VW Superbowl Ad

[Gregg]

"Embrace your inner chill". I love that.

[redfox]

Try replacing the Jamacian stereotype with the turn of the last century stereotype of a white male imitating a shuffling, watermelon eating, eye-rolling, subservient black "boy"; the classic minstrel black-face performer, and see how it feels to you. Put that into the TV commercial. That's an analog.

[catherine]

Try replacing the Jamacian stereotype with the turn of the last century stereotype of a white male imitating a shuffling, watermelon eating, eye-rolling, subservient black "boy"; the classic minstrel black-face performer, and see how it feels to you. Put that into the TV commercial. That's an analog.

No it isn't an analog. One has to do with race and negative stereotypes, while the other has to do with a cultural attitudes that are arguably positive attitudes. What if the majority of Jamaicans just happened to be Caucasian instead of Black? Would it still be offensive to you? What if the French did a spoof of Americans at a baseball game eating hot dogs? Would you be offended? You can't transfer the attitudes of whites towards blacks at the turn of the century to this situation. It just isn't the same, IMHO, mainly because it isn't about race.

[Alan]

It just isn't the same, IMHO, mainly because it isn't about race.

I agree, it isn't about race, but to too many people, everything is about race.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Try replacing the Jamacian stereotype with the turn of the last century stereotype of a white male imitating a shuffling, watermelon eating, eye-rolling, subservient black "boy"

Yea but those aren't postive traits in American culture. Happiness is a positive trait in American culture, my goodness it's a religion in this country (and yet it's a very unhappy culture of course). Whether easy goingness is a positive trait in American culture is more ambigious, the whole commercial plays on the fact that everyone longs for that kind of easygoing type-B attitude or at least to know *other* people with that attititude! That's the fantasy it's playing on, and it is a fantasy (no a car won't get you there, it will probably take you in the opposite direction as it's a money sink - hello - debt ain't freedom). But of course drivenness, agressive steely pursuit of goals and so on (type A) is highly rewarded in American culture, is obviously more what it's really all about here. One might long for that kind of attitude, that kind of culture, meanwhile they contemplate whether to dare ask the boss to take the whole two weeks of their yearly vacation at a time, while they promise to take the blackberry with them so they can be reached if need be.

But of course I'm sure not all Jamacians are like that, it's stereotyping but with a positive stereotype.

[ApatheticNoMore]

You can't transfer the attitudes of whites towards blacks at the turn of the century to this situation. It just isn't the same, IMHO, mainly because it isn't about race.

Also that was backed by a lot of structural prejudice. But structural discrimination existing against Jamaicans now? I don't think so. Sure all minorities may experience some prejudice still and some of that is structural, but there is no particular animus against Jamicians in particular in American society, no laws or unofficial policies to keep them down. That can harldy be said about turn of the century African Americans. Nerds and geeks are stereotyped, dumb white guys are stereotyped, I doubt it makes their lives easier (as unlike this those aren't even positive stereotypes!), but it's still seldom the cause for immense outrage.

[creaker]

No it isn't an analog. One has to do with race and negative stereotypes, while the other has to do with a cultural attitudes that are arguably positive attitudes. What if the majority of Jamaicans just happened to be Caucasian instead of Black? Would it still be offensive to you? What if the French did a spoof of Americans at a baseball game eating hot dogs? Would you be offended? You can't transfer the attitudes of whites towards blacks at the turn of the century to this situation. It just isn't the same, IMHO, mainly because it isn't about race.

It does have a lot to do with stereotypes - I seriously doubt a Jamaican white collar worker living in Minnesota would act that way. It was caricature.

I wasn't offended by the ad - but I could see how some people could be. Would it have been offensive if he caricatured someone African? Native American? French? Italian? Jewish? Korean? A woman? A gay man? Whatever?


On the amount of "outrage" - sometimes I wonder if this is "meta"-advertising. Intentionally. Get a commercial to go viral like this where it gets shown a zillion times outside of paid commercial time where everyone is talking about it, and even if you tee off a few people, you've hit a huge audience for a fraction of the cost.

[Rogar]

Us white dudes can never be as cool and laid back as the great Bob Marley and his fellow associates, but I certainly don't mind if they portray us as wanting to try.

[SteveinMN]

I wasn't offended by the ad - but I could see how some people could be. Would it have been offensive if he caricatured someone African? Native American? French? Italian? Jewish? Korean? A woman? A gay man? Whatever?

TV is rife with caricature. "The Big Bang Theory" gets its laughs at the expense of the social super-awkwardness of a bunch of extremely intelligent nerds. And, of course, their next-door neighbor is a pretty blonde (that always happens in real life...). Joey Tribbiani on "Friends" was a caricature. Offensive? Apparently most people didn't think so. Lots of standup comics -- Chris Rock, Jeff Foxworthy, etc. -- have made their livings and generated huge followings poking at their own "tribe".

Caricature does not have to be offensive, especially if the portrayal involves positive aspects of the person or group being caricatured. I cannot accept redfox's equaling the VW ad's portrayal of Jamaicans with the American blackface stereotype of the early 20th century.

[bae]

Us white dudes can never be as cool and laid back as the great Bob Marley and his fellow associates,....

Lies.