ABSTRACT
Television has influenced the ways in which Brazilians celebrate certain occasions, including Carnival, Christmas, and birthdays. Televiewing promotes gift-giving, as one manifestation of consumerism. In particular, television increases the popularity of collective holidays, such as Christmas and Carnival, which is the Brazilian equivalent of Louisiana's Mardi Gras. Brazilian television has aided the national spread of Carnival beyond its traditional centers—Rio de Janeiro and the northeastern cities of Salvador (Bahia) and Recife. However, local reactions to TV images of Carnival and other celebrations are not simple or uniform responses to external stimuli. Rather than direct adoption of Carnival, or rote imitation of it, local Brazilians have responded in various ways. These reactions (discussed later in this chapter) include processes called "stimulus diffusion" and "reactive opposition." Communities are modifying their traditional local festivities, sometimes to fit (stimulus diffusion), sometimes to avoid (reactive opposition) Carnival images and associations.
