Read A #@?*!% Book!
Submitted by mwilliams on Sun, 2007-08-26 18:16.This little video encouraging youth to get on with reading has been running for some time now, and it’s stirring up a lot of controversy. Maybe you have to speak the language to get the message across, but this made me do a double take. A whole lot of people could miss the point here. Caution: offensive language and stereotyping.
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If that's what it takes...
Unfortunately, that clip has tons of comments with racist content. Seems people love to miss the point.
I'm not sure this is what it takes...maybe, but...
It's not hard to see where the controversy comes in. I was taken aback when I saw the clip. My first response: "Wow, can they do that?" My second: "Can we get people to read when we insult them to the point that the message is lost in the melee?"
There is no thief like a bad book
--Italian Proverb
It is extreme stereotyping in a way, in fact parody, but I wonder whether it's actually such a bad idea. Perhaps it is lost on those who fail to recognize it as humor.
And there are a lot of people who don't see the humor in it. In the first one I watched, quite some time ago, those who commented were outraged in the extreme. The truth can be painful. While we thought it was shocking but funny, perhaps for those who don't read, the parody would be lost.
I do question whether it's an effective method, though. I mean, it's like screaming at a teenager...mostly it makes them even more rebellious and resentful, even though you're just trying to wake them up.
To be honest, when I posted this I wasn't sure what kind of response it would generate.
There is no thief like a bad book
--Italian Proverb