Somewhat risky entry concerning racism and stereotypes

[demonic_lilith]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I guess that's what going to college is for, though, right?

Well, a debate between a fellow student and I took place in British Cinema class the other day, concerning what he interpreted as a racist portrayal of a Pakistani character. The case in which this came about was in the film Rita, Sue, and Bob Too

Comments

[insanexflame]

all cultural productions have power. all cultural productions can influence people to marginalize other groups, and yes, productions that consistently portray a certain group a certain way do strongly influence the way people view that group. if the film justifies a character's being Pakistani and also justifies his being an abuser, I believe it's a perfectly valid thing to portray. two points: (1) if you try to free all cultural production from its potential to influence opinions in a negative way, what you're doing is censorship, and once you go there you rather have to censor everything, as every potential thought has a thought that counters it, and we can't promote any without going against someone else's. (2) not being racist does not mean always presenting minorities in a good light. rather, it means seeing someone who is portrayed in a bad light as a person who is doing something bad - not as a person of a particular ethnic group who is doing something bad.

also, on a teasing note: "I agree with you 100% for the most part" - is that like "sometimes always thinking"? =P

[redstar402]

I agree with a lack of censorship, it's all just a fine line to tread. and on your number 2 it DOES mean someone who is portrayed in a bad light as person not a group, but there's no way to make sure it gets read like that.

[insanexflame]

but should we tailor our cultural productions to those people whose minds are closed and who take such negative models as representations of a whole culture? I don't believe that those people are the norm, and I don't believe that they are right. we would gain more from trying to open their minds than from changing the things we produce because we are afraid of the way their minds work.