3 ms·

I don't know if this is valid or true, but I sometimes think that the 1990s through early 2000s pop culture depiction of black culture embedded itself strongly

I don't know if this is valid or true, but I sometimes think that the 1990s through early 2000s pop culture depiction of black culture embedded itself strongly in the psyche of many white Americans. It sounds silly to say that gangster rap, and The Wire, and such things are responsible for racial stereotypes, but for many of my white friends, I think this is absolutely true. One sad part of this is that some of the most well-known, financially successful black Americans came out of this environment, either real, or pretended in order to sell entertainment (and make a lot of money).

dragonwriter 6y ago
The relevant stereotypes are older than independence and deeply embedded in American culture, they don't stem from 1990s to early 2000s popular culture.
- number364789 6y ago
  I agree there are stereotypes much, much older than this, of course - and 90s pop culture does not explain away the longer term discrimination. Still, if the question is about how white Americans perceive black Americans as a group, especially those white Americans who do not know many black Americans personally, I think you have to consider portrayals in pop culture as a factor. At least, that is my perception, as a white American who has only a handful of black friends, but who has a number of white friends who are/were into this kind of pop culture. At the least, it reinforces any existing fears that might have been initially planted by other sources (e.g. racist family members).
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    > I think you have to consider portrayals in pop culture as a factor. Sure, but pop culture in large part expresses and transmits preexisting stereotypes (and even when it doesn’t, it is perceived through the lens of those stereotypes.) I'm not saying it's not involved, just that it's not the source.
    - number364789 6y ago
      I agree. I guess the part I'm trying to explore is, when given a stereotype, whether the group that is the target of that stereotype seeks to try and change the stereotype, or exploit the stereotype for personal gain. It seems that a lot of white Americans, and (likely) a smaller number of black Americans, made a lot of money in the 90s (and probably today) exploiting the stereotype of urban black communities having a lot of violence. That is not to say that the violence was not already there, whether police violence, or gang violence, or violence of some other form - simply that this portrayal of black Americans became pretty common in the 90s. Contrast this with earlier shows like the Jeffersons, Sanford and Sons, Cosby Show, Benson, etc. Maybe it was a necessary step to go through in exposing real issues, but the way it was presented (I think) established a new stereotype that many young, black American men are armed. I think this stereotype is likely a factor in the way some police officers behave - fearfully, and full of adrenaline - which too often leads to unwarranted and unacceptable violence.
      - dragonwriter 6y ago
        > the stereotype of urban black communities having a lot of violence Urban black communities had (and have) a lot of violence. That's a fact, not a stereotype. The stereotype is that this is due to the inherently violent, unintelligent, morally inferior nature of Blacks.
mistersquid 6y ago
> I sometimes think that the 1990s through early 2000s pop culture depiction of black culture embedded itself strongly in the psyche of many white Americans The portrayal of black people as prone to violence and incorrigibly dangerous goes beyond fiction and well into the past to the founding of the United States. For one example, consider the United States' nominal newspaper of record, the New York Times. Do an internet search using the following terms (no quotes) "NYTimes Giant Negro". Stereotypes of blacks as intimidating and dangerous go beyond fiction and the end of the Twentieth Century into the domain of "reported facts" and well into the past.
- adwww 6y ago
  > Stereotypes of blacks Black people. "Blacks" sounds totally dehumanising.
  - mistersquid 6y ago
    > Black people. "Blacks" sounds totally dehumanising. As a black person, I'm grateful for this feedback. Thank you.
    - adwww 6y ago
      Glad to help. Perhaps this is an American thing then? It would raise eyebrows at least in the UK.
      - dx87 6y ago
        I live in the USA, and I've mainly heard "blacks" used by older people, or casually racist people who have had bad experiences with black people. For example, my father and grandfather both say it, and they're both working class white people who've had some bad experiences living and working in lower income areas just outside Baltimore. It's not the kind of thing someone would get fired over, but it's a pretty good indication of their mindset towards minorities.

dragonwriter 6y ago

The relevant stereotypes are older than independence and deeply embedded in American culture, they don't stem from 1990s to early 2000s popular culture.

number364789 6y ago
I agree there are stereotypes much, much older than this, of course - and 90s pop culture does not explain away the longer term discrimination. Still, if the question is about how white Americans perceive black Americans as a group, especially those white Americans who do not know many black Americans personally, I think you have to consider portrayals in pop culture as a factor. At least, that is my perception, as a white American who has only a handful of black friends, but who has a number of white friends who are/were into this kind of pop culture. At the least, it reinforces any existing fears that might have been initially planted by other sources (e.g. racist family members).
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > I think you have to consider portrayals in pop culture as a factor. Sure, but pop culture in large part expresses and transmits preexisting stereotypes (and even when it doesn’t, it is perceived through the lens of those stereotypes.) I'm not saying it's not involved, just that it's not the source.
  - number364789 6y ago
    I agree. I guess the part I'm trying to explore is, when given a stereotype, whether the group that is the target of that stereotype seeks to try and change the stereotype, or exploit the stereotype for personal gain. It seems that a lot of white Americans, and (likely) a smaller number of black Americans, made a lot of money in the 90s (and probably today) exploiting the stereotype of urban black communities having a lot of violence. That is not to say that the violence was not already there, whether police violence, or gang violence, or violence of some other form - simply that this portrayal of black Americans became pretty common in the 90s. Contrast this with earlier shows like the Jeffersons, Sanford and Sons, Cosby Show, Benson, etc. Maybe it was a necessary step to go through in exposing real issues, but the way it was presented (I think) established a new stereotype that many young, black American men are armed. I think this stereotype is likely a factor in the way some police officers behave - fearfully, and full of adrenaline - which too often leads to unwarranted and unacceptable violence.
    - dragonwriter 6y ago
      > the stereotype of urban black communities having a lot of violence Urban black communities had (and have) a lot of violence. That's a fact, not a stereotype. The stereotype is that this is due to the inherently violent, unintelligent, morally inferior nature of Blacks.

mistersquid 6y ago

> I sometimes think that the 1990s through early 2000s pop culture depiction of black culture embedded itself strongly in the psyche of many white Americans The portrayal of black people as prone to violence and incorrigibly dangerous goes beyond fiction and well into the past to the founding of the United States. For one example, consider the United States' nominal newspaper of record, the New York Times. Do an internet search using the following terms (no quotes) "NYTimes Giant Negro". Stereotypes of blacks as intimidating and dangerous go beyond fiction and the end of the Twentieth Century into the domain of "reported facts" and well into the past.

adwww 6y ago
> Stereotypes of blacks Black people. "Blacks" sounds totally dehumanising.
- mistersquid 6y ago
  > Black people. "Blacks" sounds totally dehumanising. As a black person, I'm grateful for this feedback. Thank you.
  - adwww 6y ago
    Glad to help. Perhaps this is an American thing then? It would raise eyebrows at least in the UK.
    - dx87 6y ago
      I live in the USA, and I've mainly heard "blacks" used by older people, or casually racist people who have had bad experiences with black people. For example, my father and grandfather both say it, and they're both working class white people who've had some bad experiences living and working in lower income areas just outside Baltimore. It's not the kind of thing someone would get fired over, but it's a pretty good indication of their mindset towards minorities.