tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3675208198288295315.post5462727701564255828..comments2023-10-20T06:08:11.718-05:00Comments on "The Office" and Popular Culture: Violence as a Technique of Social Control in "The Office"Spencerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033471083695998843noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3675208198288295315.post-37404078219234286772007-04-26T01:22:00.000-05:002007-04-26T01:22:00.000-05:00This was only a small part of itThis was only a small part of itapplesandgritshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10418678806478359200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3675208198288295315.post-62020090213912666962007-04-26T01:21:00.000-05:002007-04-26T01:21:00.000-05:00I recently was required to write a paper on racial...I recently was required to write a paper on racial stereotypes in "The Office," and I referenced this article in it. <BR/><BR/><BR/> Michael Scott, the boss at Dunder-Mifflin, is described by the show's creators as a boss that “with unshaken enthusiasm...believes he is the office funnyman, a fountain of business wisdom, and his employees' cool friend. He has no clue that his employees tolerate his inappropriate behavior only because he signs their paychecks. (NBC)” From the beginning of season two, Michael Scott is shown as naïve and immature, trying to relate to his employees through any means necessary, even if it involves resorting to racial stereotypes. In the eighth episode “Performance Review,” Michael is responsible for interviewing members of the office and determining if their performance had been satisfactory for the year. More concerned with a phone message from a love interest, Michael asks the opinions of each employee in place of their review. Stanley, the middle-aged father and only African-American in the office is asked what he thinks of the message. His response is reproduced below: <BR/><BR/> <I>Stanley: </I> Sometimes women, say more in their pauses, than they say in their words<BR/> <I>Michael: </I>Really? (listening intently, hands over his mouth)<BR/> <I> Stanley: </I> Oh yes, let's listen to it again, and this time really listen to the pauses.<BR/> <I> Michael: </I>God Stanley, that's fricken brilliant. How do you know that? Did you learn that on the streets? (stutters and shakes head) I'm sorry.<BR/> <I> Stanley: </I> Oh, it's ok. I did learn it on the streets. On the ghetto in fact. <BR/> <I> Michael: </I>(camera zooms in on Michael, who is honestly interested) No kidding. <BR/> <I>::Screen changes to a “talking head” of Stanley:: </I><BR/> <I> Stanley: </I> It's ALL about my bonus. <BR/><BR/>Interestingly, the roles in the scene, which are actually part of a trend throughout the entire series: although Michael Scott is indeed the manager of the Dunder-Mifflin paper company, he is rarely in control and often under the influence of any one of his employees. In the “Performance Review” scene for instance, the body language of the two characters speak for themselves: Stanley is comfortably resting on his chair, while Michael leans across his desk, hanging on every one of Stanley's words. Once Michael, who asks the “did you learn that on the street” with genuine interest, realizes he made a rash generalization, he immediately shakes his head and apologizes. Stanley sees this as an opportunity to boost Michael's self-confidence and through this, his own standing, assures Michael that “it's ok” and that he “did learn it on the streets.” adding “on the ghetto in fact” in an overly proper and sarcastic tone, which Michael immediately falls for and replies “no kidding.” Watching the entire scene play out, the joke is obviously not that since Stanley is black, he's from the streets, rather, it's that Michael is foolish enough to believe what Stanley says, not recognize the sarcasm, and in the end, be treated like a child by his employee. <BR/> <BR/> There are some groups who take the opposite view of Michael's role as a boss, stating that the stereotypes used by Michael aren't a result of a naivety but, instead, a tool to stay in control. In a popular blog (entitled “The Office and Popular Culture”) started by a college professor and maintained by his twenty-eight students, the show is analyzed for its messages relating to sexism and racism. A recent post described the use of violence as a form of social control in the workplace, which is not limited to simply physical violence, but verbal as well. The professor goes on to say that Michael “commonly uses verbal violence against his employees to boost himself up in the hegemonic hierarchy and keep them below him” (Spencer), a statement that directly contradicts the idea that Michael is naive, instead suggesting that he consciously uses racism as a tool against his employees. <BR/><BR/> The side that the professor takes by saying that Michael uses racial stereotypes to “boost himself up in the hegemonic hierarchy” is one that some viewers may lean toward when only taking a cursory glance at the show. Throughout the first twelve episodes of the second season, the audience is constantly reminded of how Michael just wishes to be liked by his employees, going so far as to change important executive decisions simply to please those who work for him. In the fifth episode of the second season entitled “Halloween,” Michael is forced to fire one of his employees and asks a secretary “If you were getting fired, how would you wanna be told so you could still be friends with the person firing you?” Later in the episode, Michael decides to fire Creed, who like Stanley, takes advantage of Michael’s impressionability by convincing his boss that he “doesn’t want to fire” him. I believe that to boost oneself up in a hierarchy, specifically in an office setting, there is a need for a certain amount of maturity and control, characteristics that Michael does not exhibit.applesandgritshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10418678806478359200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3675208198288295315.post-9342254071853895682007-04-15T22:06:00.000-05:002007-04-15T22:06:00.000-05:00Spencer- Great job with this analysis; I think tha...Spencer- Great job with this analysis; I think that you've done an awesome job weaving together violence, social control, masculinity, and homophobia. The piece you sited from Kupers was quite well suited for this assignment and you've clearly uncovered what may be satirical (on the show) but might also be missed by someone watching this show. Nice work!<BR/>-JessieAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00882202558089495129noreply@blogger.com