Some of the videos I have chosen to include contain profanity. If you are sensitive to and/or offended by swearing, I suggest you skip the videos and just read my analysis.
Dave Chapelle: Taken to the Ghetto (Swearing)
Interesting Take on a Disney Classic:
The Difference Between a Gangster and a Thug (Internet Blog)
Discussing Negative Black Stereotypes: (Light Profanity)
The central view/story in all of these is that African Americans, and more specifically, young Black males, are basically criminals. Whether that be using drugs, killing, theft, rape, the stereotype is strong coming from both the white and the black population. As is seen by Dave Chapelle and the video at the end not only do whites give empower this stereotype but also those within the black community. It's a terrible message to be sending, to automatically assume that if the person is a young, black male, he most likely is a criminal. Both whites and blacks make fun of it, and use the stereotype in a jesting way, but as can be seen by the last video, it has seriously damaging effects in the real world. These examples show how video games, music, movies, comedy, and myriad other types of media have exploited and enforced the stereotype that young black males are criminals. Dave Chapelle is a funny guy. GTA 5 made $1 Billion in 3 days. Todrick Hall (Creator of Beauty and the Beat) appeared on American Idol. These are all successful media outlets, but then you watch the last video and see the effect it's having on those who the stereotype is targeting. These "artifacts" clearly portray how the stereotype that young, black males are criminals has been used, by both black and white people, to become the real world definition of said group.
In conclusion, these various types of media (and vast amounts of others), as well as individuals, build off of, exploit, and exacerbate the idea that if you're a young, black male, you're a criminal in some way, shape, or form. It also shows that on a large, impersonal scale, the stereotype is considered widely comical, typical, and an expression of reality. On a more personal scale, however, we can see that the media and other outlets supporting this stereotype are actually having a damaging effect on the views and ideas that many have towards this group of people.
Agreed! It's really interesting to see people who fight against these stereotypes so rampantly in the public eye, but seem to only perpetuate them themselves through the media.
ReplyDeleteHaley Tharp
Interesting post, It really is sad to see that this type of negative image is perpetuated through the media!
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