The Psychogenesis of Stereotype

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

The other thread brought up some issues that I would like to explore in a general sense, as I have been considering them for a while. Perhaps it would be best to introduce a fresh case study to consider, and I have one ready to draw on from popular culture.

Probably most if not all of you have heard of Dave Chappelle, and are somewhat familiar with his show and the events that led to its downfall. For those that are not, what follows is a brief summary of what occurred. Chappelle is a well known comedian who has always mined the vein of racial issues, racism, and racial stereotypes. In fact one of his earliest and most famous sketches involves a hilarious and satirical exploration of racism in America, and by this I am of course referring to "Blind Supremacy," the story of a blind black man who is raised to believe he is white and subsequently becomes a prominent spokesman for the white power movement.

Chappelle continued his hugely popular show for two seasons, and had begun producing a third when he walked away, ultimately leaving a $50 Million dollar contract behind. Later on Chappelle said that he had left for a variety of reasons, but most prominently among them was the fear that he was exploiting and reinforcing stereotypes rather than satirizing and exploding them, i.e., that his show was becoming a vehicle for legitimized "cooning." His epiphany occurred during the taping of a particular sketch that focused on the unwelcome appearance of "Pixies" that both embody and caricature a person's fear of being racially stereotyped. In this particular segment Chappelle was dressed in full "minstrelsy" style: wearing blackface and acting out the part of a happy-go-lucky, tap-dancing, occasionally vicious buffoon. Chappelle said that as he was acting out this character, a white member of the crew began laughing in a way that he perceived as racially derisive, and focused on the cooning aspect rather than Chappelle's satirical intent. He began to worry that racially charged satire, improperly understood, served as little more than a fig leaf for cooning, and may therefore be socially irresponsible. This called his integrity as an artist into question, which ultimately made it impossible for him to continue the show.

Here is the Pixie sketch. Many people including myself find the sketch to be quite funny, why do you think that is? And why do you think Chappelle feels the way he does about it? I have some theories. Let's delineate the sketch first.

In the First Class cabin of an airplane, Chappelle is offered a choice of inflight meals: fish or chicken. Apparently invoked by the word “chicken,” a tiny figure in blackface (the Pixie) appears on the seatback, cooning in wanton delight at the prospect of having chicken to eat. Th Pixie intersperses his celebration with the hurling of vicious epithets and abuse at Chappelle. Chappelle, chagrinned by the Pixie’s arrival, quickly selects the fish in hopes of banishing the Pixie.

The Pixie, foiled by Chappelle’s choice to forgo the chicken, bitterly harangues him for sacrificing his own preferences. When the flight attendant brings news that only chicken is available, a rejuvenated Pixie entreats Chappelle to accept it. In a tone that is carefully reserved yet twinkling with interest, Chappelle asks the flight attendant just how the chicken is prepared. Upon learning that the answer is “fried,” the Pixie bursts into a jig and fills the air with raucous shouts of “hallelujah!” Still the Pixie continues hurling vicious abuse at Chappelle: “you big lipped bitch.” With a great effort, Chappelle masks his ambivalence and accepts the chicken with a show of reluctance. Enraptured at this fortuitous turn of events, the Pixie summons another blackface Pixie with a banjo. The Pixies hurl headlong into a tap-dance and banjo routine in honor of the coming meal.

While the celebration unfolds, an agitated Chappelle covers his mouth, pensive at the Pixies’ behavior regarding the meal to come. The meal delivered, Chappelle regards the plate of chicken with deepening vexation as the Pixies continue making obsequious homage to it. A considerate white passenger turns and offers his fish as a replacement, much to the chagrin of the now despondent Pixies. Chappelle accepts the trade with relief, but also with affectation that hints at irony. Recovering quickly from their despondence, one of the Pixies offers the hope that the fish, which is also fried, is catfish. Chappelle tries to argue that the fish is not catfish, but the Pixies are having none of it. They ignore him and resume their enthusiasm, dancing and serenading the name “catfish” over and over as the sketch concludes.

Now a few things should be immediately obvious. In the most superficial sense, the Pixie is a manifestation of both the stereotype as a mentality and Chappelle’s fear of being stereotyped; the Pixie actively works to demean Chappelle both directly (with abuse) and indirectly (by cultivating stereotypical behavior). At this superficial level, Chappelle must thwart the Pixie to preserve his own dignity. Digging a little bit deeper, we begin to see that the Pixie is also a manifestation of Chappelle himself, or at least a part of Chappelle: the shadow, or the constellated inferiority of the personality. The Pixie’s existence is a consequence of Chappelle’s inner doubts about his worth, and his rejection of these inferior feelings in an attempt to create a dignified persona despite these doubts. Ironically enough, these rejected feelings constellate themselves into an autonomous figure that begins enthusiastically unraveling the dignified persona at every opportunity. On a hidden level, Chappelle identifies with the Pixie, and this is where the angst originates. If the Pixie is manifesting at least some of Chappelle’s genuine feelings about himself, Chappelle is left to question to what extent he resembles the Pixie, and furthermore to what extent the Pixie’s stereotypical inferiority is genuine.

I think the genius of Chappelle’s comedy is that these are questions everyone wrestles with in one way or another no matter what their race. We all work to hide our inferiority and project a persona that commands respect; yet on an inner level, this effort is always in part a sham. Everyone has inferior feelings about themselves, and everyone’s dignity is in some ways an illusion. I think the comedy of this sketch is rooted in this identification with the human condition, rather than derision for a particular race.

It is important to recognize that the power of the Pixie to shame us derives from our illusory rejection of inferiority and weakness. When we reintegrate these cast off but authentic elements of personality, we regain the lost life and vital forces they embody. It is no accident that the Pixie is brimming with energy and life, and Chappelle is a granite block of self-consciousness and false dignity. If we are going to live a life that is imbued with force and meaning, at some point we must learn to go ahead and enjoy the chicken, to hell with the stereotype.

[Linna Heartbooger]

Wow, pretty serious topic / example...

Chappelle continued his hugely popular show for two seasons, and had begun producing a third when he walked away, ultimately leaving a $50 Million dollar contract behind.

Later on Chappelle said that he had left for a variety of reasons, but most prominently among them was the fear that he was exploiting and reinforcing stereotypes rather than satirizing and exploding them...

...He began to worry that racially charged satire, improperly understood, served as little more than a fig leaf for cooning, and may therefore be socially irresponsible.

I am somewhat impressed with that guys' story & decision.
Surely good can come / shall come / has come of this?

We all work to hide our inferiority and project a persona that commands respect; yet on an inner level, this effort is always in part a sham. Everyone has inferior feelings about themselves, and everyone’s dignity is in some ways an illusion.

I like this part... definitely thoughts I've struggled with..

It is important to recognize that the power of the "Pixie" to shame us derives from our illusory rejection of inferiority and weakness.

Thank you.

Also interesting to me that often times the things we worry about ...and stereotypes we avoid reinforcing.. are often ones that are piddling crap... food preferences? Really?

What WOULD fried chicken have to do with that would make it a "bad" stereotype, other than it being a racial stereotype? Poverty? Being from the South? Unhealthy eating habits when consumed in excess?

Those are the only immediate associations that leap to my mind... neither has very much to do with "the content of ones character."

And thanks for including a description of the video, too...
(There's loads of things RE popular culture that I'm unaware of.)
May watch the videos some time when kiddoes aren't around.

[Prebe]

I think he did the right thing actually. Not doing it could easily be morally defended, but none the less I think it was a pretty cool thing to do.

The only thing that will ever make stereotypes disapear is not using them. No matter what the reason may be for debating/satirizing/applying them, the mere mentioning furthers the meme. And a die hard meme is an important ingredient in any good stereotype.

In my view, this meme-killing effect is an important positive mechanism that is overlooked when political correctnes (be that rampant or otherwise) is discussed.

Yes, I can laugh at joke involving the n-word. Hell, I may even use it in a jocular vein when talking to a friend of my age. I can call a woman a biotch without even thinking of the stereotypical image it creates. But I will NEVER do so in front of my kid or anybody elses kid. And I find it disheartening when kids my sons age (and hence my son) use those words, because that means that someone else have NOT applied those modest modifications to their own freedom of expression.

[Linna Heartbooger]

I like that...
You know... there is actually SO MUCH power in that kind of restraint.

The thing is... you don't necessarily get to be congratulated for being "awesome" or get laughs for exercising that kind of restraint... it's got a cost and requires effort.

And lots of the results that come from the things that YOU DON'T SAY ...you're only going to see or hear about much later, if at all.

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

Linna & Prebe, I too admire Chappelle for his integrity. Part of my reason for posting this example was to help make the point that Chappelle had made a serious sacrifice for reasons of personal integrity, rather than continuing the press meme that he 'went nuts' in one way or another.

While I understand and admire his choice, that is not to say that I fully agree with it. Prebe, I think a meme / stereotype only matters if the object finds it important. And I think Chappelle was robbing the stereotypes of their power, even the dreaded blackface Pixie. The effort just went further than Chappelle himself was able to integrate, IMO, and his personal insecurities became political projections. No thinking person considers Dave Chappelle to be inferior, that is the truth he was missing, and the opportunity for catharsis that was missed (I have some theories about that as well, I will develop them in a later post). When one understands that, looking foolish and not caring is easy to accomplish.

Linna, the chicken meme I think originates with the distorted, self-serving perceptions of white supremacist slave holding culture of its culturally-alien slaves as foolish and inferior figures possessing somewhat inexplicable enthusiasms that are expressed with wild effervescence, i.e., buffoonery. But the reality underlying the stereotype was the natural outgrowth of a people with different cultural norms and very little else to look forward to: they threw themselves into their cuisine and their other entertainments (music, dancing, satirical comedy) with abandon because life contained little else but relentless misery. The ironic offspring of this slave past is both the large number and outsized importance of black cultural leaders in the US in the areas of cuisine, music, comedy, and dance.

[Cambo]

I don't think we'll ever be free of stereotypes. As such, I think exposing them as ridiculous is one of the best responses to the harm they'll do.

I do applaud Chapelle's personal integrity, and think the treatment of him afterward by the media was a damn shame.

[Avatar]

The thing is... you don't necessarily get to be congratulated for being "awesome" or get laughs for exercising that kind of restraint... it's got a cost and requires effort.

Hahahaha, that's the problem. When you bite your tongue and don't say something, you can't get any credit.

--A

[Frostheart Grueburn]

I don't think we'll ever be free of stereotypes.

Nope, since new ones crop up all the time... Like when did blonde people turn into cuckoo-brained ditzies (and precisely why)?

[Prebe]

Prebe, I think a meme / stereotype only matters if the object finds it important

I had a long sarcastic rant written on that one, but I decided to give you one last chance to think about why that is just plain wrong.

Edit: I.o.w. I decided to skip sarcastic and go straight to patronizing

[Cambo]

I don't think we'll ever be free of stereotypes.

Nope, since new ones crop up all the time... Like when did blonde people turn into cuckoo-brained ditzies (and precisely why)?

Probably a reaction to the idea of the "blonde bombshell" being the sexiest of all hair types, and the idea that women who are beautiful have no need to be intellectual to attract a partner. The idea of blonde as beautiful, meanwhile, likely comes from eugenics and the classic Aryan supremacy dogma, which has its roots in the European colonial mindset....

Boy, examining these things really pries open a can of human ugliness, doesn't it?

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

Prebe, I think a meme / stereotype only matters if the object finds it important

I had a long sarcastic rant written on that one, but I decided to give you one last chance to think about why that is just plain wrong.

Edit: I.o.w. I decided to skip sarcastic and go straight to patronizing

Feel free. BTW, I have indisputable evidence ready on this point: Jersey Shore.

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

I don't think we'll ever be free of stereotypes.

Nope, since new ones crop up all the time... Like when did blonde people turn into cuckoo-brained ditzies (and precisely why)?

Probably a reaction to the idea of the "blonde bombshell" being the sexiest of all hair types, and the idea that women who are beautiful have no need to be intellectual to attract a partner. The idea of blonde as beautiful, meanwhile, likely comes from eugenics and the classic Aryan supremacy dogma, which has its roots in the European colonial mindset....

Boy, examining these things really pries open a can of human ugliness, doesn't it?

Certain aesthetics seem acculturated, others seem intrinsic, and others are simply inexplicable. Neoteny probably constitutes the majority of that which is explainable.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

Chappelle is still a genius. I was unaware of the Pixie sketch so thank you, Ron, for linking it (will have to watch it later). His reasoning for leaving the show only improves my opinion of him as a comedic artist and human being.

I am also of the opinion that poking fun at stereotypes helps to diffuse them by pointing out how ridiculous it is to stereotype people. If you can laugh at something then you can overcome it (most of the time, barring a few exceptions).

[Prebe]

I was lying about the sarcasm I had ready. Typical liberal bluff.

Let me try some actual argumentation in stead (I may just hang myself in the attempt):

Ron-B:
You seem to claim (I know I'm extrapolating here, so please shoot it down at will) that the use of sterotypes only has a negative impact on the people being stereotyped if it makes an impression on them. Is that about correct?

[Cambo]

I dunn9o Ron, a great proportion of our species seem to retain childlike attitudes towards outgroups.

[Vraith]

I was lying about the sarcasm I had ready. Typical liberal bluff.

Let me try some actual argumentation in stead (I may just hang myself in the attempt):

Ron-B:
You seem to claim (I know I'm extrapolating here, so please shoot it down at will) that the use of sterotypes only has a negative impact on the people being stereotyped if it makes an impression on them. Is that about correct?

Heh...I wish you hadn't been bluffing, was looking forward to entertainment value.

But R: that's not so. For instance, stereotypes are very often quite damaging to the person who holds the view whether anyone else is aware of it or not. [it's actually a kind of mental neoteny...]

[Hashi Lebwohl]

The deciding factor as to whether or not someone gets upset over a stereotype is if they feel, deep down, that 1) the stereotype is true, 2) the stereotype has only negative connotations, and 3) they secretly feel that they are the stereotype no matter what they do.

In short, the people who get upset over a stereotype have fallen victim to their own little personal Despiser.

Stereotypes are supposed to be "over the top" and exaggerate the perceived nature of a group of people, not the actual reality for any particular person. Poking fun at stereotypes has been a staple of stand-up comics like Mr. Chappelle for, well, for as long as stand-up comics have existed. I still maintain that if you can laugh at a stereotype then you diffuse the negative connotations associated with it--it no longer has power over you.

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

I was lying about the sarcasm I had ready. Typical liberal bluff.

Let me try some actual argumentation in stead (I may just hang myself in the attempt):

Ron-B:
You seem to claim (I know I'm extrapolating here, so please shoot it down at will) that the use of sterotypes only has a negative impact on the people being stereotyped if it makes an impression on them. Is that about correct?

Yes. Hashi pretty much summed up my thinking. It only has power if you give it power. That is not to say that people do not act in a prejudiced way towards other people, but you cannot control that part. Refusing to be victimized by someone else's attitude actually empowers you, and marginalizes them. Pitying a bigot is like throwing water on the Wicked Witch of the West: it's the one thing they cannot abide.

[Prebe]

Sorry to disapoint you about the sarcasm Vraith. But to tell the truth, for a change, I was lying about lying. I HAD prepared a three lines - one sentence sarcastic retort. But (if you can believe me this time) I erased it and substituted it with the patronizing text.

The truth is, that I couldn't remember my sentence, and reverted in stead - to conceal my own bad memory - to a self-depreciatory sentence. A sentence that was so obviously a caricature, that nobody would truly find it condemning of me or my political stance, but (I hoped) would be subliminally percieved as a subtle attack on the often somewhat exagerated/unreasonably generalising adjectives used to describe lefties.

[Obi-Wan Nihilo]

What if we threw a pity party and no one showed up?