http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko_N4BcaIPY
From your personal experiences and research, what other media stereotypes (besides the example from the documentary "Reel Bad Arabs") have you seen either on TV, magazines or in the movies?
DEADLINE : 12 midnight, THURSDAY, 8th April 2010
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A nerd is always bullied.
ReplyDeleteA black hip hop rapper is always packing a gun and waving it around.
A kid who uses asthma medication is weak and unable to play sports.
A effeminate man is considered gay.
Chinese have small squat eyes.
A Latino is always poor and part of a gang.
And the stereotypical lists goes on. Why do these stereotypes even exist in the first place? In the context of human interaction, its simple; grouping. Its what humans do to make things easier to be identified. Its the same reason why we separate our shirts and pants or socks according to color, because its just convenient. It is not as irrelevant as it may seem.
A black or dark skinned person is identified right away as violent and not intelligent by the west. Why is this so? Even as only a few of them are like so. It is easier to reinforce a negative image then to change the masses mindset on the stereotypical types portrayed by the media. This is also done so that that stereotype can be used to enable the public to easily identify characters by groups or types. This is a endless cycle of negative propaganda.
It is hard for mainstream media to breakaway from using stereotypes as without it, it takes longer and is difficult to establish the characters in media. Just like Asians are almost ALL of the evil villains in MOST of EVERY western movie with a diabolical plot to destroy the world, a Chinese man showing up at a bar is a harder joke to explain.
Its a sad fact that not only western countries like Hollywood are using stereotypes based on color or nationality where even our own movie industry uses these as shortcuts for the audience to identify characters. Where does this leave us?
We, with a very serious Inferiority Complex. Portraying westerners as more intelligent and more superior TOTALLY incorrect. The Arab or mid-easterner dying in the first 3 mins of a action film is not helping anyone.
Note: Not all Chinese know kung-fu. This is a FACT.
From my personal experience, one of the media-based stereotype is gender stereotypes. man must be good looking, have a great body and very very masculine while female must have a perfect body, flawless skin ,silky hair most common of all must be feminine in order to fulfill their roles being accepted socially by others around them.
ReplyDeletefor example like in magazine , we can see that all model is stereotypes as what i just mention above.
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nur farah ain mahadon
Media stereotypes has been around for quite a while now.It may seem to be unfair to be stereotyping someone based on their culture,looks or the things they do.Stereotyping in media especially advertisement or entertainment is quite common as to give the viewers or audience, a quick understanding of the message that the advertising company trying to deliver.It gives a simple and fast understanding about a certain group of people.
ReplyDeleteHowever,nowadays,I am sure many of us have seen a lot of stereotyping in movies,TV commercials and magazines.The most common stereotypes that we will always see is Western countries are always wealthier than Asian Countries.Just like what my friend has explain earlier,yes, in movies, Asian always plays as the bad guys or as the people who are running and screaming in terror while Western will play as the good guy who saves the world.Not to forget,in Hollywood movies, everything happens in the U.S, especially space invaders or UFOs and they will probably be the last humans to survive if anything ever happens to Earth.
I think that kind of stereotyping is being used too much already in movies but I do not think it can be change as to many people are used to this kind of stereotyping already and it is like burned into their brains.
Another famous stereotypes are about smart people, why does smart people usually have to wear spectacles?Do all people that wear spectacles are actually smart?I think we all knows the answer but still we are ourselves are caught up in this stereotypes, that we also think that smart people should wear spectacles.
:D
ROHANA ABDUL RAZAK
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Stereotypes were created to group or class people according to specific characteristics which may not be true.They are widely used to classify groups of people that people are not familiar with or are used to seeing.
ReplyDeleteAccording to my experience, there are a lot of media based stereotypes.One of the stereotypes are that Females are always portrayed as always being feminine,they are always shown to be soft spoken, beautiful, always liking the color pink, always wanting to go shopping.Not, all women are like that but those are usually the types of women portrayed in movies,commercials and books.
Other than that there are also stereotypes about homosexuals. Homosexual men are always portrayed to be overly effeminate where else, homosexual females are portrayed as "tomboys". The media shows them as people with flamboyant personalities but usually never like a regular person.
Marissa Khaira
1091103486
Why do a group of people stereotype other people?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, it's probably because they don't feel comfortable with the other party.
They are most probably afraid of other people being different from them.
They are closed-minded, and do not want to accept the difference in looks, lifestyle, and culture.
They are disgusted at the thought of accepting the fact that people who are different than them are actually just people like they are.
Well, they probably watch too much TV.
And TV stations don't usually care whether what they air is true or not, as long as it sells.
People with fair skin actually don't differ much in their DNA with those who are dark-skinned.
So why should one feel more superior just because he is born with white skin?
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Siti Aminah Soleha binti Mohamad
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@Farah I agree with your views oh how women are supposed to look perfect in superficial things like their looks and body.
ReplyDelete@Rohana I agree that Stereotypes occur too much in movies that they have somehow we have become too used to them.
@Aaron : I totally agree with you.Hollywood are the one who used stereotyping based on colors and they always plays that they are smarter than the Asians, which is wrong but I guess we are no better than they do.
ReplyDelete@Farah : I also agree with you. In magazines, especially fashion magazines, the models are always skinny and flawless.This kind of stereotypes are actually kind of dangerous actually as female teenagers wants to be like them and will do anything to achieve it,either positive or negative way of course.
@ Farah
ReplyDeleteI think that what Farah is trying to say is that people nowadays are too influenced by the media.
In the U.S.A., the people grow up in a society that cares too much on how they look.
They think they must have the perfect body in order to be accepted in that society.
You might think that only women would undergo cosmetic surgery, to enlarge their breasts, to fix their noses, or even to reconstruct their whole bodies.
But now, even men take on cosmetic surgery. The main surgery men undergo is to enlarge their chest, to make it look more muscular.
People would spend thousands, even hundred thousands to achieve their ideal bodies.
Why?
Because they want to look like that girl on the front page of the magazine, that's why!
She has the perfect legs, the perfect eyes, the perfect nose, the perfect lips, the perfect cheekbones, and the perfect bum.
Not to mention that perfect undernourished belly.
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@ Rohana
Indeed, the media uses stereotyping too much, and too often.
And the sad part is, the message is so strong that sometimes, the viewers get confused as well.
For example, although we know that not ALL blond women are dumb and have big boobs, because of the media stereotyping, every time a blond is mentioned, that is the first image we can think about.
As another example, not all Arabs are rude and violent. But because too many movie productions portray them as such, the people will come to the conclusion that ALL Arabs are crazy without realizing it.
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Siti Aminah Soleha binti Mohamad
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@goku
ReplyDeleteyes i'm agree with you that they don't want to accept the difference of others.or in other word closed minded.
@i'm agree with the stereotype homosexual guy be overly effeminate,homosexual guy aren't always the people we think they are just same normal people like us with different orientation :D
In general, stereotype can be either positive or negative based on some observations or any traits of behaviour or as in their appearance.
ReplyDeleteMedia plays an important role that lead these stereotypes spread throughout the world. Either in television programmes, radio channels, magazine or newspapers.
Based on my experience, I do came across with lots of negative stereotypes. Like, all black people are lazy, all blondes are stupid, all men are pigs, all left handed people are gay.(no offence)
There are some positive stereotypes like, all chinese people are good at math and all judges are honest.
To me, stereotypes are sarcasms. We should not make any statements based on some observations or their appearances. Does 'All Blondes are stupid', 'All left handed people are gay'? It is neither right or wrong. We shouldn't simply digest anything from media as they can be wrong.
Looi Pooi Wen
1091103639
@Farah
ReplyDeleteMan must be good looking, however, I agree how the woman stereotype actually sets on what makes a good woman and what doesn't. They say beatu is in the eye of the beholder but if the stereotype says, if you're not skinny and have the perfect 3 sizes, then does that automatically makes you ugly? Is what inside doesn't count?
@Rohana
I agree. It is sad how the people who started all these stereotyping is using it to make themselves seems like a much more inferior races than the rest in the world. Like I said, good is good but going overboard is not.
@note; they don't? *tears*
From my personal experience and research. stereotype is not a healthy trends where you got to judge and stick with someone else so that you can fit in a certain group.
ReplyDeleteMostly it does happened to teenagers these days mostly happened in a western country.In a high school or college where lots of them judging each other.Examples, if the students like sports they are jocks,people who wears eyeliner much they are emo, people who wears black and white they are goth, woman who have nice body are mostly popular and adore by others,people who is smart are nerd.etc.
In my opinion, they follow this trend so that they wanted to be accepted by others.It is where they have to obey all the rules in the group so that they won't be left out or avoid getting hurt by others group.
Another examples,that I've seen and mostly in youtube where I see lots of comments and critics from other country people, where mostly they said that Muslims are evil because of the believing and teaching is too much and lots of forbid things that they aren't allowed to do.Furthermore, mostly they believe the muslims are the bad one where they known as the villain parts mostly it can be seen in the films..
Other than that, they also stereotyping people's skin color.Mostly they judge the black one, where mostly they believe that the black one is a low class, they taking drugs,known as the gangster,etc.
Stereotype is a negatives trend where some of them does carried it through their own life and teaching to youngsters so that they have to believe and following it.
@Goku: I agree with Goku, mostly they are afraid being different from the rest and uncomfortable with the other party, so they stereotype each others group so that they can be fit in it.
ReplyDelete@Rohana: I agree with you Rohana, media stereotype does seems unfair where they judge on someone based on their culture, looks or the things they do, which is wrong and they are very close minded and easily accept of what people judging about them is true, which are mostly are not.
@ Aaron
ReplyDeleteIt is true that western and eastern countries are using stereotypes based on color or nationality as shortcuts for the audience to identify characters in movies. We as audiences should not easily deceived by media as it is not right.
@ A'an
I do not agree that people follow this stereotype trend just to fit in. This way you are totally controlled by the unhealthy trend as the fact that in reality no all people are like that as said. We should make our own choice rather than following others just to fit in and not been left out.
Looi Pooi Wen
1091103639
@Farah
ReplyDeleteI agree that due to stereotyping, media has sculpted out specific gender roles and the cookie cut out male and female templates of how we should look like. This is considered long term brainwashing to whoever who notices how media controls culture and minds.
@Mira
Muslims should not to be labeled terrorists. The prime agitators are the ones who should be singled out and identified. In countries like Afghanistan and Arab where poverty is a wide spread problem, everyone wants to make something of themselves; be someone or change their fate for the better. And because of this, certain individuals take advantage of this fact and use it to twist, corrupt and defile the minds and understandings of right and wrong of those people to suit their ends.
@Aan
I agree with your comment. Teenagers are the ones most effected and influenced by media stereotypes. They feel the need to fit into certain groups to have the feeling of belonging.
Pang Cheok Heng @ Aaron
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