A show that I usually watch is The Office. The episode that I watched is entitled "the injury". There are several characters on this show because it takes place in the office of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. I think that this episode is hilarious because it shows a side of Dwight that the audience is not used to seeing - a normal side. The episode starts out with Michael Scott (the regional manager of Dunder Mifflin) calling in asking Pam (the receptionist) to come pick him up. He has burned his foot on a George Foreman grill and needs someone to drive him into work. Dwight - who longs to be just like Michael - overhears and tells yells that he is coming. On Dwight's way out of the parking lot, he drives into a pole. As it turns out, Dwight has a concussion. We do not find out that Dwight has a concussion until the middle of the episode after Michael brings in Billy (a disabled man) to talk to the office employees about how to react around a disabled person. Michael has brought Billy in because no one will listen to him that he is disabled. It is Billy that tells Jim that he thinks Dwight has a concussion. Once the people in the office realize this, they understand why Dwight has been acting so unusual (what would be considered normal to the rest of us) all day.
This episode of The Office, is trying to teach us that being disabled still means that you are an American. Michael begins his presentation about disabled people by putting up pictures of famous people that are disabled. Everyone of these people we consider an American despite their handicap and Michael is trying to get everyone to see him not his burnt foot (all he really wants is to have some fuss made over him). Throughout the season, Michael also makes reference to the fact that other members of the office must have had a hard life based upon their physical handicaps - Stanley is an African American, Oscar is Mexican, and Kevin is overweight. Michael does not get the big picture most of the time. The Office also shows the American quality of being a successful businessperson. The company tries to sell paper to people and whoever gets the most sales for that year receives a certificate, much like real life. This is a perfect example of what many American companies do - sales. The show shows that Americans are funny and sometimes stupid. In the case of Angela, they can also be judgmental and mean. In The Office, American's hang out with fellow Americans that have similar interests are that they have feelings for. The most notable example of this in the entire show is that of Jim and Pam. From the first episode, Jim has had feelings for Pam (Pam is engaged to Roy - who is a real jerk), Pam does not really realize that Jim has feelings for her, she just thinks that he is a nice guy. This show tells us that Americans live on the East coast. This means any person that is unfamiliar with the United States would believe that any smart, successful, funny person would live on the East Coast. I think that it would also tell people unfamiliar with the United States that when it comes to people with disabilities, that the U.S. is not very sympathetic.
What/if anything did your show teach you about the way we view Americans? Would you agree with that?
Would you agree with what the Office is showing us in this episode, that the United States is unsympathetic to people with disabilities? Why or why not?
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I think that my show, "Fringe" taught me that we need to re-evaluate how we stereotype male and female roles, something with which I can completely agree. I know that there are so many prejudices related not only to female roles but also to male roles. We too often forget that balancing masculinity and femininity within female roles is just the beginning, and that we must also re-center our beliefs about masculinity and femininity in male roles as well.
ReplyDeleteAs far as The Office is concerned, I think that this show does create a obvious satire of not only the American workplace but also the roles typically played in the workplace. If you are viewing Americans as the character Michael Scott, then it is easy to see how Americans often prejudge people just because of the stereotypes ascribed to their culture (remember that Oscar is not only Hispanic, but also gay, which creates another layer of stereotypes that Michael Scott ascribes to him).
Overall, I think that as a satire, "The Office" shows that Americans are diverse but still subject to a great deal of prejudice, no matter how far we've advanced as a society.
I also watched The Office, I thought it showed that Americans like to party and have fun. I also thought it showed that Americans know little about other cultures. I agree that people do like to have fun but there is a time and a place for it. I do somewhat agree with that Americans know little about other cultures, some people are very cultured while others are not.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Americans are not very symtathetic I think we would help a handicapt person but sometimes people can be selfish.
I think Americans are unsympathetic to people with certain disabilities, but have some for a majority of them. Law makes sure people with disabilities gets a fair chance, yet the social standpoint of staring, etc show opposite feelings.
ReplyDeleteBoston Legal showed Americans as successful, wealthy people. I don't think this is very accurate, even in a law office.
I feel that we view other Americans as our outlet, however when you take the show out of context that it shows we are very unintelligent and often find ourselves in poor situations. I feel that it shows a part of the United States' view, although there are many who see no issues with disabilities and are very supportive of those with a disabilities. However there are some people who are just disrespectful to people who are.
ReplyDeleteI think that these shows like to stereotype Americans and often show us in a very negative way. They show that we are funny and have a good time, but they also sometimes show that we are skanky, drunks, cheaters, etc. They show us in a very negative way that is not true for the general public.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think Americans are usually pretty sympathetic (or I like to think so, atleast) and I really don't think that other countries watching this show would look at us as these awful people that don't help people with disabilities.