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"To what extent is human identity mediated?"
Changing representations of African American males.
Mainstream media representations of African American males for most of the 20th century and early 21st century tended to portray young black males as:
- lacking in aspiration
- lazy
- unwilling to learn or lacking respect for education
- unemployed or criminal.
- misogynistic or placing women in very fixed roles (mother, sista, ho, bitch)
- poor or coming from deprived neighbourhoods
You should have examples of young black males conforming to these gender and collective representations.
However, every stereotype has at it's heart a grain of truth- these qualities do exist in certain communities. But what wasn't made clear in these mainstream representations is that it was an almost ingrained lack of care for young black males in American society that led to these characteristics becoming so widespread. Segregated America led to pockets of extreme poverty and lack of social progression in poplated areas as cities and towns run by all- white local governments refused to spend money in poor areas. Persecution of African Americans on the streets and in schools, bars and restaurants which continued until the 1980s (and is still visible in some areas today) conditioned some to believe that no matter what they did they would not be able to succeed and so they stopped trying: stopped attending school and turned to crime as a means of supporting their families as they were not employed by white business owners.
Rap and Hip-Hop grew out of anger with these social and political issues, and started as a way of keeping young black males off the streets and out of crime. As Bell Hooks states, much of rap and hip hop is diverse, political and concerns social issues- but this is not what makes money.
These negative representations were perpetuated by the music industry, to the extent that the gangsta representation is visible in young black male audiences today. As rappers and actors were rewarded both financially and in terms of status for playing these roles, audiences came to believe that if they conformed to the same stereotypes they would gain the same acclaim.
Future representations:
David Gauntlett theorises that audiences are now making their own media to try and create new, unmediated, non- mainstream reprsentations. In terms of the gangsta representation, young internet users are using social media and digital technologies to try and reshape how the young black male is portrayed. Urban Dictionary is one example of this: audiences are able to submit their own definitions of "Ebonic" words or phrases that ridicule negative stereotypes. Below are four definitions for "gangsta":
Relevant theories: David Gauntlett (Media 2.0), Jacques Lacan (Mirror theory), Judith Butler(gender performativity)
1.
One who willfully promotes and participates in destructive and self-serving culture in an effort to project a particular image of 'toughness' or to make oneself intimidating. Willingness to blatantly and horrifically misuse English is a necessity, as is a low IQ and sub-par education (or at least the appearance thereof).
"I'd love to be a gangsta, but I fear I'm not stupid enough."
2.
A perversion of the established title given to the early Italian and Irish mafias, used haphazardly today as a self-described social label on mostly young people, generally black, in a far-flung game of make believe. These "gangstas" being entirely incapable of coming up with original ways of finding their identity, like to adopt Italian names from famous mafia movies as well as Italian mobster clothing. This is when, in fact, the mafia and its gangsters were built around organized crime of racketeering, protection, and highly intricate systems of providing what the people want while benefiting the immediate community, as well as adhering to codes of honor established in medieval Italy. "Gangstas" consider wildly running around in ridiculously baggy clothing, listening to music that has to bearing on reality, and selling crack because it's cool while refusing to allow themselves to climb up in society, like the Italian mobsters wanted their children to be able to do, as "gangsta".
3.
A gangsta is a complete and utter MORON. Often, the word "gangsta" is used as a taunt, or a witty but insulting comeback. Some prerequisites to be a gangsta are:
- Ignorance
- Inability to read
- Inability to spell
- Inability to wear a hat properly
- Inability to hold a gun
- Inability to choose the proper size of clothing
- Smoke crack cocaine
- Claim to dodge bullets and be poor, so to be be recognized by a group of idiotic 13 year olds as an "idol"
- No common sense
- Don't feel like working hard enough to get a real job
- Kill people because it's "cool"
- Buy $200 dollar shoes
- Buy a huge "bling bling" chain. Or, better yet, dip a chiwawa in chrome and wear it around your neck. Oops, I meant, "yo" neck, holmes.
- Be tough (This is an odd requirement. Most gangstas are tough, but get angry when a white person says the n- word)
- Be black (Not always required - a new fad has started in the previously clean and awesome suburbs: white kids seem to want to live in the ghetto, a disgusting place full of thieves, murderers, pimps, extortionists, drug dealers...
4.
Something that it is NOT good to be, despite people seeming to think so. Basically, this generally refers to people forced into a harsh life due to their low socio-economic status, who probably feel forced by circumstances beyond their control to live a certain lifestyle and commit crimes to get by.
As far as I can say, any "real" gangsta would either be dead, or in jail serving a life sentence for murder. People like to praise gangstas, but what's praiseworthy about commiting murder?? I don't think that committing crimes is a prerequisite of gangstaness. If gangsta is to be used as a positive term, it should be used to describe people who successfully and legally make their way out of the ghetto and improve their status in life. We should pity those who live in dangerous areas and constantly have to watch their backs, but we should not praise them for committing crimes.
Uncyclopedia also has entries entitled "How to be a Gangsta" that are intended to satirise the stereotype.
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/HowTo:Be_a_Gangsta
And www.imsogangsta.org contains images taken by young males that show them conforming to these stereotypes that are then refiltered by audiences into memes that satirise the stereotype.
TASK: FIND STATISTICS FOR:
- Number of violent crimes committed by black males in USA between 2010 and now
- Number of black males in college
- Number of unemployed young black males
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