Whew! I loved the simplicity of today’s class. We finished viewing and discussing FX’s Emmy nominated show Black.White, as well as viewed an episode from MTV’s The Real World: Denver. The two shows are very different and are viewed by different demographics.
Let start with Black.White. Considering it was a social experiment, the families were forced into situations that would ignite conflict, while they portrayed the opposite race. Brian (the black father turned white) buys a pair of shoes, while in his white makeup and insists he was treated better because of his TV-created race. The things that make you say “Hmmm.” But can you learn anything of importance from one man's single experience, particularly when we have no idea how he behaved before or if he's even being honest about his history. Isn't it possible he was treated differently because he acted differently — something he himself acknowledges?
What do you think?
Do you agree with Bruno (the white turned black father) who says that “If you look for conflict, you find it?”
Have you found yourself anticipating an altercation based on your past?
Something else that was said on Black.White that I can personally relate to came from the black family in the pilot episode. They said that they did not need to learn how to act white because they were used to white people and could adapt. I have been taught to adapt to all types of people, but from personal experiences, I have noticed that white people do not adapt to black people as easy. For example, I have white friends who talk using slang when talking to me. And I cannot lie; I don’t use slang when talking to them.
Is this what one would call “acting white?”
Or would you say that adapting to different environments is acceptable?
Last but not least is The Real World: Denver. Tyree (aka Black Clark aka The Incredible Hulk) is immediately confirming the stereotype of the “angry black man.” He is visibly upset when on his way to confront Davis (a drunk, southern, gay Baptist) about a situation that happened earlier in the night that initially didn’t involve him. As the situation intensifies, Davis provokes Tyree in hopes that he would hit him and get sent home. At the end of the night, a drunken Davis requests to be put in a hotel for the night because “a *igger is trying to beat him up.” This statement now upsets everyone else in the house, particular Stephen (a graduate of Howard University, who is black republican); however, Stephen is the first to accept Davis’s apology the next day.
Do you think Tyree brought the situation upon himself by being the “angry black man?”
Do you think that at times, we as black people take racial prejudice too lightly and should take more of an active job when fighting against prejudice?
By: Amber
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This is a very thought-provoking blog! I do agree with the notion that if you go looking for trouble, you will find it. I think that a person's attitude towards a situation will most likely dictate his/her outcome. From watching the show, it seemed like Bruno went into the project with the attitude that racism no longer existed. I was a little upset when he repeatedly said that he was “waiting on someone to say ‘hey nig*er!’” He clearly does not understand the way that this word affects African-Americans.
ReplyDeleteI do think that black people are more aware of how to code switch, and blend in with their white counterparts in a social or professional setting. On the show, the black family was “schooling” the white family on what to say, what to do, and what not to say and do around black people. I think that black people learn how to do this early on. Bruno says on the show that black people would not get offended by the “N word” if they did not give it power. Although I agree with this, I would not stand for someone, anyone blatantly calling me a nig*er to my face. I think that we should all stand up for equality, and equality does not mean slandering one’s name.
Tiffany D. Spencer