MovieChat Forums > Dear White People (2014) Discussion > Dear straw man: the victim complex

Dear straw man: the victim complex

posted 9 years ago by sizzle_Pak
12 replies | jump to latest

This movie was well shot, and the acting was ok, but it was a terrible movie.

The director tries very hard to fabricate a plausible excuse for his desire to be seen as a victim. We are introduced to countless evil, white, racist, bigots who parade around as innocent but then show their true colors when they let their guards down.

This serves as the motivations for our intelligent, hard working, black, protagonists to become rightfully angered and disgusted so that the viewer might feel sorry for them and empathize with their "victimhood".

The problem is no white people are like this. Ever. I'm white and I've never met anyone that even comes close to resembling the portrayal of white students here.

The scenarios that are supposed to provide an impetus for the underdog black characters have no bearing on reality so it makes the entire movie come off as self serving and racist. The movie that Mr. Simien has crafted here is a great example of quality film making used to construct a straw man.

It is yet another wasted opportunity to tell a good story about something thats actually relevant. Avoid this if you can. It will only serve to reinforce the idea that african american culture is very racist. (even though according to the protagonist, black people can't be racist. Yes, she says that and it's supposed to sound wise and insightful. So embarrassing...)

[–] function007 9 years ago

So you are saying that no white ppl are like this period? How old are you?

[–] littlegeorgie 9 years ago

It's called "racism without racists". A term coined by famed sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. "Since there's no longer any cross-burning, lynching and midnight riders going on, that's undeniable proof that racism no longer exists." "And likewise, if I don't observe it anywhere in MY life (in my almost completely "white" spaces), then that too is evidence that racism is clearly no longer in existence anywhere else." "So therefore, America is now just strictly full of RACIST "colored" people with victim complexes."

Get it now? Or did you miss the memo?

No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] littlegeorgie 9 years ago

and considered by many to be racist.

Any guesses as to what that says about the significance of any observations you might make about race following THAT little admission?

No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant.

[–] bpvalentine 9 years ago

So what are you saying? Conversely white people are racist even if they’ve never behaved in a racist way? I’m not saying racism isn’t still a big problem. I know it is. But your presumption doesn’t sound sound much better than the presumption of the original post.

[–] littlegeorgie 9 years ago

There's an underlying system. It's been in place for over 350 years. So you don't JUST judge the existence of racism by the number of blatant, INDIVIDUAL acts of bigotry that YOU personally observe. You must examine what remnants of the original, underlying system remain. And remain PRECISELY to maintain so-called "whites" in the top positions of wealth and power in American society. Originally rooted in white, land-owning, males being the only members of society having inalienable rights.

Now, for example, in NYC and CA state, "whites" make up loosely a third of the overall population. Yet how much of the accumulated wealth and power is nonetheless concentrated in their hands? Whatever your answer is, the underlying system was purposely designed over 350 years ago to work EXACTLY that way. Likewise, what percentage of so-called "non-whites" in those same areas live below the poverty level? The system was designed to work THAT way. Incarceration rates? Same thing.

So, again, you don't gauge the existence of racism by the number of random, blatant acts of bigotry that you observe personally. You must look at what the system was created to do, specifically for so-called "whites" 360 years ago. And compare that to what our current underlying political and economic systems are doing to so-called "non-whites" even now. THAT'S how you measure the existence of racism. And THAT'S how you THEN decide what needs to actually be changed. NOT "not seeing color". OR "just treating people with respect". Or whatever other polite sounding slogan. Because it's a 360-year old, full grown, slithering, conniving, behemoth of a political and economic system specifically designed to raise up and sustain the preeminence of "whiteness". It's not just random, unconnected acts of racial stupidity.

No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] ClassProtector99 9 years ago

The problem is no white people are like this. Ever. I'm white and I've never met anyone that even comes close to resembling the portrayal of white students here.

... Did you not see the photos/new clippings in the credits of real students at universities at parties exactly like the one portrayed in the film?

Also, just because you personally haven't experienced something in your life does not mean it doesn't exist and affect the lives of others. You should feel privileged to apparently never have experienced prejudice or known people with prejudiced views. I have not been so privileged. You should NOT use that privilege to invalidate the real experiences of others.

I truly don't mean to sound rude, but sometimes you have to realize the world does not exist solely through your eyes-- it's not all about you.

"My teacher says true beauty is found within"
"That's just something ugly people say"

[–] zmic12 9 years ago

Yeah this guy has nothing to bitch about.

Seriously playing victim while you get to go to freaking Harvard...

[–] retro4 9 years ago

From what I seen the only type of people who seem to like this movie are critics and social justice warriors. If you look at the IMDB rating as well as compare it the audience rating on RT there is huge gap. In other words, this movie doesn't seem to be universally loved by the general public. At best this movie is pretty controversial among general movie goers.

[–] dwellman21 8 years ago

Even worse, it's all taking place in a PRIVILEGED IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.

Why. the. *beep* should I give a SINGLE damn about a bunch of spoiled, selfish, obnoxious, rich little asswipes that GO OUT OF THEIR WAY to start s*** with their classmates about crap that doesn't even matter? The main character goes on some idiotic "representation in the media" rant at one point in the movie and all I could think of was "...what does that have to do with anything and why are you acting like it matters so much?" And some bit where "Oh the only reason the school isn't giving black students their own building is because white people are scared of having a bunch of them group together" or something so mind-breakingly stupid *beep* that made me fall out of my chair. Like, she pretty much flat out SAID she wanted to be segregated again, after HER PARENTS lost blood and friends fighting for the right to walk alongside their white brethren like any other human being. To fight for MLK's dream of not being judged merely for the color of their skin. To have the right to say hello to a white woman without being beaten to death.

The "protagonists" in this movie must've missed that memo, none of that must matter to them, because that's ALL they define themselves as and that's what they use to gang up and bully people they don't like. Pretending like they're baby Malcolm X sacrificing NOTHING in the name of empty self-aggrandizing masking their OWN pathetic personal issues. To act like their silver spoon sorry asses are accomplishing something when, again, they are doing NOTHING.

This movie actually IS unfortunately relevant to my garbage generation, just in the worse ways imaginable.