The playwrights in the first four plays have appropriated stereotypes created by others for themselves and then used humor to diminish the sting of the stereotypes.So, what is the role of people who are not in or of a particular culture or ethnicity when it comes to humor? When is it “ok” to laugh? When is it not?Does humor help perpetuate stereotypes?
Finding humor at another person's expense is something that many people do without considering how it is impacting the person in which the humor manifests from. One's actions, appearance, ideas, and beliefs can be a source to even crack a smile, but when does humor become a crude joke? For hundreds of years, race and culture have been something to poke fun at in America by the European Americans, also referred to as the major race. Although the racism goes both ways, the historical events that involve the degradation of minor groups are substantial. Everyone will find different things funny and there are jokes that are socially unacceptable, yet funny. So when is it alright to laugh about something such as racism of stereotypes? Personally, I find this subject to be one of the most confusing because of the thin line separating entertaining and offensive.
I have observed that there are many factors that go into whether something can be considered humorous or not. Racial jokes or derogatory terms used within a certain race seems to be acceptable. While one African American can say to another African American demeaning names and laugh about it, another Europe American can do the same and end up being killed. Racism will never end because of the differences in ethnicity and lack of acceptance of another culture. From the reading in chapter one, it was stated that when minstrel shows started, curiosity attracted the northerners because they did not know what the conditions of slavery were like. Through these plays, the African American race was portrayed by small observations made and then twisted into a stereotype. Lack of knowledge can sometimes encourage laughter because one does not know better and the cycle will continue because they were given falsified information. Egocentrics has played a huge roll shaping the history of the United States and issues or racial differences. When a group finds themselves superior to another, that population feels it is acceptable to do such things.
So when do you laugh about the jokes that are being told and harmful language being exchanged? I feel that to make it alright to laugh would mean that it would have to be a fact and not a stereotype. This may mean that it is almost never acceptable to laugh because most of the jokes are based off of falsities. When it comes to interracial communication, if a race or ethnic group allows it within the community, they should not be so offended when someone from outside of the race makes a comment because then it is an extreme form of hypocrisy. If we, as a country, would like to end the racial tension then racial humor should not be considered humor at all, but offensive and improper. To end racial humor. we would have to put all of our differences aside and accept each others ways to the point where it's not funny anymore. As I said before, this may never happen.
As long as there are people that laugh at a joke, it will continue to be told and laughed at by more people. This cycle may never end and racial humor will continue to take it's place in the American culture. Laughter is a type of communication that shows something is accepted and the lack of knowledge about the true meaning of these words and symbols will also prevent the end of racism. If you do not want the continuance of racial based jokes, then you should not laugh and discourage it if others are talking about it. The little steps can make a big difference in ending this battle of race issues.
Another interesting video that is similar to that in which Robin provided:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGqDDA0jAfU
And some food for thought about some of the top stereotypes:
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-racial-stereotypes.php
