Big Brother - Racism issue
Hi all,
My work has touched on cultural differenciation and racism and I just wanted to spark some debate.
Was the behaviour of Jackiey, Jade, Danielle and Jo racism or "only" bullying?
There are quite a few different opinions out there. The main issue is that it made me question what actually makes someone a racist? Does it start with a thought, a comment or an action? For me racism is always based on ignorance and most importantly I think the expression "racism" is obsolete and needs to be reviewed. Racism is not about difference of skin colour anymore - has it ever been? The Nazi differenciation of Arian Race and the Jewish Race is certainly not based on skin colour. The expression "Race" is already in my opinion explosive in itself and I think doesn't necessarily exist in a scientific context - or does it?
In a software course we looked at the calculated codes (don't really remember how we did it) of pale skin and dark skin - and guess what - it is exactly the same code.
Anyway, anyone any thoughts on it?
Biggi
My work has touched on cultural differenciation and racism and I just wanted to spark some debate.
Was the behaviour of Jackiey, Jade, Danielle and Jo racism or "only" bullying?
There are quite a few different opinions out there. The main issue is that it made me question what actually makes someone a racist? Does it start with a thought, a comment or an action? For me racism is always based on ignorance and most importantly I think the expression "racism" is obsolete and needs to be reviewed. Racism is not about difference of skin colour anymore - has it ever been? The Nazi differenciation of Arian Race and the Jewish Race is certainly not based on skin colour. The expression "Race" is already in my opinion explosive in itself and I think doesn't necessarily exist in a scientific context - or does it?
In a software course we looked at the calculated codes (don't really remember how we did it) of pale skin and dark skin - and guess what - it is exactly the same code.
Anyway, anyone any thoughts on it?
Biggi
posted by Biggi at 8:57 pm
7 Comments:
didnt see any of the programme but i suppose just one thing racism is a form of bullying isnt it?
i think the definition of 'racism' is inconsistant - things that would be considered racist if applied to one race, might not be when applied to another. i guess it boils down to respecting each other, but it's difficult because some people are hyper sensitive, and some are looking for a fight.
i think that the behaviour of those in the bb house was ignorant and perhaps cruel, but i don't think they understood what they were saying. i'm not saying that that means they weren't racist, but at the same time, if the logical conclusion of this is that you can't insult someone of a different race without being cast as racist, then that in itself is racist.
one time, i was waiting for a bus, looking at the ground, and when i looked up, my eye accidently caught the eye of a man walking on the other side of the road. he crossed over to confront me, because, in his opinion, i was giving him a funny look because he was black. i didn't feel that i was being racist, i thought that he was (i didn't say that to him though).
i think there are some racist laws in this country. 'positive discrimination' is a fallacy.
racism is making generalisations rather than treating people as individuals, i don't think it's necessarily anything to do with bullying (though it can be used in bullying).
I have not watched any of the celebrity big brother. I wish th eprogramme didn't exist to a certain extent...I think it has outlived it's years of entertainment...it began as some kind of social experiment that would raise the profits of endemol, and for that reason it continues.
However, despite not watching any of this series, I am aware of teh phenomenon of big brother. I did not watch teh series in which Jade was in the house, but have heard plenty o fstories of her ignorance. What I really don't understand is that she is being criticised for being ignorant and making comments that are seen and read as racist, but it seems slightly ridiculous considering we, as a society have praised her and made her a celebrity for just that reason. She was ignorant when she first came into the public conscious, and has remined in the public realm for just that reason- she is ignorant. So, although I think she is wrong to behave in such a way as she has, how can we blame someone for being ignorant and foolish when we have spent teh past five or six years raising them up for exactly that same thing?
Somehow it seesm like double standards, or are we as a society that watches such utter crapo in Tv under the form of 'entertainment' equally to blame for putting her in such a position to think it is ok to bully people and be so ignorant.
Just a thought.
I was surprised to hear it on the radio, and when I heard tghe owrds India and jade goody mentioned in the same sentence i assumed I was overtired and not yet fully conscious as I sat trying to eat my breakfast. As far as I know, having not wqtched the show, no one else openly stuck up for the Indian lady on the show..... why is that, and why aren't the others being equally criticised?
I think Tom's point is very interesting that racism is a form of generalisation rather than treating people individually. I think that is exactly where ignorance comes in, as it is based on cliche rather than questioning every individual and seeing beyond the general. Education and surrounding environment plays a very big role. Even though those girls were ignorant about the Indian culture - with good will and a healthy curiosity they should have opened up to finding out why things are done in a certain way and what the belief system (not necessarily religious) behind the acts of the individual was. Noone made any effort - nor did anyone make an effort to support Shilpa or interfere with the mean actions.
anyway. I am rarely a BB watcher but this attracted me as it was really interesting for what my work is dealing with.
now, the question again is actually, what makes a racist a racist? I still think that the expression racism is obsolete, as we are using this word without actually really questioning it.
I do agree to some extend as well that individuals can tend to victimising themselves easily - i had some situations at work, that I won't go into now, but clearly it can seem the easy way out sometimes. And of course the under reporting of racist attacks on white people shows how paranoid the whole society has turned.
I have grown up with two Bolivian girls, who are native Indians, and therefore have never ever seen skin colour. It just didn't exist. But suddenly, about 5 years ago, when I was accused of being a racist by a white person because I said something negative about her black husband, colour came into my life - and paranoia with it. Suddenly, with 33, my life was turned upside down and I started to be overcautious. Since then, colour has always been with me, and my awareness in regards to my Indian boyfriend as well - which seemed so natural once. If I look at my experience I can only say that education plays a big role. Brushing up the skin colour differentiation is not necessarily a good idea. I was a perfectly natural child without the awareness - now I have problems being natural again and therefore have to re-learn a natural behaviour. Although we all are in awe of Ghandi, unfortunately he was the one who made the Indians aware of differences between Hindus and Muslims and therefore started the tensions and massacres....
... sorry a quick comment to Katherine, I think she took her fame for granted and thought she could rest on her reputation. but unfortunately Jade saw her rise and her fall in the end - through not changing. The media had a huge responsibility here - and am not quite sure still if they handled it that well...
BB raised here some important issues, and not only to question what is racism but made very much aware that bullying exists and needs to be taken seriously as well as dealt with...
It has all been pretty wierd with this issue recently. As I work on the show, my life is engrossed by it, I live and breathe it at work and then at home on the news, in newspapers,television.
I do find it interesting, which other show brings up such real issues. or are they real? Does the claustrophobic atmosphere just produce this? The house is tiny and lit very brightly. I start to go a bit mental after an hour painting in there. I also became very self conscious painting , whilst cameras zoom around, using you as a focussing guinea pig.
The racism issue is all a bit vague.
I think the comments were very vague. Does racism stretch to just difference, where does it stop?
I agree with Tom , it is making generalisations and with reference to the big brother witches , it has been creted by ignorance.
I know it's a crap show, but it pays me!
Ninax
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