After a day conference enlightening me and challenging me about my own prejudices and stereotypes about other people, I was determined to avoid it and work my way to ensuring I move out of my own weaknesses.
So, there I was, lying on my bed on a Sunday afternoon, (after a 4-hour nap that is. Oh, c’mon, what are Sundays for, right?), watching a movie I’ve never heard about, The College Road Trip. Well, internet connection in the college was down which meant there was nothing much I can do, really. I have assignments due but without the connection I can’t exactly do any research before I start writing. So, I decided to try to learn something while having fun with a movie. Movies have a lot to teach you, really, apart from entertaining you.
The College Road Trip was movie about a overprotective father (who happens to be chief police officer, leading us to believe that may be the root cause of his overprotectiveness) who was unable to let his daughter make her own decisions about college applications and his inability to let her out of his sight because he wanted to ensure she is protected.
Well, the movie was normal, covering all the typical issue surrounding the father-daughter relationship. However, what struck my interest or attention rather was the stereotypes I noticed in the movie.
The stereotypes about the typical African American family, and how they roll. The dynamics of the African American family.
Then, there was the stereotypes about the typical American family. The truth is, this stereotype was so evident, it was disturbing. The perfect American family was portrayed to be geeky family with an over-excited, deluded father, a perfect mother who says Yes and supports her husband through everything and a daughter who’s smart, nerdy and so excited about everything that she doesn’t seem to see how she’s frightening everyone. Oh, and they are a musical family. I mean, they are literally a musical family who sings classics and happy songs whereas the African American family is more into rap and hip-hop.
See what I mean.
Even High School Musical, which I really enjoyed watching due to its positive energy, was contradictory and stereotypical in its own way. Although the movie promotes people to dare to be different and to be original and themselves, many of its characters are so stereotypically portrayed.
Sharpay, the fashionable bimbo, control freak?
Troy, the handsome jock, who’s loved by all?
Gabriella, the sweet perfect smile, pretty smart girl, beauty with brains?
Chelsy, the nerdy music composer?
I mean, I found it funny that while promoting originality, HSM seems to have fallen into their own DON’Ts. Every character had so much of stereotypes in them, I don’t know how not to feel sad, actually.
Even Troy’s best friend, the hot and only male African American in the show who ended up dating the only female African American in the show is portraying another stereotype where African Americans only date African Americans, or worse still if it is saying that African Americans SHOULD only date African Americans.
When such a powerful and influential media feeds so much of stereotypes, I can only imagine the amount of stereotypes it’s breeding in especially the young minds (yes, like you and me).
Stereotypes breed stereotypes. What’s worse is the fact that these stereotypes are fed subconsciously which means that they are affecting us in a deep level and we are not even aware of it.
My mind and yours are being moulded with stereotypes about people around us and we don’t even know. That is FREAKY!!!
Malaysians have their own stereotypes about the people around us.
Stereotypes about how Indians are...
Stereotypes about how the Malays function...
Stereotypes about how the Chinese excel...
Stereotypes about how a girl should be...
Stereotypes about the perfect Indian girl, about the perfect Chinese girl, about the perfect Malay girl...
Stereotypes about how a boy should be...
Stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes...
It seems to me, that our lives are really (and I am not exaggerating) ruled by stereotypes.
I know it will be a challenge to come out of it. To stop trying to meet up to the standards of stereotypes when it revolves ourselves, to stop trying to judge others based on the stereotypes we know.
It will be difficult.
But why should we stop trying just because it’s difficult?
Well, if you think I have some truth in what I write, then I do very much hope, sincerely, that we will take it as a challenge and move out of our very own stereotypes.
There’s nothing positive about stereotypes. Oh, sorry, let me rephrase that. There is NO positive stereotypes. All stereotypes are negative.
So, do something and as Obama said repeatedly, YES, WE CAN!!
So, there I was, lying on my bed on a Sunday afternoon, (after a 4-hour nap that is. Oh, c’mon, what are Sundays for, right?), watching a movie I’ve never heard about, The College Road Trip. Well, internet connection in the college was down which meant there was nothing much I can do, really. I have assignments due but without the connection I can’t exactly do any research before I start writing. So, I decided to try to learn something while having fun with a movie. Movies have a lot to teach you, really, apart from entertaining you.
The College Road Trip was movie about a overprotective father (who happens to be chief police officer, leading us to believe that may be the root cause of his overprotectiveness) who was unable to let his daughter make her own decisions about college applications and his inability to let her out of his sight because he wanted to ensure she is protected.
Well, the movie was normal, covering all the typical issue surrounding the father-daughter relationship. However, what struck my interest or attention rather was the stereotypes I noticed in the movie.
The stereotypes about the typical African American family, and how they roll. The dynamics of the African American family.
Then, there was the stereotypes about the typical American family. The truth is, this stereotype was so evident, it was disturbing. The perfect American family was portrayed to be geeky family with an over-excited, deluded father, a perfect mother who says Yes and supports her husband through everything and a daughter who’s smart, nerdy and so excited about everything that she doesn’t seem to see how she’s frightening everyone. Oh, and they are a musical family. I mean, they are literally a musical family who sings classics and happy songs whereas the African American family is more into rap and hip-hop.
See what I mean.
Even High School Musical, which I really enjoyed watching due to its positive energy, was contradictory and stereotypical in its own way. Although the movie promotes people to dare to be different and to be original and themselves, many of its characters are so stereotypically portrayed.
Sharpay, the fashionable bimbo, control freak?
Troy, the handsome jock, who’s loved by all?
Gabriella, the sweet perfect smile, pretty smart girl, beauty with brains?
Chelsy, the nerdy music composer?
I mean, I found it funny that while promoting originality, HSM seems to have fallen into their own DON’Ts. Every character had so much of stereotypes in them, I don’t know how not to feel sad, actually.
Even Troy’s best friend, the hot and only male African American in the show who ended up dating the only female African American in the show is portraying another stereotype where African Americans only date African Americans, or worse still if it is saying that African Americans SHOULD only date African Americans.
When such a powerful and influential media feeds so much of stereotypes, I can only imagine the amount of stereotypes it’s breeding in especially the young minds (yes, like you and me).
Stereotypes breed stereotypes. What’s worse is the fact that these stereotypes are fed subconsciously which means that they are affecting us in a deep level and we are not even aware of it.
My mind and yours are being moulded with stereotypes about people around us and we don’t even know. That is FREAKY!!!
Malaysians have their own stereotypes about the people around us.
Stereotypes about how Indians are...
Stereotypes about how the Malays function...
Stereotypes about how the Chinese excel...
Stereotypes about how a girl should be...
Stereotypes about the perfect Indian girl, about the perfect Chinese girl, about the perfect Malay girl...
Stereotypes about how a boy should be...
Stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes...
It seems to me, that our lives are really (and I am not exaggerating) ruled by stereotypes.
I know it will be a challenge to come out of it. To stop trying to meet up to the standards of stereotypes when it revolves ourselves, to stop trying to judge others based on the stereotypes we know.
It will be difficult.
But why should we stop trying just because it’s difficult?
Well, if you think I have some truth in what I write, then I do very much hope, sincerely, that we will take it as a challenge and move out of our very own stereotypes.
There’s nothing positive about stereotypes. Oh, sorry, let me rephrase that. There is NO positive stereotypes. All stereotypes are negative.
So, do something and as Obama said repeatedly, YES, WE CAN!!
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There are alot of people like you, thats why obama wins. Now i understand ;-)
that's too much of a compliment..
i think...
hahaha
but thanks a lot...:)
i've read the secret.
great one indeed.
i plan to buy a few and pass it around.
i'm really glad you found it sensible...
and it's really awesome that you intend to do sth to pass the message around.. i'm like super impressed...
take care, agnes and keep in touch... :)