Author Topic: Well, at least they got the answers right.  (Read 3663 times)

Offline gpw11

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Well, at least they got the answers right.
« on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 12:59:40 AM »


Funny/racist title aside, what do you make of this.  Apart from what it looks like, it's not really skewed by having a tiny sample group or editing; it's a continuation of a pretty well known study from 50+ years ago.

This was on digg.com with the title "Heartbreaking!!" and a whole lot of people being shocked, appalled, and clammoring about how depressing it was. I found this interesting. Assuming the study actually means anything (I'd kind of argue it's not stacked, but it's flawed in logic from the start) or has any real impact, would it be any better if the kids just reversed their answers? 

Offline scottws

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #1 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 04:14:40 AM »
I saw that on TV when they ran the story.  I think it was a year or so ago.  I was pretty amazed by it myself.  It's clear that the children pick up on the racial undertones of various things.

I wish there was an easy fix for the race problem in the U.S., but we've been struggling with it forever. 

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #2 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 07:26:51 AM »
I don't know what this is, and it doesn't make any sense to me.  Every black person I know and work with is so utterly black-centric about everything I can't even process this.  I'm not ragging on them or anything, but that's just how it is.  They go to black shows, watch black television, listen to black music, and attend black fairs and expos and black job conventions.  Hell, they read black literature and only know black poets and playwrights.  If this study thing is supposed to mean that black people subconsciously think white people are awesome and black people suck, you could have fooled me.

I've lived in the city my whole life, and I've been in and around ghettos and bad neighborhoods for a long time.  The only thing I can think of that makes sense about this is what some kids might see when they're still young and haven't become jaded.  Like they see Daddy cussing out his bitch and hitting her, see his couple kids from his other relationships, see him selling dope, whatever, and then they see some white people who look normal in comparison.  Or something.  But I mean... around here we've got fucked up white people by the dozens, who beat their wives, smoke crack, have lots of child support cases, get drunk constantly and get into fights, whatever, and TV has as many good role models that are white as they do that are black (though really, not enough of either).  So I still don't know what to make of this.  Maybe I'm just not all that well tuned to it?  I mean, I'm straight cracker.  I'm pretty much as white as it gets.  But like I said, I've grown up with black culture and been in a lot of neighborhoods where that comes with the territory, and a lot of my friends when I was younger were black, Mexican, Korean, whatever.  But this still doesn't make sense to me.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline Cobra951

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #3 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 09:54:50 AM »
There have also been studies about attractiveness, with babies, way before Madison Ave would influence wants (if anyone still thinks Madison Ave promotes white beauty).  Apparently, brilliant color and color contrast are important.  Just throwing that out there to see what it hits.

What I'm most sick of is the hypersensitivity and hyper-consciousness about race.  Things like this don't fix anything, they only stir the blood.  The mud tries to settle to the bottom and leave the water clear, but then someone takes out a stick and swirls the water around.

Offline nickclone

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #4 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 10:05:29 AM »
I don't know what this is, and it doesn't make any sense to me.  Every black person I know and work with is so utterly black-centric about everything I can't even process this.  I'm not ragging on them or anything, but that's just how it is.  They go to black shows, watch black television, listen to black music, and attend black fairs and expos and black job conventions.  Hell, they read black literature and only know black poets and playwrights.  If this study thing is supposed to mean that black people subconsciously think white people are awesome and black people suck, you could have fooled me.

I've lived in the city my whole life, and I've been in and around ghettos and bad neighborhoods for a long time.  The only thing I can think of that makes sense about this is what some kids might see when they're still young and haven't become jaded.  Like they see Daddy cussing out his bitch and hitting her, see his couple kids from his other relationships, see him selling dope, whatever, and then they see some white people who look normal in comparison.  Or something.  But I mean... around here we've got fucked up white people by the dozens, who beat their wives, smoke crack, have lots of child support cases, get drunk constantly and get into fights, whatever, and TV has as many good role models that are white as they do that are black (though really, not enough of either).  So I still don't know what to make of this.  Maybe I'm just not all that well tuned to it?  I mean, I'm straight cracker.  I'm pretty much as white as it gets.  But like I said, I've grown up with black culture and been in a lot of neighborhoods where that comes with the territory, and a lot of my friends when I was younger were black, Mexican, Korean, whatever.  But this still doesn't make sense to me.

Haha! Did you say "black expos"?

Offline ren

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #5 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 11:36:51 AM »
One of the youtube comments (lol) raised the question about the race of the interviewer. The kids might be catering to that to get the answers right.

Offline scottws

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #6 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 11:57:12 AM »
That might actually be a good point.  Then again, I don't know anything about behavioral psychology.

Offline Ghandi

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #7 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 01:07:15 PM »
One of the youtube comments (lol) raised the question about the race of the interviewer. The kids might be catering to that to get the answers right.

I was more interested that all the kids they showed were black. Plus the questions were a little too simple (or, dare I say, black and white?). And that's besides the fact that they are asking kids questions based entirely on physical appearances. Of course they are going to get answers like this - racism is fueled off of stereotypes from the very questions that they were asking! Asking a kid which doll is prettier makes the children imply that the questioner thinks one is prettier than the other. Their own questions reinforce divides that fuel racism.


Offline WindAndConfusion

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #9 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 08:21:48 PM »
I was more interested that all the kids they showed were black. Plus the questions were a little too simple (or, dare I say, black and white?). And that's besides the fact that they are asking kids questions based entirely on physical appearances. Of course they are going to get answers like this - racism is fueled off of stereotypes from the very questions that they were asking! Asking a kid which doll is prettier makes the children imply that the questioner thinks one is prettier than the other. Their own questions reinforce divides that fuel racism.
For my amusement, please describe your preferred test protocol.

Offline Ghandi

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #10 on: Friday, May 09, 2008, 10:11:04 PM »
For my amusement, please describe your preferred test protocol.

It amuses me that you think there is a test for racism.

Offline WindAndConfusion

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #11 on: Saturday, May 10, 2008, 01:31:52 PM »
There are, in fact, several tests for racism.

The one in the video is probably my new favorite.

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #12 on: Saturday, May 10, 2008, 01:36:47 PM »
My favorite test is throwing people of different ethnicities into a steel cage and seeing whether or not they fight to the death.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline Ghandi

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Re: Well, at least they got the answers right.
« Reply #13 on: Monday, May 12, 2008, 09:49:11 PM »
There are, in fact, several tests for racism.

The one in the video is probably my new favorite.

Ah, yes. Only you could quantify the unquantifiable.