The military and society: Reaching and reflecting audiences in fiction andfilm

Descriptions of the most popular current (1997-1999) American novels and mo vies mention military culture in only about 6% of the books and 4% of the f ilms. Most are either reflections of the past (such as Saving Private Ryan) or projections of the future (such as Starship Troopers), although they do reflect today's attitudes. This cultural "gap" can also be seen in works t hat only glance at the military (Wag the Dog). Military or ex-military protagonists in popular action novels and movies se e themselves as tough realists with higher standards, technological experti se, and responsibility than their civilian counterparts. Contemptuous of po liticians and intrusive media journalists, they like finding creative ways around "constricting" rules. But the more "literary" books and films tend t o be more critical of the military's bureaucratic inertia and preoccupation s with status and power. This widening gap essentially reflects a shift fro m an American ethic of national service toward one of self-service.