Quote:
Originally Posted by mercedesjin
But you see, that's the main point. He ACTS like a thug. Acting like something doesn't mean a person isn't actually that thing. If that was true, then I'd be pretty afraid of most actors and actresses, that's for sure. A person will act on screen to be an entertainer. 50 Cent acts as a thug to be an entertainer.
That's a reason why I don't like 50 Cent. He does influence children into thinking that it's right and fine to be a criminal - so that yes, there are kids today who will commit crimes because artists like 50 Cent are their idols. I think that's terrible. I'm not going to think that every single kid that listens to 50 Cent is a criminal, though.
Stereotyping is never necessary. Period.
First, it definitely depends on what kind of rap you're talking about. Mat Kearney raps about love. I don't really think he's a thug. There are a lot of different forms of rap. You're speaking specifically about the rap that glorifies violence. The rap artists that glorify rap create images for themselves. They're not really thugs, as you've said. Why, then, would you want to stereotype them?
|
Yes, he is acting to a point. He was a thug, he may have changed he may not have. Im not trying to prove or disrpove that. What I am saying is he has always has this persona of being a thug. He doesnt readily admit he doenst do all that stuff anymore, he doesnt hide the fact that he was a criminal. He puts it out in the open trying to earn recognition for being a thug. The difference between actors and 50 is the fact that actors play different roles, they become themselves after this role. They are seen as themselves all the time, in the real world. 50 plays a thug, but never changes when he is in the limelight. He always plays the thug, he doesn't turn off the persona.
Now what I meant by stereotyping is sometimes necessary is the fact that you don't know everyone. There are good and bad people everywhere. It is unfortunate that some people are stereotyped negatively becuase of how they dress, but it happens. Ill use the "thug" thing as an example. Its hard to deny the fact that there isn't a certain look that pertains to being a thug. Not all people that dress like this are thugs. But when there is a movement that sometimes influences people to be violent its hard to ignore it. If your in a rough neighbor hood and you see people who appear to be in a gang. I don't think many people would happily cross their path and hope for the best. Its looking out for yourself sometimes. It should be how you live your life, constantly judging people for what you think they are. Thats wrong. But sometimes, just sometimes, you may stereotype someone. It could be a wrong stereotype, or you could be dead on. But when you see a group of people who appear to be dangerous in a rough part of town somewhere, I wouldn't think any less of someone if they turned and walked the other way. For all they know they could be dangerous. I think it is especially different if you dont know the person or are in an area that is well known for violence. Like I said before you shouldn't go around all the time doing this everywhere. You would just be living a paranoid life. It may be wrong but it is sometimes necessary. I have been stereotyped before, it doesn't offend me. It only offends me if these people then don't allow their opinion to change after the know me. It offends me even less if im stereotyped because of my appearance and I never see this person again. If this person felt threatened by me and chose to go the other way, yeah I may be slightly hurt, becuase I know im not a bad person. But in the end I can understand that they may have just been looking out for themselves.