Monday, April 20, 2020
Phase 2, Week 3
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Admirable Hooks
A not-so-great hook. Visit https://thisibelieve.org/youth/ and look at the various hooks (e.g., first sentences or paragraphs) of the...
A not-so-great hook. Visit https://thisibelieve.org/youth/ and look at the various hooks (e.g., first sentences or paragraphs) of the...
“The design of it, the very construction of it is most likely not truly yours, but something that was given to you. The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation”. This part of the article reminded me of implicit bias. Some things are ingrained in us from the moment we are born and it becomes a part of our thought process. The outside world affects how we think from a young age and influences us as we grow older. I ended up watching the documentary. It talked about a lot of heavy subjects that should be talked about more. One of the more powerful parts of the documentary to me was the compilation of videos of police brutality at the end and seeing innocent people being killed because of their race. It was also interesting to see images and videos of the present day being compared to the time of Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement and how many things haven’t changed. The last line in the movie to me was very powerful, “People say all the time, ‘I don’t understand how people could’ve tolerated slavery’… and the truth is, we are living at this time, and we are tolerating it”.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that DuVernay talked about the documentary, but also the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole, as a culmination of 150 years of history. We tend to think of each movement as a chunk of history, so putting each chunk into context links it all together and makes it more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteWhen asked to talk about labels, DuVernay responds that “The very ideas that we hold in our head are for someone’s profit and political gain”. I thought this was a very powerful line because although I already probably knew this, it really struck me when reading it. I think that viewing labels as someone else’s profit is an interesting concept, and I can definitely see why it is true. Throughout history certain groups have always been targeted for another group’s profit. A clear example of this is obviously slavery.
ReplyDeleteI think its important that DuVernay brought up the idea of labels and how they were fabricated as something that everyone has been taught to accept growing up. It is something that is not brought up often so it was interesting to read about that.
ReplyDeleteI think it was really interesting when DuVernay said, "The final act of our picture is all about Black Lives Matter, not as some kind of dutiful, “Oh it’s the present moment, we should do something.” Every line, every frame of this film leads you to that place. Leads you to the now, leads you to the movement. The whole film is a virtual tour through racism. We’re giving you 150 years of oppression in 100 minutes. The film was 150 years in the making". I think that this is an important thing to think about as context to the film.
ReplyDeleteThe interviewer’s question to DuVernay about the definitions of labels, “What is a person? What is property? What is an enslaved person? Is he really free?” connected to Huck Finn. Jim is actually a free man after Widow Douglas dies which is two months before Tom says he is free. The words slavery and freedom have such contrasting and powerful meanings, but in reality they are only labels.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteDuVernay says, “Do you understand the architecture around an idea that you hold in your head? The design of it, the very construction of it is most likely not truly yours, but something that was given to you.” I think that this is a really important point. We all have pre conceived notions about people that are not really ours, they are the ones that our surroundings and society has indoctrinated to us. This connects back to Huck and his views of Jim and how society taught him to view Jim.
DuVernay says, "The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation". She is referring to implicit bias, which we talked about earlier this year. Even if we aren't consciously being biased we might still be. We must recognize this bias and find a way to overcome it in order to make progress. As DuVernay says later, "I don't want my voice clouding the conversation. I want people to be having their own conversation about it". She wants to open people's minds so that they can talk through it and learn from her film.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how much DuVernay ties the film to the present. Instead of being a film about the past, it is a film about how we can make decisions about the future based on the past. DuVernay explains that "Really, it’s to give context to the current moment" and "Every line, every frame of this film leads you to that place. Leads you to the now, leads you to the movement." For a film with a clear message and intent, I think this is really important because it will be especially effective in moving forward with this message.
ReplyDeleteI like how DuVernay connects compares the film to 150 year span of African-American oppression "We’re giving you 150 years of oppression in 100 minutes. The film was 150 years in the making". It is striking that this film can cover so much history and detail in 100 minutes. She relates the past to the present, she says, "The current moment of mass criminalization, of incarceration as an industry, prison as profit, punishment as profit". It is incredible that she was able to fit a huge chuck of history into around 2 hours of film, that gives the audience a spark to fight for this movement, and to get people having conversations about this prevalent topic.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to recognize that we are influenced by our parents and environment even though we can form our own beliefs and change our opinions. I think this results in some implicit bias because even with our new values and beliefs, our original ones stemming from our parents are already engrained in our minds. Additionally, I think part of the motivation behind this film was to point this out through bringing these facts to light and causing us to consider our own biased opinions regarding slavery and criminalization.
ReplyDeleteThe article ends by saying, "We can talk about the black codes and Reconstruction by itself. We can talk about Jim Crow by itself. But when you line them up and put them all side by side, that’s what the film does, and you think, 'Lord, have mercy. Look at this picture. Look where we are.'" I think this is a very powerful ending. It highlights the idea that this documentary covers the history of racism throughout time, not just in a single era. It goes beyond the borders of each period and extends to the current day, tracing how racism has evolved from the 13th amendment until now.
ReplyDeleteI find the comparison that DuVernay makes between slavery and the current mass incarceration of black people very interesting. Connecting it to our current state, I found it interesting that Canada and some American states deemed Marijuana dispensaries "essential businesses" while thousands of people have long sentences in jail for small marijuana possession charges.
ReplyDeleteI was interested in the criminalization of black people becoming a normal thing in some communities in the 80's 90's. It was just a normal thing as she points out to ask where someone were and the answer be "Oh, he got locked up." It connects to the point about the 150 years of history building the black lives matter movement. It starts out as slavery but slowly changes until we come to the present moment. She specifically points out that it's "context to the current moment."
ReplyDeleteI like how DuVernay meant her work to be a conversation starter, and something that would get people talking. DuVernay "I’m stepping out of the conversation as it relates to this film", because she wants people to formulate their own opinions on the film and society today. She wants the film to help people begin conversation.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this quote from the article, "The Southern Strategy is unmasked as a political calculation that decimated black neighborhoods but won the southern white vote". I began to become more interested on what the "Southern Strategy' is and I uncovered that it is Republican Party strategy to increase political support among white voters by appealing to racism against African Americans.
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing some research and reporting back to us, Katarina!
DeleteA part of the conversation that I found especially interesting was DuVernay's comment on the "Black Lives Matter" movement when she says, "On one day, across multiple platforms, you have black artists declaring our humanity, our dignity, essentially through all of these pieces, saying that black lives matter." She explains how she sees the movement in music, tv shows, movies, and all other forms of entertainment and media, which I found to be an impactful way to think about the movement and to see the value of representation.
ReplyDeleteThis article is definitely a reminder that slavery's effects remain extraordinarily prevalent in today's world, especially in the US. I remember learning in APUSH about how the end of slavery was only the beginning of a new form of discrimination against black Americans, and DuVernay shows in no uncertain terms that things aren't anywhere close to being fixed right now.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how DuVernay used the Black Lives Matter movement in order to tie history together with the present. One is able to see complete timeline of events rather than bubbles of notable happenings. I feel like this gives more meaning.
ReplyDelete“The whole film is a virtual tour through racism. We’re giving you 150 years of oppression in 100 minutes. The film was 150 years in the making.” I find it so fascinating how DuVernay conveys her message through such a small film, yet can fit so much detail and events into it.
ReplyDeleteIn the conversation, DuVernay mentions the concept of implicit bias. She says, “Do you understand the architecture around an idea that you hold in your head? The design of it, the very construction of it is most likely not truly yours, but something that was given to you. The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation.” It is interesting to recognize that our thoughts and opinions are influenced and ingrained in our minds by our family, culture, and the society that we live. Furthermore, this means that none of our thoughts and opinions are truly ours and from the moment we are born, we are destined to believe in certain ideas over others by influence.
ReplyDeleteDuVernay talks about how "Sometimes the film confronts words in seemingly contradictory pairs: person/property, slave/freed person, labor force/prison workers. At other times it wrestles with oxymorons that target black Americans: truth in sentencing, war on drugs, tough on crime, law and order, minor crimes." and I think it is interesting how she emphasizes the use/placements on different words can convey such a strong message.
ReplyDeleteWhen DuVernay was discussing labels it says “The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation.” I thought this point was really interesting and it made me think about how opinions and labels aren’t necessarily our actual feelings they can form as a result of our environment.
ReplyDeleteDuVernay's point about purpose of the film was important. It isn't made to start protests and push for legislation, it's just designed to change the relationship between people surrounding race. Still, she says there is a lot of work to do with fixing these relationships. I also found it interesting that she wants to disassociate herself from the film and have it stand alone. Normally artists and filmmakers want to talk about the meaning of their work, so it's unusual that she wants to step away entirely from the film.
ReplyDelete-Evan Bak
The 13th Amendment states that slavery is forbidden "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." I wonder what would have happened if this clause was never added to the amendment.
ReplyDeleteA part of the article that I found so interesting that it almost scared me was the part where DuVernay explains, "Do you understand the architecture around an idea that you hold in your head? The design of it, the very construction of it is most likely not truly yours, but something that was given to you. The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation." After I read those lines I stopped reading and started to question the things I believed. I always thought the ideas and beliefs that I held were mine, but now I'm slightly concerned that there is more external influence than I thought. I also found it interesting how this ties to the implicit biases that we have but aren't aware of.
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts and it made me realize how preconceived notions are making us conform to society without even realizing. The problem of holding preconceived notions as being true is that they can lead us to very negative and critical beliefs about others and that can affect our behaviors toward others. But if we choose to be skeptical about such notions that seems like an implicit bias and modify our beliefs accordingly then I think it’s possible to keep our individualism.
DeleteI totally agree with Isabella about that section of the article. Before hearing DuVernay’s explanation, I had already known about implicit bias and all, but her idea that “the very ideas that we hold in our head are for someone’s profit and political gain” was scary. I don’t really know who is profiting and she didn’t exactly explain so now I gotta watch the movie.
ReplyDeleteIf you have the time, I do highly recommend the documentary!
DeleteImplicit bias is a very complex topic and I feel like the more I read about it, the more I learn. It’s almost like an immovable reflex that happens in the mind because we do it constantly without even knowing.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the entire interview was very intersting. A lot of passages were very meaningful, but I think that the end of the interview really hit me more. When DuVernay said "I think we can talk about plea bargains by themselves. We can talk about the black codes and Reconstruction by itself. We can talk about Jim Crow by itself. But when you line them up and put them all side by side, that's what the film does, and you think, "Lord, have mercy. Look at this picture. Look where we are", I agree with that, it reminds us of things that we hear everyday, that have become part of our daily lives, but when we look at it from afar, we realize how bad it is, and hits us more violently. - Zoe Rigoulot
ReplyDeleteThe ending quote of the article hit me the hardest, mentioning the gravity of different issues when placed in context with each other. It is extremely easy to think of one issue, for example mass incarceration, agree that it is terrible, and then simply dismiss it, isolated from the many factors that contribute to its existence and stem from it. If we are forced to view issues like mass incarceration, over-policing of underprivileged neighborhoods, the black lives matter movement, racism and its history as a whole, all at once, it becomes clear that all of these problems are connected, and they are deeply-rooted in our society, such that ignoring them is no longer a viable course of action.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting to see how DuVernay perceived police presence in her early childhood--she did not feel protected, but rather apprehensive/in danger. I think it is very important to understand the extent to which our ethnicities, genders, backgrounds, etc. can really impact our everyday experiences, which is something that she tries to illustrate in her documentary.
ReplyDeleteI think DuVernay's point saying "after you see 13th, silence in this case is consent" is intriguing. In some ways, ignorance is bliss—that is, without knowing about anything about prejudices faced by African-Americans in the American legal system, one does not feel the need to something- but knowledge is also power, and I'm interested in watching the documentary to see what it has to say.
ReplyDelete-Oliver
DeleteDuVernay says that the point of the film is more aimed towards making people think about race as an issue in everyday life than it is about making people activists. While I like that as an idea, I don't feel that will be overly effective in solving implicit bias when put into practice. Putting it out as a topic of conversation is a good first step, but the reflexive nature of implicit bias is a bit more to retrain than a simple conversation can manage.
ReplyDeleteI really loved her interview. I watch this doc a long time ago, but I should definitely re watch, especially with the new stories I've gained through this year's books. One thing that I forgot about but I remember was impactful was how she went about reevaluating the different terms. When DuVernay would bring up term like protery or minor crime, seeing in a different or more relevant context really hep the information and stories that were told to be understood with more depths and definition. I really enjoyed that about her directing and attention to detail as it allowed for one to connect with thee overall message to be more impactful.
ReplyDeleteI liked the article. I am currently reading a book that is similar to what DuVernay is talking about. I found the final paragraph interesting because when I began to connect events like Jim Crow and reconstruction together the story of black persecution became clear and I began to see how awful America is/ was
ReplyDeleteI like the aim of this documentary, especially how it really unravels the fact that we have no context for what we are thinking. In my opinion the idea behind this film is to give people a context so that we don’t have implicit bias about certain ideas. One thing I learned is that we can all work from a place of knowledge to try to get to a place where we just do better. An individual knows both sides of the story. An individual who knows when to oppose certain preconceived notions and an individual who knows how to defend herself against implicit bias.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the article and am interested in viewing the film for myself. I think the idea of the word "criminal" is a very fitting way of understand race in the United States. Often it feels as though for any minority the biggest crime they have committed is the fact that they are different in skin color. We see this all the time when minorities are arrested for little to no reason while offenses by white police officers are conveniently swept under the rug.
ReplyDelete- Seiyoung Jang
DuVernay says that "Police officers [would be] coming to people’s houses on my block. Cruisers going up the street, ghetto birds overhead." I find this very similar to how jews were treated during World War II and I think she is painting these similarities so as to help us visualize the horribleness of discrimination in those neighborhoods.
ReplyDeleteRaphael Thesmar
DeleteAs I was reading the article, the image of that one word—criminal—was ingrained in my mind. What was I supposed to associate that word with? Much like DuVernay was saying, labels have a huge influence on how society perceives others. However, is it really what our mind believes? Or are our minds geared to absorb ideas from our surroundings and those around us?
ReplyDeleteActually, what the article made me think most about was the "except as a punishment for a criminal whereof the party shall have been duly convicted" part of the 13th amendment. What is the purpose of it there, except to provide cheap labor? It seems that there is no purpose to it when looking from a rehabilitation standpoint, or even from a punitive standpoint. Since when does the US stand behind reeducation through labor? That's something the Soviet govt does, not something we should.
ReplyDelete-Alicia
While I was reading they talked about how those words used the film is the blood that runs in their veins as black people, constantly being judged and labeled as something their not. This shows the racism that happens in the world and how often people look at a race and categorize them with something their not. The word Criminal isn't a race, its a word.
ReplyDeleteI have prior knowledge of the state of the criminal justice system in the US, and especially how it is criticized. Many say that what goes on in the prison system is not legal, and sometimes just unfathomably unjust, despite being a part of the "justice" system in the US. In this way, I also recognize that many black people are unfairly judged as criminals. It seems nuts to me that these systems can still be justified by many people in the US.
ReplyDelete- Cameron
I find it interesting how DuVernay states that after talking for a little bit about her book, she will "go away because it’s not [hers] anymore. This is out in the world. I don't want my voice clouding the conversation. I want people to be having their own conversation about it." I think this proves how much she wants others to learn and draw inspiration from her work. While many film makers or influential people can get lost in the fame and power and become selfish, it is clear to see that DuVernay cares more about the impact of her work than herself.
ReplyDeleteI find it concerning that most people don't know the extent of slavery today. Not only is slavery completely legal through the 13 amendment, prison factories produce most "American made" goods. People purchase American made goods with the assumption that it was made under better labor laws than the laws in countries we outsource to when they're actually just made by prisoners for little or no money. In addition to this, many American prisons are privatized and subsidized by the state. They make a profit off of their inmates and the state has an incentive to keep people in prison so that they continue to profit off of enslaved prisoners.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting accurate when DuVernay days that "The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation. The very ideas that we hold in our head are for someone’s profit and political gain." I think this is especially true for issues on race, because race is rarely discussed openly, and most ideas/opinions on it are passed down implicitly; because of that, most ideas are very abstract, such as "the ideal is that all people are equal"/"racism is already mostly solved"/something similar, without concerning real-life events very closely, because abstract and vague ideas are those that people feel most comfortable having despite being harmful in the long term.
ReplyDelete"My hope is that this film has much of the beautiful art that’s coming out at this time, speaks to that in a way that is powerful, in a way that we can look back on and say this is how we felt. I’m honored to be making art during this time."
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting to me how the idea of making art and bringing a concept into the public's view connect. I think a reason why documentaries like DuVernay's "13th" have such a big impact is because they have the cultural grandeur of art and beauty backing them up. People generally ignore oppression if they are able to, and people who are oppressed have limited access to the cultural language of intellectualism and academia (one of the main ways ideas permeate a society), which is to say that while they are well aware of the issues they face, they are limited in the ways they can communicate these issues to the general public. It's probably because when a group has been vilified, they need to be very convincing and very careful with the way they communicate the issues they face, and even then, they may not be taken seriously. But it's through media that general society has deemed to be valuable or 'art' that marginalized groups and people in general can begin to view an issue as valid.
-Jona Lehmann
"Because at this point, after you see 13th, silence in this case is consent. You know all of this. You’re a forward-thinking person, you care about it. You can’t just walk out into the night after you see the movie or put down your iPad after you see it on Netflix and do nothing about it."
ReplyDeleteEssentially, DuVernay is saying that by remaining apathetic towards the racial injustices that persist due to systematic oppression, you are consenting to them, thereby contributing to them. This reminds me of when people say "I don't really care about politics, I'll be friends with anyone". Its a privilege to be able to ignore whats going on and if you have been educated and exposed to reality but remain neutral, you are part of the problem.