Arkhangel Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 This video came across my Facebook news-feed this morning. I have some problems with it. On the one hand yes, it's a moving short film and I really felt for Jafar. On the other, in some ways I feel as though the underlying message is "don't be racist - because maybe that person could do something for you." They don't feel bad because they were rude towards him, they feel bad because they owe him and were rude towards him. It's more about their embarrassment at having broken social norms (reciprocity) than it is about the impacts of racism. Or am I looking at it the wrong way? On the other hand I think this anti-racism ad, despite its terrible title (surely someone could have come up with something catchier than 'The Invisible Discriminator') is much more effective, because it makes people aware of just how nasty those little thoughts are, and how they affect behaviour in every day life. It's not often that people go in for a post-op appointment after their child's bone marrow transplant; it's every day that people ride the bus and buy milk at the supermarket. Have you seen any good (or any tone-deaf) anti-racism media campaigns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fallen Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I thought both videos made the same point; treat humans as humans. Just because someone is from a different ethnic group or "race" doesn't mean they're a different species.I don't watch much t.v. so I haven't come across any similar ads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawkcabi Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Have you seen any good (or any tone-deaf) anti-racism media campaigns? This was made to be humorous not to be a PSA or anything, but I just saw it for the first time last night and thought it was appropriate here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraPrime Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Re: Arkhangel Yeah, that first short film was... meh. We'd rather that people not be racist out of the principle of equality snd fairness and not because they will donate bone marrow to save your child. The second one is much better. This was made to be humorous not to be a PSA or anything, but I just saw it for the first time last night and thought it was appropriate here. Ha. The dig at the Washington football team is cute. Concerning racism, here are a coupld videos that I like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjSHOaugO-0 The Eye of the Storm, a TV broadcast segment on the famous blue-eye-brown-eye experiment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWXB1S1jHKo A follow up on the kids in the original experiment, filmed 15 years later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-v2n62C9k&list=FLbdpRtfTVmH8Qb2DnVFX0AA&index=16 Video showing white priivlege in action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlefingers In The Air Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I think anti-racism in the media tends to be bullshit. I never feel as if the talking heads actually give a fuck about the problems minorities face. I'd much rather discuss those heavy topics with people here, where I don't generally feel like people are being condescending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Once and Future King Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 The OPs first video was well done, but not factual regarding how you meet a donor. Also dont be racist cause a brown man might help you Is not the ideal message. The second video was better but the odd wrapup threw meThe college humor one on the other hand is the classic overkill and over classification that gives pc a bad name and keeps racism alive across the board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukey Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 http://unfaircampaign.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Of House Hill Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 This video came across my Facebook news-feed this morning. I have some problems with it. On the one hand yes, it's a moving short film and I really felt for Jafar. On the other, in some ways I feel as though the underlying message is "don't be racist - because maybe that person could do something for you." They don't feel bad because they were rude towards him, they feel bad because they owe him and were rude towards him. It's more about their embarrassment at having broken social norms (reciprocity) than it is about the impacts of racism. Or am I looking at it the wrong way? On the other hand I think this anti-racism ad, despite its terrible title (surely someone could have come up with something catchier than 'The Invisible Discriminator') is much more effective, because it makes people aware of just how nasty those little thoughts are, and how they affect behaviour in every day life. It's not often that people go in for a post-op appointment after their child's bone marrow transplant; it's every day that people ride the bus and buy milk at the supermarket. Have you seen any good (or any tone-deaf) anti-racism media campaigns? Honestly, I think the second link was far more effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraPrime Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 The college humor one on the other hand is the classic overkill and over classification that gives pc a bad name and keeps racism alive across the board No, that's one tired and well-beaten bullshit. Every incident in that skit is indeed racist, but in a casual way that is less challenged than, say, claiming that black people are less intelligent. So no, making pointed jabs at these less offensive forms of racism is not keeping racism alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Ent Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Here’s a tiny aspect of this problem that I enjoy thinking about: The problem with many of these campaigns (which I find a priori valid and valuable) is that they do two things: 1. correctly describe psychological mechanism of othering or ingroup/outgroup-behaviour. This has been studied a lot, of course (the blue/brown eye study is just one of many examples), and can be viewed a correct and widely accepted (if deplored) description of human behaviour. This is who we are. However, kinship altruism is easily construed as inconsistent with the values of the enlightened West (i.e., those of white people). Let’s understand it and keep reminding ourself about it. 2. every campaign is an exercise in ingroup-building. That’s the whole point. The very affirmation of shared values, for instance by going to church on Sunday or clicking Facebook “like” buttons for campaigns that signal your membership with the ingroup, is a sterling example of exactly the mechanism that this particular campaign wants to fight. So 1 and 2 are in some fundamental sense inconsistent. (This doesn’t mean a good campaign against groupthink is impossible. It’s just infinitely harder than about any other topic.) People who psychologically detest groupthink are by definition non-joiners. I am of that persuasion, as are many denizens of this thread. We can’t help but finding counterarguments and yes-buts and “actually… ”. We are toxic. I think this is a big problem, because The Cause is Virtuous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaurung Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 The OPs first video was well done, but not factual regarding how you meet a donor. Also dont be racist cause a brown man might help you Is not the ideal message. The second video was better but the odd wrapup threw me The college humor one on the other hand is the classic overkill and over classification that gives pc a bad name and keeps racism alive across the board I don't think it is saying "don't be racist because a brown man might help you". The point is they had an irrational fear and they knew nothing about the man. They feared him, yet he saved their daughter's life. This was not a man to be feared, but a man to be revered for his good heart. This is a very simplistic but powerful message. You cannot judge a book by its cover. They feared him. They were so very very wrong. Compassion knows no race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summah Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I liked the "shit white girls say to..." series about microaggressions, I thought they were funny and honest, but I'm not sure how effective they were for white people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Once and Future King Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't think it is saying "don't be racist because a brown man might help you". The point is they had an irrational fear and they knew nothing about the man. They feared him, yet he saved their daughter's life. This was not a man to be feared, but a man to be revered for his good heart. This is a very simplistic but powerful message. You cannot judge a book by its cover. They feared him. They were so very very wrong. Compassion knows no race. That is certainly not there intended message but it is the underlying theme. If children watched that video (although mine know better already) that is the simple concept they would pick up in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaurung Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 That is certainly not there intended message but it is the underlying theme. If children watched that video (although mine know better already) that is the simple concept they would pick up in my opinion So you think that it was intended solely as saying that you should treat people with respect because they might save your life? Rather than because they deserve to be treated with respect? I don't think that is the message at all. That is a pessimistic way to look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Once and Future King Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I think he meant that ''treat people with respect in case they help you'' was not the intended message, but it's certainly one reading of the video that could be made - as evidenced by the OP. And any kids who are watching might not get the right message if it's that ambiguous. Thank you Leap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gneisenau Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Do these ads work ? I get the impression some people get very offended by these ads, and might possibly start dismissing similar stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraPrime Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 All comments that challenge and expose social biases upset at least some people. You cannot attempt to shift cultural currents without offending a group of someones in the dominant group. A better question to ask is whether the upset being generated can be channeled to productive outcomes, and whether the amount of anguish created by the ads is commensurate with the potential benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaurung Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I think he meant that ''treat people with respect in case they help you'' was not the intended message, but it's certainly one reading of the video that could be made - as evidenced by the OP. And any kids who are watching might not get the right message if it's that ambiguous. I think maybe it CAN be read in that way, but that is the worst way to look at it imo. I loved the clip. Not only did it show those who were being prejudiced to be truly wrong, but in the end he was smiling. He was smiling because although these people had apprehended him with mistrust, he was just happy to have helped the little girl. In the ad, the girl didn't care at all. She didn't even notice the guy. It was the parents who were being overly cautious and judgmental. This ad is intended for adults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mance Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 The second video was better but the odd wrapup threw me Yeah, I thought the message at the end was odd as well. The lead up with the various situations of prejudice was effective and relatable, but the "just because of who they are" line was less so. It doesn't really drive home that these conscious or unconscious reactions are misplaced in and of themselves, only that we should try to curtail them for fear of hurting the individuals involved. As if apologizing for the ethnicity of minorities by saying, "its not their fault for being X, and therefore lesser/other/whathaveyou, so lets all try not to be such dicks, even though…*wink wink*" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Once and Future King Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yeah, I thought the message at the end was odd as well. The lead up with the various situations of prejudice was effective and relatable, but the "just because of who they are" line was less so. It doesn't really drive home that these conscious or unconscious reactions are misplaced in and of themselves, only that we should try to curtail them for fear of hurting the individuals involved. As if apologizing for the ethnicity of minorities by saying, "its not their fault for being X, and therefore lesser/other/whathaveyou, so lets all try not to be such dicks, even though…*wink wink*"Im glad someone else saw it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.