The things that come to mind at five am

Jun 25, 2009 05:27

I know this journal is entitled The Things that Come to Mind at Two AM but today, you get one that comes to mind at five am. Courtesy of the dogs who woke me up at 4:30 am to be let out. So I was lying here in bed trying not to think of anything and my mind began to wander, as it often does ( Read more... )

movies, random

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plumapen June 26 2009, 01:20:56 UTC
Surprise, I'm going to agree with e film studies academics from the article! I took a class on pop culture and education so this is why I'm agreeing, btw. Overt racism is easy to spot, but subtle racism isn't because it comes in small bits and, well, isn't overt. It comes in subtle things, like cars that are supposed to be 'wannabe gangster'--well, what does that mean exactly? And if you slip it in, albeit perhaps unconsciously on the part of the movie ppl, you perpetuate the idea that a stereotype is ok b/c it's subtle--it's just a car, or just an animated character, or just a [....]. It's that "just a" that rationalizes it and continues the complex history of racial stereotypes in the media. If we were to plunk the Transformers cars next to some of the African-American "slapstick" characters from the 30s, 40s, or 50s, I think a lot of ppl would be surprised at how little has changed "to achieve comic effect or relief" by using some pretty degrading material. That the actors don't find anything wrong with it speaks to the ( ... )

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conspiratorsb June 26 2009, 01:57:04 UTC
More nodding. I do understand and agree with what you are saying and I agree with the film study academics about the subtle and insipid nature of racism in pop culture. It is there and it perpetuates. But I also wonder if people are more likely to see racism if they are actually looking for it, perhaps to the point where they are seeing racism that others would say didn't exist. Do the people that see it want to see it whereas the people who don't see it don't want to see it? How much racism is perceived just because we (not you and me 'we', generalized society 'we') want to find it? I'm pretty sure that if someone tries hard enough they can be offended by anything ( ... )

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conspiratorsb June 26 2009, 02:05:47 UTC
Adding to this, just to be clear, I did NOT see the twins as ganster wannabes. I was actually surprised to learn that THAT was the 'effect' they were going for. I also had no idea they were 'Jive talking.'

Hmmm.... I wonder if I had NOT grown up in Utah if I would have seen them differently.

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conspiratorsb June 26 2009, 02:11:33 UTC
OH wait! This is an interesting aside. What about "gay" characters? Like those two rhinos in ice age?

.... If we respected 'jive talking' as a positive personality trait, would it be a negative stereotype? If minstrel shows had not relied on racism for laughs, would we have had blaxploitation films? What part does white man's burden play in Mudflap and Skids' inability to read?

Inquiring minds want to know!!

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conspiratorsb June 26 2009, 02:12:18 UTC
PPS:

I want a Bumblebee action figure!!

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plumapen June 26 2009, 04:13:43 UTC
LOLZ! I think I said everything my brain had tonight in IM. Thanks for the random deep ponderings, homie!

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indykat001 June 26 2009, 22:00:11 UTC
AAAAAAAHHHHH! - *drools, sends pic to Hubby* Ok, one of us is getting that for Christmas. Rock!

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indykat001 June 26 2009, 22:24:13 UTC
I think it's prolly a combination of the two, the looking for it and it being there. Oo, my nephew just saw it, I should ask him what he saw just as an aside (since he's the last one to pay attention to the news and reviews). Of course, when I see the movie, I'll be more likely to see it now I know about it. I'm reminded of something I read a few weeks ago in Places I Never Meant to Be, by Walter Dean MyersOn Censorship ( ... )

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indykat001 June 26 2009, 22:25:55 UTC
and evidently, the format removed all my 'returns'. oops, 'paragraph endings'. :p :)

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