It's easy enough in an 'enlightened' day and age as we live in today to claim racial prejudice to be intolerable. But even as we live day by day, even the most self-proclaimed politically correct of us allow predisposition and stereotype influence our actions, choices and opinions. Race is far from the only or even most serious or common stereotype recognized the world over, but it is no less present in our daily lives than what tv shows we watch.
When I was first presented the idea of the influence of stereotypes on our decisions and dispositions in life, I thought the way so many of you must be right now. Incredulous. How could I, a person who is so open-minded, allow such a shameful and outdated view of the world effect me in any way?? But, urged past my initial defensive response, I began to actually consider the racial variety of my life.
An overwhelming majority of my close friends are caucasian, only one individual even outwardly representing his Spanish heritage. Sure, I have friends of ethnicity, but none of which I could truthfully consider to be close, and none nearly so many as those that are white. But, I thought, this could simply be a lack of opportunity rather than a disposition against making such friends. I did grow up in a white family, with white friends in a white neighborhood with a white school most of my life. Perhaps personal acquaintance wasn't the best measure.
What about media? The monster that is almost always responsible for any of our ingrained predispositions, from what movies/shows are good to what people and places we personally have never seen are like. I realized that every single TV show I watch has a white protaganist and a predominately white cast. From 'House' to 'Serenity' to 'How I Met Your Mother'. Sure, one could argue that there are differences in styles between ethnicities in shows on TV, but it still seemed strange to me.
How much does media influence growing up really effect us in our daily lives, how we perceive the world and choose to interact with it? How many false images of how things are do we pick up from Hollywood's money-grubbing views? From small things like the Hollywood Myths disproven on Discovery's 'Mythbusters', to larger things like cropped reports and testimonials regarding national and international matters.
Over the years Racial Disparity has been claimed to have become more and more distant, especially in the major forms of mainstream media. But I feel there is still much intolerance in the world that can be chalked up to simple sales-based propaganda.
I gained a bit of introspective on myself through this topic and feel better for being made aware. I will no longer take opinions of things I know little about for face value. I truly wish to know something for myself rather than repeat what I've been told like a media drone. I will try my best to not adhere to dispositions and stereotypes, whether in race or status or anything. We are all of one race, one Humanity. The Human Race.
I like what you are saying ,"we are all of the all one race ,one humanity."I mean people should think in that way as race is nothing more than just skin color
ReplyDeleteWell said. I also was enlightened about how much media uses the white male protagonist, and has negative stereotypes when it comes to minorities. I even notice it in much of my favorite movies and shows that I would have never otherwise even given a second thought.
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