Stereotyping in a multi-ethnic society
In order to give people from different ethnic backgrounds a common frame of reference stereotypes can serve as an offer of voluntary identification with recognisable behavioural patterns. It is for that reason that Clarke Gable and Humphrey Bogart played their roles the way they did.
Initially, stereotypes were lifted from the streets onto the screen in an instinctive appraisal of their value for the differentiation of society. But eventually, and no sooner than the 1980s, it was felt that society wasn't differentiated enough, and stereotypes were designed to guide its further differentiation. Concretely it was felt that Americans had too little esteem for intellectuals and the stereotype of the nerd was born to strengthen the software industry.
Indeed? you may say So the developer of The Bard's Tale looked like a nerd and not like a surfer? Well, he looked like the latter, so what would his profession gain by being depicted as nerds? Well, people who look like the stereotype look like it whether the stereotype exists or not, so they are not hurt by it, but by establishing that look as the standard, the bar, if you like, their entrance into accepted society is eased.
So in the 1980s a stereotype was used to fill a gap in American society, but already in the 1970s it was felt that stereotypes had to be purposefully controlled, because it became evident that not all stars were suitable models. In fact, in a multi-ethnic society as flexible as the American, stereotypes are the natural passports that allow their owners to freely navigate its opportunities, and hence a stereotypical class of modern nomads will form. But at the same time there is a sea of people who can't possibly conform to the constitutive stereotypes, and they will naturally form ghettos.
In order to minimise the antagonism between the stereotypical nomads and the nonconforming rest, negative stereotypes began to be designed in the 1990s, hoping that the latter would identify as not that, thus turning black and white into grey and white.
However, there is a general problem with negative stereotypes: they require an active judgment leading to an active distancing from the stereotype, and the only way to bring that about with any certainty is by denunciation. Since the stereotypes in question are artificially designed ones, denunciation is not even an option, but even if it was: denunciation doesn't serve social cohesion. And so many people will identify with the negative stereotype. And at that point the society turns into a freak show.
Essentially, a multi-ethnic society must be able to differentiate itself sufficiently through stereotypes to get to know and accept itself, because otherwise it will only surrender itself to crippling artefacts.
Initially, stereotypes were lifted from the streets onto the screen in an instinctive appraisal of their value for the differentiation of society. But eventually, and no sooner than the 1980s, it was felt that society wasn't differentiated enough, and stereotypes were designed to guide its further differentiation. Concretely it was felt that Americans had too little esteem for intellectuals and the stereotype of the nerd was born to strengthen the software industry.
Indeed? you may say So the developer of The Bard's Tale looked like a nerd and not like a surfer? Well, he looked like the latter, so what would his profession gain by being depicted as nerds? Well, people who look like the stereotype look like it whether the stereotype exists or not, so they are not hurt by it, but by establishing that look as the standard, the bar, if you like, their entrance into accepted society is eased.
So in the 1980s a stereotype was used to fill a gap in American society, but already in the 1970s it was felt that stereotypes had to be purposefully controlled, because it became evident that not all stars were suitable models. In fact, in a multi-ethnic society as flexible as the American, stereotypes are the natural passports that allow their owners to freely navigate its opportunities, and hence a stereotypical class of modern nomads will form. But at the same time there is a sea of people who can't possibly conform to the constitutive stereotypes, and they will naturally form ghettos.
In order to minimise the antagonism between the stereotypical nomads and the nonconforming rest, negative stereotypes began to be designed in the 1990s, hoping that the latter would identify as not that, thus turning black and white into grey and white.
However, there is a general problem with negative stereotypes: they require an active judgment leading to an active distancing from the stereotype, and the only way to bring that about with any certainty is by denunciation. Since the stereotypes in question are artificially designed ones, denunciation is not even an option, but even if it was: denunciation doesn't serve social cohesion. And so many people will identify with the negative stereotype. And at that point the society turns into a freak show.
Essentially, a multi-ethnic society must be able to differentiate itself sufficiently through stereotypes to get to know and accept itself, because otherwise it will only surrender itself to crippling artefacts.
Labels: 32, formalisierung, gesellschaftsentwurf, gesellschaftskritik, gesetze, institutionen, sehhilfen, wahrnehmungen, ἰδέα, φιλοσοφία
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