Comment on Had to look this up

• Bennyboybumberchums@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  If they are mean spirited, its a reason to complain. Outside that stereotypes can be anything you need them to be. They can reduce cognitive load in storytelling, or a cultural reference point to explore or subvert. Let me ask you, do you get upset at grumpy detectives? Eccentric scientists? Italians who eat family meals together? Do you attack people who make jokes about emails from Nigerians? New Yorkers being assholes, or Texans talking about stuff being bigger? Teachers who care about their students?

  Stereotypes are everywhere. And we dont say anything, because we know they are just tools in writing. Or mildly entertaining gags. Theres a dude on youtube playing “Uncle Roger”, a stereotyped Chinese Malaysian. Over 10m people subbed to his channel. Are they all racist? Should we be boycotting a dude for making a funny character that shits on Jamie Oliver?

  And what about subversion? When stereotypes are used to trick the audience into thinking a character is one thing, but they are really something else? Do you get offended then too?

  But what about people who reenforce stereotypes? Sean Hayes might not be Jack McFarlane, but he does embody a lot of gay stereotypes. Should we all be coming with pitchforks for him? What about Graham Norton?

  Or can we allow for the fact that stereotypes start in truth and grow from there? And the real issue is when we use stereotypes to cause harm? Ie, being mean spirited. You can make jokes about stereotypes, the question is are they coming from a good place? Or are they mean spirited? In the UK and Ireland, we make fun of each others stereotypes all the time. The Welsh shag sheep, the Scots are always drunk on the cheapest booze, the Irish are always drunk and blow shit up, and the English are all stuck up wankers and football hooligans. None of it is taken seriously, no one is clutching their pearls. And we all get on just fine. If you look to North America, Americans all think they are number 1 at everything while the Canadians are overly polite and pushovers.

  The real issue, IMO, is the modern day internet user is too fucking stupid to understand that stereotypes are just that. But then you have all the people claiming that being a boomer makes you a cunt. Or that being right wing makes you a bad guy, and left wing a good guy. That being pro womens rights, means you are anti trans rights. Or that being pro trans means you hate kids or any of the other million or so other things you all get so worked up about every single fucking day in the search for worthless internet points. Seemingly none of you have any idea about the complexity of the human being. That one idea or trait or position, doesnt make you all things associated with that one thing. Im Scottish, I dont drink at all. Im Glaswegian, but my accent isnt so strong that you need subtitles to understand me. I dont have red hair either. I am none of the popular stereotypes said about the group I am in. But I can see the joke, if something makes it. Can you? Or do you just clutch your pearls, and assume that someone is saying something evil against you?

  As for Seamus, Harry Potter was written between 1990 and 1992… Unfuckingclench.

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