Rednecks. Lazy. Dumb. Ugly. Poor. Racist. Uneducated. Intolerant. Backwards-thinking. Bible thumpers. Stiflingly conservative.

 

These are the unfair stereotypes that still stubbornly persist about Mississippi. For instance, ask a social media user what they think about Mississippi. A quick perusal of the internet shows that the chances of receiving a negative reaction are disgracefully high. Granted, Mississippi does possess an abhorrent history. The state has been notorious for bigotry and violence for the majority of its existence. It has also earned the reputation for having high obesity, poverty, illiteracy, and teenage pregnancy rates. However, Mississippi is constantly evolving for the better. Nevertheless, even decades after social change, the sins of its past eclipse the progress, stability, ingenuity, and intelligence that exist in Mississippi. The “Hospitality State” produces a multitude of positive, open-minded advancements. The state of Mississippi has changed and is still improving, but why is this shift so unfathomable to the rest of the country?

 

In recent years, mass media, in particular, social media, has become a dominating force in the way the world receives and disseminates news and information. Multiple studies on media and the community suggest that social media now plays a substantial role in the general population’s behaviors and opinions. With regards to Mississippi, many would argue that the media has always been guilty of presenting biased, stereotypical perspectives of the state. Recognizing the media’s possibly skewed and constrained interpretations, my research suggests that social media outlets may, in part, be responsible for immortalizing the negative stereotypes that linger in Mississippi.

 

In essence, if the negative publicity and falsities that emanate from the media are all the public sees, it is logical to conclude that people will continue to believe that Mississippi is the way it is portrayed. Psychologically, they cannot help it. If people “share” these news stories through the channel of social media with people who are unacquainted with Mississippi, they are unknowingly perpetuating these ideas about Mississippi.

 

So, If social media can keep negative stereotypes circulating, who's to say we can not start advertising a positive view of Mississippi? My idea is that if Mississippi can receive positive media coverage, people may begin to realize what an amazing place Mississippi is!