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What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

...on serious topics that don't fit anywhere else at present.
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Nick
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What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#1 Post by Nick » September 27th, 2016, 1:34 am

What do you make of this?

Is it the comfortable confidence of the dominant group....?

Or the anger of the oppressed....?

Or is there a real difference between cultures....?

(That's cultures, not races...)

Or just careful film editing...?


Hmmm....

Fia
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#2 Post by Fia » September 27th, 2016, 10:14 pm

All lives matter. The fact that some feel we have to have to differentiate sadly reflects much of what's currently wrong in the US.

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animist
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#3 Post by animist » September 28th, 2016, 10:49 am

quite disturbing and also quite silly - he obviously came across as deliberately provocative to the young males in the black neighbourhood

Nick
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#4 Post by Nick » September 28th, 2016, 10:10 pm

animist wrote:quite disturbing and also quite silly - he obviously came across as deliberately provocative to the young males in the black neighbourhood
I agree it's disturbing, but why do you think so? Disturbing that it was seen as offensive or because of the response?

And isn't the point of the clip not just to ask why it was seen as provocative? And how about the response? If you came across a Tory bastard saying something like.... erm.... "grammar school opportunities for all!", you might think him an idiot, or a Tory bastard (natch!), but would you rip off your T-shirt and thump him...?

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animist
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#5 Post by animist » September 29th, 2016, 10:50 am

Nick wrote:
animist wrote:quite disturbing and also quite silly - he obviously came across as deliberately provocative to the young males in the black neighbourhood
I agree it's disturbing, but why do you think so? Disturbing that it was seen as offensive or because of the response?

And isn't the point of the clip not just to ask why it was seen as provocative? And how about the response? If you came across a Tory bastard saying something like.... erm.... "grammar school opportunities for all!", you might think him an idiot, or a Tory bastard (natch!), but would you rip off your T-shirt and thump him...?
first question - both reasons. The message was not in itself offensive probably, but it might have been seen as such in a poor black area. You are also missing the obvious point that it implicitly undermined the point of "Black lives matter". Noone who has been parading banners with this plea does not think other than ALL lives matter, but to make the latter into a slogan implies that you see no problem in the fact that disproportionate numbers of black people in the US get killed, often by police. The analogy with grammar schools is a bit feeble, therefore, quite apart from the fact this is not a life-and-death issue. I would not be enraged by it, but some people in a dirt-poor area of Britain might take some offence, I don't know. Anyway, "experiments" like this are unscientific and may well cause more trouble than they are worth

Nick
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#6 Post by Nick » September 29th, 2016, 12:23 pm

animist wrote: The message was not in itself offensive probably, but it might have been seen as such in a poor black area. You are also missing the obvious point that it implicitly undermined the point of "Black lives matter". Noone who has been parading banners with this plea does not think other than ALL lives matter, but to make the latter into a slogan implies that you see no problem in the fact that disproportionate numbers of black people in the US get killed, often by police.
I take your point. In such circumstances it is at least insensitive.
The analogy with grammar schools is a bit feeble, therefore,
It's one of mine! What did you expect? :D
quite apart from the fact this is not a life-and-death issue. I would not be enraged by it, but some people in a dirt-poor area of Britain might take some offence, I don't know.
But would they physically attack?

Hmmm... thinking on, I think there are circumstances they might. The Sun and press freedom in Liverpool, perhaps.... And remember Top Gear's rather dangerous road-trip through the Southern States of the USA!
Anyway, "experiments" like this are unscientific and may well cause more trouble than they are worth
I don't think it was ever intended to be scientific, but just to raise questions and provoke thought.

So, my evolving thought at this point, is that it is the socially and economically disadvantaged who are more likely to get physical. And that, for some, there is a tendency to wallow in victimhood, rather than climbing out. That, I find depressing.

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animist
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#7 Post by animist » September 30th, 2016, 10:35 am

Nick wrote:
Anyway, "experiments" like this are unscientific and may well cause more trouble than they are worth
I don't think it was ever intended to be scientific, but just to raise questions and provoke thought.

So, my evolving thought at this point, is that it is the socially and economically disadvantaged who are more likely to get physical. And that, for some, there is a tendency to wallow in victimhood, rather than climbing out. That, I find depressing.
your first thought may be correct - unless of course the video was indeed heavily edited to include almost only the violent responses. Your second thought is entirely unjustified! You have absolutely no knowledge of these people's lives or feelings beyond this one video

lewist
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#8 Post by lewist » September 30th, 2016, 11:22 am

No conclusion. There are too many unknowns. There is nothing scientific about it. It's a stunt, not an experiment.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

Nick
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Re: What conclusion should one draw from this social experiment?

#9 Post by Nick » September 30th, 2016, 11:48 am

animist wrote:
Nick wrote:
Anyway, "experiments" like this are unscientific and may well cause more trouble than they are worth
I don't think it was ever intended to be scientific, but just to raise questions and provoke thought.

So, my evolving thought at this point, is that it is the socially and economically disadvantaged who are more likely to get physical. And that, for some, there is a tendency to wallow in victimhood, rather than climbing out. That, I find depressing.
your first thought may be correct - unless of course the video was indeed heavily edited to include almost only the violent responses. Your second thought is entirely unjustified! You have absolutely no knowledge of these people's lives or feelings beyond this one video
I was basing my thoughts on more than just this video! I would add, though, that for some (many?) it is not that simple. Pull oneself up by the bootstraps is not always easy.

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