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Does Pop Culture Negatively Impact Gambling? |
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Gambling is deeply rooted in the culture of both the UK and the USA and pop culture has shown this in a steady
growth of gambling references in Pop Culture. When we look at the growth of gambling we can see it becoming more widely accepted but does pop culture help with
that or hinder it?
Well with movies, books and music all talking about gambling and its effects, it feels like now is
the perfect time to see if the mentioning of gambling is positive or negative to the past time. |
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| Casino Floor |
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Movies
The film industry seems to show the depiction of
gambling a lot more than the other ones listed, with countless movies showing gambling and its effects both positive and negative. In movies, the use of
gambling is blown out of proportion and shown in the most extreme ways, you won't see a scene where a character finds
a casino where you can deposit and play from as little as £5 but you will see scenes where
characters are blowing thousands of pounds on one bet.
Negative Depiction
Some films
focus on gambling as a bad thing and what an addiction can do to you. One of the more recent depictions was Uncut Gems which was released in 2019. In this
film, Adam Sandler's character uses money that he owes to put on one big bet to try and make more money, knowing that he could lose and be in a worse position.
Uncut Gems is one of the most stress-inducing films I have ever seen and the stress is caused by gambling and the repercussions of this act. Although the highs
are high and the lows are low, this film would put anyone off for a few weeks.
Positive
Depictions
When looking at the more positive uses of gambling in film, some of the ones that spring to mind are the
James Bond movies. These scenes are usually used to show the suaveness of the
Bond films and the gambling is merely a set piece to show the high-class characters on our screens. This type of gambling makes me want a martini and a nice
suit to play poker, but unfortunately, I would lose.
TV Shows
Television is similar to
movies as it is able to show multiple perspectives of gambling and show the good and the bad that surrounds the hobby. I think TV and films do a good job of
showing why gambling is fun but also do a good job of reminding impressionable viewers to be sensible with gambling.
Positive Depictions
The overall depiction of gambling in Peaky Blinders isn't negative, it shows how big horse racing was when
the show was set and shows the negatives of the illegal gambling ring that the Shelbys were a part of. Obviously ignoring the illegal horse part, Peaky
Blinders shows a solid depiction of betting and shows the fun of a horse race, and to be honest, it made me want to go to one.
Negative Depictions
Breaking Vegas is a reality show that reveals how people use tips, tricks and gadgets to win at
casino games. This is less of a depiction and more of a confessional and educational docuseries about these people. The only complaint I have is that it shows
how easily a person can cheat to win and take my money off of me.
Music
Music is less of
a massive player in the gambling world compared to films and TV with the main mention of gambling in songs coming from Rap and Hip Hop songs. Usually, in these
songs, they are mentioned in a way as being braggadocious and playing into the rapper lifestyle rather than in a negative way like in some films and TV shows.
The most recent massive mention of gambling in rap was in Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s rap beef where Kendrick Lamar accused Drake of having a gambling
addiction, which is not the most positive look on gambling. |
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