As the prompt says we all have heard some sort of ethic, sexist or racial insults; but what I find interesting is how most of us just brush it off. In more cases than not, these insults most likely came at the end of a joke. Even though we may have just heard something incredibly rude, the set up to the punch line makes most of us laugh and completely ignore the negativity coming from the comment.
What I believe is one of the factors that is making us immune to these remarks, is the frequent use of the terms. Take today's rap music for example, almost every single song uses the derogatory "N word" that I'm incredibly uncomfortable even thinking to myself. Because it is used so often, and listened by people of mostly younger ages, I think kids are getting it into their heads that they can say whatever they please. I'm not saying they shouldn't speak their minds, because they should, but kids shouldn't be using language like that, in fact I feel no one really should. It sounds astonishingly closed minded, I know, but to be honest I don't care. When there is so much negativity around a word why should it still be used in conversation at all?
I think television on the other hand doesn't spread as much prejudicial language because of the FCC. They tend to censor or stop most of the really bad and insulting stuff. When we do see an insult in television it's usually because it is the easiest place to go to. Commenting on someone's ethnicity or sex is probably easier than just walking away from an argument. So I think that's how it can spread in terms of television, we use that form of insult to make ourselves feel better for a moment. Movies on the other hand have a lot more freedom than television so it plays a bigger role. Since movies are mostly depicting the lives of "normal" people, what we hear and see become the norm. I think we are highly influenced when it comes to film so it may only take a few movies or a single actor to spread these insults, and people will feel that it's ok because so-and-so said it in their movies. By the way when did movies start becoming so language filled? I recently saw an old Hitchcock film without a single "curse word" and it was one of the best movies I've seen in my life.
The prompt also asks how books spread these insults around, truthfully I can't say. I don't read often, and when I do it's probably a comic book. What literature I have read though, I can't recall if there was ever any really insulting things, I have a terrible memory.
So I guess in the terms of entertainment mediums, I feel music and movies are the two most influencing forms of spread prejudice insults due to the sheer number of audience members. It's a shame it gets to our kids and they grow up using this language.
I agree with your music view Austin. I just don’t see why people are calling each other the “N word” or a less intense version, like (and sorry I am using it, I know you don’t like it) Nigguh. A big part of the Civil Rights movement was because African American didn’t like to be called the N word and now all of a sudden that’s what they call each other; and sometimes it’s oaky even for their Caucasian friends to call them that jokingly. I’ve never liked Rap music, and I still don’t but there is a reason for that. The vulgar and coarse language is just so irritating and a little embarrassing to listen to. Yet, the people who listen to Rap idolize those rappers because they can find something that rhymes with “motherf*cker.” I mean, come on! And they say that music media has little influence on younger generations! Oh, and movies; I also don’t realize why there is a need to add a crass word after every pronoun, noun, verb, adverb, article and so on! I don’t know why, but this prompt really gets me riled up. I remember when I went to go see The Hangover (now mind you, I love that movie) I was a little horrified because I honestly didn’t think there was going to be so much racism, sexism, vulgarity, and sexual innuendos. Okay I expected a little of that, but I went with my brother which was odd. We saw American Pie, and that was bad but this movie just surprised my brother and me. If that isn’t enough to prove that the media is influencing prejudicial language then I don’t know what is.
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