Of course everyone has been insulted, and I do not just think that it is solely ethnic, sexist or racial insults that are thrown at people. But I do agree that everyone gets insulted even, the most powerful people, especially those. Don’t agree with me? Okay well let’s take for example President Obama. I do not even think that I have to go into it with this man. Just by simply mentioning his name, everyone can think of a racial slur that has been directed to the president either by a personally thinking it or a friend saying it. Still don’t believe me? Hmm, what about Bill Gates? Of course this man is a generous being, always giving to the less fortunate but I can remember several instances where people someone insulted Bill Gates because he was a “rich white geek.” Like I said, insults are not just expressed to ethnicities or race but even intelligence.
The reason why insults can be described on a broad scale is because the media has made it okay for people to insult each other. Right now, the movie Jackass in 3D is a great example of how the media has allowed people to be offensive. The Jackass show and movies have shown that it is socially acceptable to make fun of friends for being Black, practicing their religion or being whatever gender they are. However, this should not be the case. In fact, in cases like this, censorship should be incorporated. This is the one instance that I agree with censorship because it is insults that force people to hurt themselves, have no confidence, and in some cases even commit suicide.
Just because a person starts insulting another on an episode of Gray’s Anatomy, or two people get into a fight because of ethnicity in a movie, this does not mean that it is okay to do so in real life. However, media serves as a form of escapism for many and some do not recognize the difference between reality and fantasy. Thus, those people assume that just because their favorite actor or actress did something to insult another then it is acceptable to do so with others. Now, that’s just movies and television, but these are not the only forms that add to the growth of prejudicial language. Music plays a bigger part in these forms of offenses.
The reason I say music plays a bigger role is because the words are more direct than just implied like those in visual media. A rapper can rap using very explicit lyrics, and in those lyrics direct prejudicial language to people; and very easily can someone take that song and dedicate it to another person. By doing so not only does the receiver listen to the song but now they think how the song is directed to them.
The fact is that sooner or later everyone will be insulted through prejudicial language and it can be because of one’s weight, race, creed, or sex, but it can easily be seen that the reason for this is due to the ever growing media industry that permits such type of behavior. Eventually the media listeners, viewers and readers will bring those behaviors to real life causing someone pain and suffering. The only thing to do to avoid such type of behavior is by not taking part in the prejudicial language but listening to that old maxim: “If you don’t have anything nice to say then, don’t say anything at all.”
Friday, October 22, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You are definitively right prejudice does not only effect someone's race, but all aspects of their life. I have seen so many people be insulted for reasons other than their race. Some people use their race as part of the insult.
ReplyDeleteI think it is ridiculous when people are insulted because they are intelligent or successful. I know it is out of jealousy, but the people who are smart worked hard to be that intelligent and people who are successful work hard at their job to get where they are. I have heard some people say somethings when I say I am stressing over an Anatomy test and someone on the softball team will say something about me not even trying and I would do good. I know it may have been meant as a compliment to my intelligence, but I take it as an insult because they do not take into account all the hours I have spent studying to make the subject easier for myself.
I agree the media is a form of escapism. The media to me should be a form of expression and should not be censored. It is not the government's job to censor us things that we do not want to see, we have the ability to make a decision to watch something or not, but the government does censor it because people like to complain about everything and say it is not appropriate, if they feel that way do not watch it or let your child watch it.
Insults really aren't limited by anything. I've been insulted numerous times before for my moral upstanding. It's silly, but I am conscious of why this was the case. If you are constantly being shown promiscuity and being told that there's a way you "should be" as a teen, then likely someone who is the complete opposite of that will be insulted. I used this example because as you said, insults are not limited to gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteThe media creates an illusion of what is acceptable or "cool" and if you don't fit in that box, you should expect to be insulted at some point. The illusion changes ever so often. The people on the television aren't the same people after a while, different reality shows pushing the limits of "reality" ensue. The prototype changes, physically speaking, considering who is popular and what he or she looks like.
We pride ourselves in how unique and different we are but once someone begins to criticize us for it we begin to doubt ourselves and reconsider. We can't all be the person in the books that we read, in our favorite program. To be so influenced by something that is constantly changing is really pitiful.
You make some great points. Growing up in a family that was poor, and I mean poor as a hobo, I know how insults can affect you as an individual. What’s really sad is that lets say there is an African American who goes to school and gets harassed, and then he comes home, doing his homework and then turns on the TV. Only to bombarded with more racial insults or stereotypes that don’t necessarily apply to him, but he still feels the sting of the words anyhow. I want to say to anyone that this has happened to; I apologize for the ignorance of many. I rarely watch TV because I actually see the stereotyping on TV now more than ever before, not just on Cable television, but network TV as well.
ReplyDeleteWe are told as we grow up that our differences make us special, yet as we grow older we find that our differences make us subject to being targeted for insults. It is definitely a lonely place to be, trying to establish yourself as an individual when the status quo seeks to push you out. It is no wonder that nowadays we have the extreme incidents that take place. As the use of racial or social slurs has increased, the number of incidents at schools and in public has also increased. Our society does not promote individualism, but instead frowns upon it. I find this dismaying and hope that as we grow we can change this social downfall.