Watch the videos. What are you in store for? How is John Howard Griffin's experiment a perfect example of what Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987) speaks of as empathy, "the ability to see the expressed idea and attitude from the other person's point of view [?]'" (Cooper and Patton 87).
What is Griffin's argument? What are some of the counterarguments? What does Dick Gregory say about Griffin?
As you read the book, BLM, note both the benefits and hazards of his project. In your opinion, is it worth it and for whom?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-qbme14MO4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNnS9mOmm5I&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOHaZKKuBqc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynDbJG9OLy8&feature=related
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Andre Tom
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
May 10, 2011
Griffin's experiment is perfect in determining the empathy of blacks. Disguising himself as a black male, he acts as he normally would but experiences the racism and contempt that blacks face in everyday life.
Griffin's argument is that blacks are treated differently, simply due to the color of their skin and if everyone were black, would they all be treated equally.
Dennis Foley
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
May 10th 2011
Free-write: Black Like Me
Black Like Me is a story of a man’s journey into the south disguised as a African American. He attempts this adventure with the hope that he will gain knowledge on how African Americans are treated in the south. From actually resembling a black man so closely that he becomes a black man gains him a great perspective on race relations. This premise has its dangers for treatment of blacks in the south can become violent. Knowing these dangers Griffin still decides to go through with his plan.
This idea is a great example of Rogerian strategy and empathy or to see from other persons expressed views and ideas. From this Griffin gains a literal sense of empathy and can gain a significant perspective in order to research the issues.
Griffin’s premise supports an argument for racial inequality in the south. This is important issue to research. Many southern states claim that they actually had very good relationships with blacks and that “outsiders” wouldn’t understand. So the more evidence that proves they don’t have good relationships strengthens the argument.
Andrea Giang
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
10 May 2011
The experiment in Black Like Me is a perfect example of what Carl Rogers calls empathy because John Howard Griffin put in the effort to experience what it is like to be black. He physically transformed himself so that he could feel what it is like to be walking in a black person’s shoes. Through this experiment, Griffin could say that he knows what blacks are going through, the prejudice they face and the hardships they have to endure.
Griffin’s argument was that people treated each other differently, even with hate, simply because of the color of their skin. He experienced this at a ticket counter where even though he did nothing to provoke her, the woman treated him rudely once she saw him. Griffin underwent this experiment to identify with the black community and in this way, discovered just how deep racism was.
Dick Gregory felt that what Griffin did was dangerous especially for that time period, but Griffin knew what he was getting himself into. Griffin had a purpose for going through with the experiment. Gregory said that black people would never fully know the effects of the experiment because they weren’t around that many white people who understood what Griffin was doing.
I think some of the benefits of Griffin’s experiment are that it gives white people the chance to really get a glimpse of what it is like to be a black person. It’s not just what someone else says they’ve experienced. Griffin, as a white person, was able to experience it firsthand. The hazard of this experiment was that he was putting himself into danger. He was in the South where racism was strong and it was possible to feel the backlash of hatred.