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Predictability
Sep. 11th, 2009 06:40 amYou know what the problem of racism in storytelling is?
Racism sucks in general, yes, but even if you don't agree with that there's a specific story problem: predictability.
I turned on a random episode of Smallville today. There's a random character I've never seen before. He's black and he has acquired superpowers. Inside of thirty seconds I know this will be an addiction story, with a high probability it involves him getting violent, and probably he'll be shown to be unable to handle the power that his wise white friends have been wielding for years.
... yep. 3 for 3.
Plus a bonus tag scene where he explains how it was never really his white friends ruining his life by putting him in danger, it was him getting jealous that was the problem!
I've seen that story before. I've seen that story many times before. It's a crappy story the first time, let alone by now.
And have I mentioned, racism sucks?
Racism sucks in general, yes, but even if you don't agree with that there's a specific story problem: predictability.
I turned on a random episode of Smallville today. There's a random character I've never seen before. He's black and he has acquired superpowers. Inside of thirty seconds I know this will be an addiction story, with a high probability it involves him getting violent, and probably he'll be shown to be unable to handle the power that his wise white friends have been wielding for years.
... yep. 3 for 3.
Plus a bonus tag scene where he explains how it was never really his white friends ruining his life by putting him in danger, it was him getting jealous that was the problem!
I've seen that story before. I've seen that story many times before. It's a crappy story the first time, let alone by now.
And have I mentioned, racism sucks?