peace out

This class has really had an impact on me. The presentation about colorblindness perfectly described my attitude towards race. If you don't acknowledge it, then it won't be a big deal. But race is everywhere. Especially our video games! It was amazing for me to see how much race, gender, class, orientation, etc affects everything around me. I really liked the readings for this class and I totally view everything through a panoptic structure, trying to figure out who is policing who. Thanks for stimulating me creatively ad intellectually and hopefully I will be able to apply my new insights to other classes and life in general.
Peace!

My Name is Diversity

                This class has made me examine the social constructions around myself. I used try to not think about race because I'm not a racist but I have realized that life isn't that simple. Race plays a much larger role in my life than I ever expected. I started trying to analyze things around me and the media is what stood out the most. I started thinking about why certain characters were certain races and so on. My newest favorite show of the semester has been My Name Is Earl. I don't know if you watch it but you would love the social constructions in this show. It revolves around a trailer park community in which every stereotype imaginable is represented. The show's commentary on these constructions is enlightening as well as hilarious. The main character is a white trash super star and while he is good hearted, his ignorance leads to most of the jokes. The show does a great job at supporting equality while showing the disparity between race and classes. The main character might say that the gay couple across from him has every right to kiss in public, but he still turns away.

                This show (available on netflix,) has also paralleled our class on several different occasions in very specific ways. Most recently, the final day we talked about how nerds are portrayed, among many other things, but later that day I was watching season 4 episode 20 (not a weed joke btw,) and there was a quote that was just too perfect. The black character in the show, Darnell represents the exceptional minority and his attractive, white, nascar loving, trashy wife, Joy, represents well- lots of bad things but in a very comical way. "Darnell, you better stop spending so much time on that computer! You know nobody like a black nerd!" I couldn't believe that we had literally talked about black nerds in class that day. The sub plot in that episode revolves around 'Buddy Book,' Darnell says it's "Like facebook and myspace before the old people ruined them."  The rest of the episode comments on social networks as being more like a contest than a real representation of friends. And there is even a scene where people are confronted in real life for their online activities.

                The next episode returns us to the beginning of the class and also features Joy and Darnell. Their dispute is over how they are seen by the people around them. Joy is in the bar and asks a random guy "If you had to describe me with one word, and it can't be hot, what would it be?" "Mean." is the instant reply. Her next question "If you had to describe Darnell in one word, and it can't be black, what would it be?" "Hmmmm, can't use black huh? Hmmm that's a tough one." It points out exactly what this class has revealed. Race plays a role in every situation. Also, I would highly recommend watching some My Name is Earl, other characters include a daytime hooker with a masters degree, an immigrant who is both a stripper and a made, a few gay dudes, and pretty much every other minority. The show is all about diversity within this small trailer park in Camden County.

                If I had made the connections sooner, this show might have made for a very interesting project.