thestig, hooks

In CMC 200, we discussed the impact of the use of stereotypes in film, advertisements, etc. We are constantly exposed to characters in these mediums who fit the description of their stereotype, and are therefore accepted as tokenism. We analyzed the film Rush Hour 2, and a stand up performance by Chris Rock on stereotypes. We concluded that bother entailed racial discourse, and confronted stereotypes of whites, Asians, and black, and presented it through a comedic lens, however, there were some differences. Rush Hour 2 explored cultural stereotypes and portrayed/reconstructed these stereotypes, whereas Chris Rock demonstrated the negative aspects of stereotyping, critiquing racism. This produces an oppositional and counter hegemonic discourse. Park’s conclusion is that none of the characters who are being, to use Hook’s term, “othered,” demonstrate no oppositional discourse.

This is how Bell Hooks comes to the conclusion that “White racism, imperialism, and sexist domination prevail by courageous consumption. It is by eating the Other that one asserts power and privilege” (Hooks 378).

The Other is objectified to be consumed. Thus, we see a power relationship between that of the consumer and the dominant ideological figure. It bothers me that we have to rely on “othering” in order to produce content worth consuming. Being critical of the text to which we are exposed, as Hooks suggests, is an important because we will only become a more rational and democratic society as we develop as a culture into a more communicative society. Habermas, our defender of modernity, suggests that being critical and partaking in public-sphere organizations will facilitate the action for extended communication between individuals, who will turn their discussions towards being critical in hopes of solving the malaise of modern society. This is what we need to do in order to eradicate the issue of “othering” to produce a text worth consuming. “The over-riding fear is that cultural, ethic, and racial differences will be continually commodified and offered up as new dishes to enhance the white palate – that the other will be eaten, consumed, and forgotten” (Hooks 380). This will not be true if we put ourselves in the others’ shoes.