MTV provides New Years resolutions for white people

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12/21/2016 14:28

Subject: Re:MTV provides New Years resolutions for white people

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Anonymous

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:Which one of those resolutions do you find offensive? They sound like common sense to me.

The premise itself is offensive and hypocritical. The underlying assumption here that it's accurate and acceptable to attribute behavior/ideology to a group based on race/gender.

It seems to me that you either (a) believe in judging people as individuals, based on their words/actions, or (b) you believe in judging people based on their group "identity".

As a matter of principle, most don't tolerate judging people based on identity--it's anathema to our ideals.

So why then is it acceptable when it comes to white men?

Sincere question--I've never understood how people could justify this apparent inconsistency as a matter of principle.

First, the video is not a serious political tract but is light-hearted and humorous. It is really aimed at our dominant culture, but identifies white men because of the inordinate role they play in that culture. The video acknowledges that many white men already follow the proposed resolutions. That reflects the understanding that people are individuals, not groups.

Seriously, all of you are going to have heart attacks if you let things like this bother you. You would be much better off, regardless of your race or gender, by giving consideration to the message of the video rather than doing your best to be offended by it.

It seems to me that you don't really contest that the principle is wrong, but instead are arguing that (1) it's not really about white men, (2) it's humorous, so we shouldn't take it seriously, and (3) we shouldn't be so offended by it.

That's essentially what people say to justify telling off-color, racist, or sexist jokes. "Relax, it's just a joke. It's not about YOU. Don't take it so personally!"

I'm not offended by the content--no heart attack here. I AM offended by the principle, and you should be too.

Why? Because it's wrong, and because if we accept it when directed at white men, it makes it harder to decry when directed at others. To use the common term these days, it "legitimizes" the behavior. Indeed, it encourages the proliferation of that behavior.

In my estimation, that's the last thing we need.

The difference between this list of resolutions and similar lists directed at minorities is that the lists aimed at minorities generally exploit their disadvantaged position in society. Do your own thought experiment and try to come up with resolutions for black people. What do you come up with? I would not be surprised if they were things like "don't riot when one of your thug friends get shot running from the police". The MTV list, in contrast, is basically a list of ways to be more tolerant. It is notable that in my first post -- which was the first response of this thread -- I asked which specific resolution was offensive. The only resolution identified was identified by a poster who said she is a black woman. None of the white posters have identified a specific resolution that they found offensive. Rather, several have said that the entire idea of a list aimed at white men -- even if the list was entirely made up of inoffensive items -- was offensive. I find that idea to be ridiculous and an indication of people who are looking to be offended and probably could benefit from the resolutions offered.

So your argument is that it's acceptable and productive to stereotype privileged groups?

Call out "white men" and what do you accomplish?

1. You make the targeted group defensive and angry, even those who might otherwise be sympathetic to the substantive points made. You could make the very same point without the group association and produce a MUCH more effective result.

2. You commit the moral and logical wrong of attributing individual behavior to a group (some white men do xxx, therefore all white men do xxx) and from the group back to each individual (since all white men do xxx, you as a white man are likely to do xxx). That "logic" is the very engine that drives all racism and sexism.

You (generally, not you personally), in other words, perpetuate the poisonous thinking that lies at the heart of the very thing that you purport to decry.

With all due respect, it seems neither productive nor acceptable to me.