Thinking Positive (and It's Not Just "Latinos" Who Do So)

Readers surely know that part of my whole Flip It™ mantra is centered around overcoming the incessant whining and negativity by the mainstream media, the mainstream public and mainstream investment pundits. I got this newsletter today from TrendCentral.com, a company that, in full disclosure, is affiliated with my buds at CAA -- the same folks who brought you the lonelygirl15 headfake/new video paradigm -- and while I think it's a mistake to try to break down analysis by "race" in this acceleratingly (ooh, nice word, Cody!), melted-pot-society, the analysis itself sure rang true to me:

POSITIVITY
With so much negativity in the world—the challenging economy, continuing military conflicts, worldwide famine and disease, and even the mean-spirited tone of celebrity gossip—young people are seeking positive messages and reminders that the world is, in fact, a good place. At the same time, although young Latinos are also concerned about the world, they remain enormously positive in their outlook and perspective. This is a generation that feels remarkably optimistic about their place in the world in the context of how far they’ve come. They see milestones within their reach that their parents only dreamed of—going to college, buying a house, starting a business and they feel confident that, as a generation, they are bound to be more successful. They see Hispanic politicians (Villaraigosa in L.A., Martinez in Miami) in the news, Latina celebrities on magazine covers (Eva Longoria, Shakira), and Latin trends invading the mainstream (Reggaeton, telenovelas, obsession with car culture, and overtly curvy looks on the runways).

However, this relative optimism is not often reflected in the marketing and entertainment they see. Much of the media messages aimed at Latinos focus on the risks they face—the risk of not graduating high school and making it to college, the risk of teenage pregnancy, or the scourge of violence in their schools. Very few marketing campaigns or entertainment properties offer a view that reflects the optimism of this Latino generation. The hunger for positive aspirational Hispanic portrayals was reflected as a number of participants applauded Desperate Housewives for showing a Hispanic family living inside the house, and employing their own gardener.

Right on!