Racial Stereotypes in Comedy Essay - 1441 Words

The world is composed of millions of people that come from different locations, are part of different races, believe in different religions, and have developed different cultures to those of everyone else. Over the course of human history, the differences that we have developed have played an enormous role in dividing us. Perhaps the chief problem that has plagued society in the past, and continues to do so to this day, is the idea that one’s race is superior to that of others; in other words: racism. Racism has led to the discrimination, oppression, and deaths of countless numbers of people. In the present, racism is often closely associated with stereotypes. In today’s society, being stereotypical often gets you the criticism that â€Å"you†¦show more content†¦Like a countless number of other jokes, the humor in stereotype driven jokes depends on our understanding o f the subject at hand. However, we are not born with the knowledge about every race and the ignorance that we inherit prevents us from seeing the bigger picture in such comedy. As the world globalizes, it gives us an opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding. Globalization exposes people of different races helping us see the realities of those races resulting in the purge of the ignorance that it takes to assume that stereotypes are accurate by aiding us in gaining understanding of different races, and in the process, allowing us to see the humor of the exaggerations when we compare our pre-globalized mindset composed of generalizations, to that of our globalized mindset enriched with the comprehension of others. It is not unseasonable to believe that because stereotypes are appearing so commonly in comedy, they will reinforce those stereotypes rather than help society rid itself from them. Extinguishing stereotypes is impossible. Researchers have determined that the creation of stereotypes is a natural function of the brain (Paul, par. 2). In attempt to make ligh t of a problematic issues, comedians use stereotypes to denounce stereotypes. The first thing that we should understand is that comedy is comedy. This does not mean that it should not be taken seriously as frequently advised. Comedy should be embraced and takes seriously but not in theShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Effect Of Stereotypes1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe Negative Effect of Stereotypes in Comedy We all laugh at the things we see in the media that are perceived as funny; whether it be appropriate or offensive. One of the most popular subjects that comedians and comedy shows rely on is stereotypes. Stereotypes play a large role in society and the everyday lives of individuals. These stereotypes have resulted in blurred assumptions of others based on what we see and hear in the media. 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