In our media system, middle-class and upper-class values are imposed as the norm and are often situated as unrealistically accessible. For example, in the NBC sitcom Friends, one of the main characters, Rachel, is able to work as a waitress in Manhattan while maintaining her share of the rent in an oversized apartment. In HBO's Sex and the City, the lead character, Carrie Bradshaw, writes a weekly newspaper column which supposedly pays for her monthly rent as well as high fashion outfits. This repetition of images of wealth leads many people to feel that what they have is not enough and encourages people to live beyond their means. This guide analyzes images of wealth in our media, deconstructing a music video and reality TV clips.

Included in the Media Literacy Toolbox DVD-ROM.