans cannot even meet on their own, even a part white citizens. To be white is to be part of an upper and influential class of Anglo-Saxons who dominate the public image of success. Through the manipulation and subjugation of “lower” classes and ethnicities, successful “whites” dominate popular theory and practice. In exercising such power, these "white" elites achieve their goals through the dissection of "inferior" peoples and through the assimilation not of the people into their own fold, but of their means of subsistence, their well-being, their his happiness and his aspirations. Say no. to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay This common preconception of the “white” man has been ingrained in the consciousness of the American public since the founding of the nation. The declaration of what it meant to be “white” in America was truly defined in the fallout of Reconstruction after the Civil War. Southern leaders, bitter at the defeat of the institutions they had planned, took out their frustration by trying to ravage as much of the antebellum South as possible. But this would only be possible if they managed to reverse the trend against the image of the black man in politics; something that is only accomplished by having the majority in favor. By appealing to disenfranchised and humiliated Southerners in the Caucasus, emphasizing progress through racial unity and pride in defeat, Southern leaders were able to persuade the people to pass laws that would hinder the average “black” individual. But the South is not entirely responsible for this image of the powerful “white” man. In the North, after Reconstruction, industrial activity began to flourish in the aftermath of the Civil War. And because many industry leaders were born into wealthy Anglo-Saxon lineages, they grew up with an elitist view of themselves whose only competition was other entrepreneurs of Anglo-Saxon origin. Once business began to expand westward, the machines that ran their factories also needed more space and workers. Seeing many different groups of minorities and seeking to be the best in their elite circle, these tycoons sought cheap but reliable labor to keep production costs low, while increasing profits. This in turn created the negative effect of racism on a portion of the struggling and poorer Caucasian population. Where the question of racism was posed towards “job thieves”, it created a perverse admiration for the individuals responsible for their situation. These elites became a dream for the working poor, according to which, through determination and hard work, one could succeed and obtain their material happiness; and the elite used such dreams in return to maintain animosity towards other groups. The majority has never been able to work against the “white” elites, but has been held up as a beacon to the deceived and disillusioned masses. If an animal is defined by its diet, perhaps the analogy could be applied to the average American and their diet. Throughout mass media, the image of the "white" man reigns supreme, from the dominance of the lovable "Average Joe" in the office in advertisements to the "white" archetype led by the superhero teams in the films? flashed by these few elites. And it's still about.