After watching "Diversity Day" from the NBC television show The Office do you think humor and satire can teach people about racism and ethnic differences? Also, the character Michael Scott is clearly intolerant towards all people. Can we learn a lesson from people like him?
25 November 2009
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After watching the diversity day episode of the office i believe that humor and satire didnt teach us anything new but it just reinforced how ignorant some people can be. all the stereotypes and racist comments were things we have heard before and it did shine some light on how mean and judgemental some people can be. I think we can learn a lesson from the character michael scott, and that lesson is to learn more about certain races and also to be more tolerant of certain races. Overall the lesson i learned form this episode was that although racism is a serious issue when it is portrayed in a comical way it can still be offensive even though you arent trying to be mean in any way.
After watching the office, i found that people were laughing at dumb things that michael scott said when clearly they were rude and rasist. i dont think that humor can teach people about racism but show them that its ok to talk bad about someone of a differnt color or race. overall i think that it was a good attemped to try and teach a lesson of racism but the humorous way isnt the way to teach.
I agree with both of the previous comments to some extent. Satire is in a way criticizing a group to bring about change. Michael Scott in The Office was extremely satirical because although it was funny, it showed us in a new way how ignorant and ridiculous we sound when people are racist and attach stereotypes to every person in a single race. The reason we thought it was funny is because we all knew that everything that came out of his mouth was so incredibly wrong and racist, not because we were being rude. I'm not saying that this is the perfect way to teach racsim, but it certainly does shine a new light to people who may understand better through satire. The satire in this episode of The Office is similiar to "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" when Huck Finn debates on whether or not he should turn in Jim. When he refers to Jim as someone's property, Mark Twain isn't trying to offend African Americans, he's satirically showing how arrogant whites were to think African Americans were inferior.
First of all I Love "The Office"!
I don't it can teach people about racism because the behavior was rude and ignorant. Michael Scott just made fun of the different types of races. It may bring some light on racist people, and how they act towards others. Obviously the show over exaggerated on some things, but still I don't believe that it can teach a lesson. It was just humor, not really a lesson.
Humor can defiantly teach people about racism, although in some cases, people can take humor in the wrong way, and try to be funny and go out and say something funny that they see on television. Even though were didnt really get anything out of that, we see perfect examples of everyday life, and how people care careless about other peoples feelings, even in a professional work space.
From watching this movie i feel that the way that the character Michael Scott tried to teach poeple about racism and ethnicity was not appropriate. Michale Scott used humor and satire in a wau which just seemed arrogent and inappropriate. Theough the actios of michael scott we can learn was in which people shouldnt be treated. We see that even though rasicm isnt as in our faces as it was years ago, stereotypes still affect people thsese days and comments of action will still be taken personally and have affects on people today. We need to fight racism and not joke about it.
Eric Barganier:
Not only can humor and satire teach about racism; it can usually do it in ways that other mediums can't manage.
Whereas many people have to self sensor and sugar coat to keep up appearances; Comedians are expected to be outragous. A comedian that doesn't take something further than the average person would, doesn't really even seem like a comedian.
So because of that I'm tempted to say that of all the people who comment on society, comedians and satirists are the most free to say just about anything. This freedom is important, because sometimes the truth is outragous and offensive and disgusting. Masking truth with humor is a great way to get past both legal and social censorship. This is one of the reasons why humor and social commentary have always been so closely associated.
Many people who aren't open to blatantly serious discussion about race will be open to it if the information is communicated through humor. Humor knocks down walls and removes masks. In an atmosphere that is humorous people will say things they may not have otherwise and they may listen to things that they otherwise might not have had the patience for.
Sometimes we need humor to soften the blow. Especially when it is ourselves, not just other people, that need to rethink things.
I also find it fitting that making fun of racism can make people laugh, considering racism itself has pretty much only caused pain.
That is the closet thing to justic that I believe in.
It also seems to me that humor and satire are able to simply present important ideas that other mediums would have to discuss at greater length or in a more convoluted manner. Alot is communicated in the exaggerated characteristics of Michael Scott.
There are probably alot of important lessons to be learned that one could associate with Michael Scott.
The first thing I thought of ,and this is actually not a thought that has ever specificly occured to me, is that Michael Scott shows that ignorance is more dangerous than sadism.
Michael isn't a cruel or intentionally mean person. He's just stupid and ignorant. And really, the driving force behind most horrendous acts commited so far by humanity has not been sadists like Ted Bundy.... it has been ignorant people like Michael.
"And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
after the show was done i thought that the humor and satire is a perfect way to teach peolpe how to show respect and treat one the same it doesnt matter what color your skin tone is peolpe just freak out because of what they hear or what they have heard.
After watching the episode called diversity day from the TV show the Office I don’t think that the humor or satire from this episode can teach people anything. Most people around already share their own opinions and there is not much that a person can do to change them. I think that the show just helped reinforce the things that many of already know. On the other hand, I do think we can learn lesson from people like the character of Michael Scott. I think that just by seeing people like him people learn everyday a better way to treat people. People don’t car for others that are intolerant and won’t stand to be around people who are. The biggest lesson people could learn from a person like the character Michael Scott is to act nothing like him. Also, by seeing the reaction that other characters on the show have to him it would teach people who do act like him that no one likes it and that it is just not a good way to be behaving.
After watching "Diversity Day" from the NBC television show The Office, i do think humor and satire can teach people about racism and ethnic differences. I think now a days people like a less serious form of knowledge and education. With a show or point getting across with humor, i feel people may be more attentive and get more out of it. Although we may laugh at a racial slur or ethnic discrimination in a show such as "The Office", we still know that it would be wrong to do such a thing in the real world. Although Michael Scott comes off as humorous and not serious, i still feel that the things he does and says have meaning that we can benefit from. I believe there are many different ways to teach racism, and as long as a person is aware that it is wrong and not ok to do in the real world, then it is fine to teach a lesson of racism in a humorous way like Michael Scott did. In order for us to realize how awful something is, we must see it used in an offensive way like the way Michael Scott did in "the office". So overall, i do believe we can learn about racism and ethnic differences and we can learn a lesson from a intolerant funny man such as Michael Scott.
After watching the diversity day episode of The Office i dont think that humor and satire taught us anything about racism and ethnic differences. Michael Scott just went proved that there is still racism with his "exercises" and the way he laughed at the instructors name being "Mr. Brown" since he was Black. I myself learned that ignorance is a key factor in racism. While Michael was trying to help the situation his ignorance caused others to be offended and hurt. The way he spoke with accents to other people such as mexican and india proved this.
Watching the episode "Diversity Day" from the Office really showed how people try to make ethnic comments and racial remarks through satire. There were many different reactions and most of them we're not accepting of what Michael Scott tried to do. Everyone in the office just sat there and didn't take the exercise seriously because all of the information was already known by everyone but some of the things he said shouldn't have been said because it was hurtful towards them. The indian lady was especially angry at Michael Scott because he was saying racial slurs that are inappropriate. This show just shows me how stupid and ignorant people can be and it should be a lesson for people to never act like this because it is wrong to do. I wouldn't like being called and I bet he wouldn't either but he thought it was ok to act like that towards other people.
Humor and satire are a very affective mode to learn about racism and ethnic differences because when a person uses satire they can be blatantly honest and portray the mutual feelings that a society might have. They do not have to be polite, say things lightly or politically correct. Michael Scott was being very rude and intolerant but we can learn how people think from him because he has no filter between his mind and mouth. Others may have the same feelings but will never express them or learn from them because it is not accepted to say those things in society.
After watching the office I learned that because racism is such a touchy subject it's best discussed through comedy. People are always scared of saying certain things in the discussing the issue of discrimination but comedy uses peoples laughter to break down barriers. It lets everybody breath a little easier and speak a little more freely. I believe that Michael Scott represents the ignorance of America. He is not trying to be racist or cynical but his lack of knowledge and understanding cause him to offend a great deal of people. I think it's also important to notice how throughout all the degrading situations Michael imposes on the other characters, the person who looks the most foolish is him. This just goes to you that ignorance is just as, if not more, harmful to yourself as it is to others.
from this episode of the office about the diversity day, michael scott saying racist jokes about almost every culture like he poke fun of the indian culture. I think racist comments remain racist, it doesn't matter he express it with humour but most of the people who were watching this program doesn't take it as racist comments because everyone knows that michael scott is a comedian but not everyone takes it the same way and i personaly don'y appreciate his jokes. in my opinion i would say it doesn'y matter it's a joke it can still affect someone's feeling.
Watching the Diversity Day episode of office was very different because it was a great example of how people show ignorant many people are today about being raciest, and some people can be very judgmental. Michael Scott was humoring around his co workers on raciest jokes, where he mostly joked about any group or nationality. But since we all know or now know that he's a comedian type of person, it was very humoring. But in some human nature, it can be taken as a offense, and there can be many consequences.
After watching The Office's Diversity day episode I think comedy and satire won't teach you anything about race and ethnical differences but it can help reveal the ignorance and stereotypes that people seem to display everyday and twist it into something humorous and comical. I Think comedy is a good way of tackling something serious as far as racism goes. Instead of being mad at something you can laugh about which in the long run can help deal with major race problems or experiences that you might run into in your lifetime with a sense of humor. Racial Comedy and satire on race can also make you realize that sometimes it is pointless to get angry with racism, because there are ignorant people like a person that Steve Carrell portrayed that act like that in real life. The key is you can't get angry at them because In some cases these ignorant people know no better, you basically got to live and let live. In the end Comedy and Satire doesn't teach you anything about race and ethnical differences but it does point out how to deal with a situation that is racially charged, you just got to have a sense of humor about it.
After watching "Diversity Day", I think human and satire can definitely teach people about racism and ethnic differences. The things that were said in the show, especially by Michael Scott may have been taken differenty if not said in a comedic manner. But being said in a way that is supposed to be funny, most people don't take it offensively, and actually relate to what is said, or understand what the person is saying because they've once agreed with it previously. I'm not sure if we could learn a lesson from people like Michael Scott. He seemed to be very naive, and some of the things he did and said, were just so not sensible, but I don't think he did it on purpose. He just didn't understand right from wrong, or what was politically correct from what wasn't.
After watching the diversity day episode on The Office, i believe that humor and satire could teach us a thing but it is in the matter of how the people "audience".."us" perceive it as. This episode made it seem to me that racism today is considered a joke or teaching that how easily anyone could be racist or stereotypical of someone.
Through the use of humor and satire can teach people about racism and ethnic differences. As Michal made rude, racist comments it showed how ignorant and almost uneducated Michal was. This proves that people just need to be informed about racism and ethnic differences, and if this were to happen I believe racism could become close to extinct.
Also, using humor and satire can help cut corners around actually being racist and can easily help bring out new ideas and discussion topics about racism and ethnic differences.
Humor and satire can definately help teach people about racism and ethnic differences, when watching The Office we saw the uncomfortable situations Michael Scott put himself in by being intolerant and how clearly skewed his ideas of how people were supposed to act were. We can all learn a lesson from him and give people a chance before forming ideas in our head about how this person is just by race or ethnicity.
What I took away from watching that episode wasn’t anything big and life changing. In addition I have realized that there are many people out there that are like Scott’s character who are ignorant to the fact that they are racist and I especially don’t think we can learn anything from people like him. However this episode did not teach me anything new that could have changed my outlook on racism and ethnic differences, even though it was through humor.
The episode we watched didn’t really teach me anything new. But I did get a better look at how inconsiderate people can be. This episode can be great examples of just showing everyone how ignorant some are about racism. The character played by Michael Scott is well known for being a jerk to pretty much everyone. The sad thing is, that's how some people really are in life. We saw racism portrayed in a comical way in the episode, and some people, even the ones who the jokes were aimed at, could get a laugh out of it. But either way, they can still be hurtful, and something you can learn from Michael Scott is that racism isn't something that should be taken likely, especially in a work place, and that it effects and can make the people around you very uncomfortable. Even if the joke wasn't targeted at them.
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