Media, Movies and Images
Posted on Nov 07, 2009 - 11:36am by Kathy Hagle in Trucking
A new movie was released in October, and with it another issue that is hidden from view. As much as the public will proclaim that they support the truck driver, what is the real image that they have? What is it that people think of when the career choice of being a truck driver is mentioned? I hope that it isn’t what is seen in this movie, and brings up a point.
This movie is called “Trucker”, it’s a story of the misadventures of a woman truck driver. The movie is based on her attempt to reconcile the relationship between her and her son whom she years earlier abandoned. One movie review site (Film critic) rates this movie two out of five stars. And I have to agree with them on this rating.
Here is some of the reasons for this agreement. Why is it that the image of the trucker has to be of someone who is alcoholic, angry at the world, and lacking in relationships. As they say art imitates life, is this what you want people to view when they think of truck drivers? There needs to be an image change. As the movie industry and the media is showing nothing but the negative side of trucking and there is so much more to it then that.
With this in mind here is a challenge to a group of truckers who can and should make a difference. This group has a large following and can make a huge difference for all of trucking and that of the truck driver. It is the truck drivers of You Tube, http://yttrucking.com/Home_Page.php . We need to show the world what the truck driver is honestly like, and not support or encourage the wild off the wall images we all see. This is one way to get the truth out, and get back the respect to a great bunch of people who travel the roads and move the freight.
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Being an alcoholic truck driver would be hard.
All it takes is one DOT, scale master, any kind of law enforcement, or even the shipper/consignee, to smell beer and….
…..your truck driving days is over.
Not to mention periodic and random drug/alcohol tests.
I agree with that, but that isn’t the image shown in this film. And that is what is the concern there needs to be a truthful image of a CDL holder, not some fluffed movie stereotype.
Truth in media?
What a delightful concept. Let me know when you observe this phenomenon.
The news media hates trucks, just as it hates big dogs,the military, non Muslim religion, guns, and freedom.
As such “mere facts” get little play.
Good piece Kathy. What is that expression? We have met the enemy and it is us. Until every driver cuts his hair, shaves, takes a daily shower, gets his/her teeth fixed, wears a clean uniform, uses proper English and among a hundred other things stops tailgating 4-wheelers, then maybe and I stress the maybe, the public might start to show a little respect for truckers. But you and I know that’s just never going to happen. Trucking is not sexy. Airplanes and jet pilots are. Trains and engineers are as well. The American trucker is seen in the same light as the Asian-Americans who worked back in the 1800’s and early 1900’s to build the railroads. We are “lackies” – classified as unskilled labor by our own government. We are to be manipulated – not respected – used and abused. We are the modern version of slaves. I should say slaves with benefits. And it’s nobody’s fault but our own. And on a very personal level, why should I expect anything else from the public or the media – because as a senior “professional” driver sadly to say – I also have little or no respect for anyone in this industry.
I would like to see this image change, as just because that is how it is seen it doesn’t mean we need to except it.
And honestly until I was placed into this industry as a trucker’s wife I didn’t know all that was involved. I found that it is hidden from view, and I agree I can’t say it is all the publics fault. You are right the enemy is us, we keep hidden from the public. Unless that is their is a negative image to be trumped up.
There is many men and women I respect in this trucking family, and the more I met the more respect I have for the American trucker. And I hope that says a lot and will encourage some that drive on the long hard road.
I think there’s a bit more to it than that: I spoke with a sociologist who was studying that kind of issue once and her comment was that, throughout history, societies all over the world have ostracized migratory lifestyles. Think gypsies. Since they dont live down the block and dont stay in one place where they can be pegged as part of the society, they’re immediately suspicious of them. It’s a combination of fear of the unknown and envy/attraction to the imagined freedom (add sexual freedom here – they think we all have these outrageous, free-wheeling, highly-sexed lifestyles and dont follow any rules. It’s why so many homosexuals favorite fantasy is the truck driver). Freedom of movement is seen as threatening to both society at large and government because it’s seen as a lack of societal controls. That explains govt’s serious need to control truckers, too. And, truck-hating cops. And, human nature is NOT particularly tolerant of diversity, regardless of the crap they try to feed everybody: birds of a feather flock together – and bad-mouth those not in the group. We’re not in their group – an they’re not part of ours. Since people can no longer denigrate blacks, gays, Muslims, Hispanics, Polish, etc they’ve developed new groups that society WILL allow them to bash: fat people, rednecks, “neo-cons”, “tea-baggers” . . and truck drivers. It doesnt help that this profession is particularly attractive to society’s mis-fits . . .like mass murderers, who are attracted to the same anonymity and freedom of movement. The ‘captains of industry’ in this profession also feed into this intentionally: keeping us marginalized and ostracized by society means there is far less chance society will stick up for us and demand fair treatment. They throw us to the wolves because having us hated and misunderstood is good for their bottom line.
Movies like this simply play on the fears people already have; they give validation to their secret belief that we’re all some sort of deviant personalities. So, not only do we need to clean up our own industry – in spite of the major players who like having us ostracized – we need to educate society as to what truck drivers are, what the job entails and how we are just like them. Things like Trucker Buddy help probably more than anything, and things like Special Olympics and well-publicized fund-raisers for charity. Things that stress, “Hey, I’m just like you! My kid’s an honor student at such-and-such middle school”, etc. If we want to be accepted as a valid part of society, we have to be willing to give up the mystique, too. And, people who make movies like that will soon learn their biggest audience for trucking movies is truckers. If they portray us negatively, we wont pay to watch their stupid movie!
I agree on the groups like Trucker Buddies, and some of the other positive groups that are out there. But as for being a shunned part of society not all truck drivers are out to be a rebel. And as for jobs that are stressful or mobile, there are plenty out there. To name a few military, police, pilots, sales persons and this is just off the top of my head.
I believe it is more then just this honestly, as I have seen all types of truck drivers out there. Ones that are out to make money, ones who like the road, ones who have done nothing but this, some want to have their 15 minutes of fame and then some. And the list can go on and on. Honestly, I think one huge thing that is lacking is support. Coal miners have more support in their local towns then the truck driver.
Between the complaining that happens in the truck stops, on the CB and furthered by some websites. As well as the conditions found around truck stops, furthers this whole view. There was a time when the truck driver was looked up too, I have spoken with a member of my church who was one of those “white knights of the highways”. This can be the case again, but it will take a lot to undo the damage done. You ever have to take a label and wear it as a self proclaiming prophecy.
Well…there are certainly a lot of people who think ill of truckers. I really don’t know why. When I tell people that I am a therapist who specializes in working with truckers, they often have a pretty strong (and negative) reaction. I don’t know why people have to be like this! As for the media…well…a show on a trucker who does everything right just might not get the same ratings at the “crazy trucker.” The media seems to give therapists a bad name too…it just doesn’t surprise me anymore.