“Dear White People” looks like one of those films that’ll make me confused and uncomfortable.
Not because of hard truths (though they’ll likely touch on a few if it’s a racially driven quasi-comedy). But uncomfortable because, as a white person, a lot of the time you feel like you’re not allowed to have an opinion other than a smile and nod, lest you land yourself an O.W.I. (opining while white). So it almost seems pointless to even see a film you feel is a faux pas to discuss ’cause of your dermal sheathing’s shade. But films like these aren’t meant to “make me feel comfortable” (someone reading this has already said that out loud by now). Which is why what bothers me more – is the confusion element. As with any Hollywood creation – the way people interact with one another, the comic relief imparted, the beginning middle and grift-wrapped-and-tied-with-a-bow endings – never match up to the reality I have to go back to after the credits roll. This is especially frustrating when you’re watching a film that touches on real life issues. Because in my world, many people spout opinions online and shut the doors of their minds to any commentary that doesn’t blindly agree. It’s easy to ignore alternative ways of thinking when you’re not face to face. And when people are face to face – whether race related or not – anger and violence trump any empathetic attempt to think outside ourselves long enough to wonder “If I were this other person, why might I be disagreeing with me? What’s their background? Why might they think this way?”
Despite the fact that most movies totally miss portraying this problem or exemplifying the proper solution (mostly because the non-drama and lack of zingy one liners isn’t as entertaining), I’ll totally watch it.
Probably.
Maybe.
But I’ll do it with the hope that somewhere close to the great big climactic finale, that the privileged white bro in the movie clip above and the Janelle Monae-esque chick (no, not hook up – that would be eyeroll-until-I-have-a-headache style cliché – but) reach a common ground of acceptance they can use to co-pilot their college level media (since they’re respectively in newspaper and radio, judging by the looks of the clip) and disseminate some positive version of a plane pissing out chemtrails to kids listening and reading. Because if you’re working in media like the characters of this film, guess what?
You’re both “privileged”.
You have the “privileged” position of mainlining ideas into brains on a mass scale.
Every day.
People can say they “don’t listen” when they hear radio, watch T.V., or read media (meaning they aren’t heeding it as true). But the truth is, we’re slaves to our brains and thus powerless over the fact that messages remain there once conducted from our sensory organs into them. The messages remain in our subconscious – and we either believe it (when it lines up with what we already believe) or kinda inwardly twitch if someone says something opposing what we believe (cognitive dissonance). But either way, it’s there. Forever. And I don’t feel like there’s any sort of dissonance to be had (or any racism inducing mental traffic jams) by championing the concept of mutual respect, kindness, and equality – instead of having these little camps throwing shade based on how light or dark we are. It’s easy to remember we’re basically all the same when you consider the fact that under our pigments, under our bloody epidermal layers, under the glare of an X-Ray – we all basically look like that thing my mom hangs outside her door at Halloween.
(I bet you can’t even tell which one’s the Mexican. You racist.)
It’s easy to get sucked into saying only what’s easy and keeping your mind closed. But if you’re a media peep (arguably – even just person on Facebook, posting rants), you must be impeccable with your word as you spread it. Because words have power. So whatever color you are – you’re molding minds – with every flick of the tongue and click of the keys.
If your own mind is open as you do that, maybe your audience can follow suit.
And we can shatter perceived disparities that make people feel weird about seeing a movie.
Or discussing it.
Sidenote: The articles I read on this film were off-the charts with hits and comments. I totally want to make an article titled “Dear Black People…” And put zero content in it. And then sit back with popcorn and watch my hit counter break. (See? I can’t even mention the Jackson-popcorn meme here! The context of the article will make me seem racist somehow. ‘cause I’m white and he… was still black when Thriller came out.)