1. Summarily, did you enjoy the video? Why or why not?

The video was entertaining to watch. The show Mind your Language piqued my interest almost right away with its comedic entrance, showing the various caricatures of the different nationalities. The humour it presented were easily understood as the stereotypes showcased were very popular notions well known by even the youth of the twenty-first century ( even though the show was from the late 1970s ).

2. What aspects of your enjoyment (or otherwise) specifically had to do with ethnic stereotypes? (e.g various accents of English)

Ethnic stereotypes made up most of my enjoyment, especially since the shows main theme was built on the various pre-conceived notions we viewers had about the races. The various accents of English distinguished the different races of the characters ( Chinese, Japanese, Italian and etc. ). The humorous aspect of the differentiation was the exaggeration each actor supplemented each time they pronounced their words. It squeezed the stereotypes dry, making sure that every bit of their accent seem real, even though they are in fact not entirely true.

3. List at least 3 different ethnic groups/ nationalities seen in the video and the stereotypes inferable. Are they ( still ) applicable in your view?

Chinese were portrayed to be very much like machines, indoctrinated with communist ideals and ultimately very patriotic and passionate about their culture, constantly wearing their silk robes ( cheong sam). Japanese can be inferred to be extremely polite ( bowing whenever they had something to say ) and that they were very technologically advanced as well. Greeks were portrayed as being unable to pronounce long vowels properly.

I believe that such stereotypes are actually still well-known, since a lot of sitcoms still use them. This continued usage of stereotypical views of ethnic groups inevitably contribute to the sustained lifespan of the prejudicial notions we have about the nationalities and ethnic groups. For instance, last years How I met Your Mother episode depicted Asians as wearing Chinese Silk robes and only eating at Chinese restaurants and being skilled at Kung Fu. This shows that up till today, such stereotypes still exist and people still subscribe to them.

However, we have to be discerning about how true these stereotypes are. To believe in them wholly and without passing them through our analytical minds would certainly be wrong, as most of these stereotypes are just flawed perceptions that others have about the races. It is therefore not very applicable to the actual races, especially in a world where information is so readily available via the Internet and the average Joe can easily google to find out if the depicted stereotype is in fact true.

4. What stereotypes of ethnic groups do you encounter in locally produced media (e.g Channel 8 dramas, Jack Neo films, The Noose , etc.) ? Do you find them useful in your daily decision-making? What can stay? What should be removed/altered to avoid misconceptions?

In local media, we often see stereotypes of Filipinos and the four main races we have in Singapore ( Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian ). The Noose portrays Filipino women in Singapore as domestic helpers. Jack Neo films like I Not Stupid 2 depict Chinese parents as helicopter parents who take control of their childrens lives, forcing them to live up to impossible expectations.

Such stereotypes are merely for light entertainment and have not had much impact on daily decision-making. They are not exactly provocative enough to influence our choices. This could have been due to the strict media regulations put forth by the Media Development Authority (MDA) .

I think such stereotypes are too mild and insignificant to be considered dangerous, so it is rather unnecessary for them to be removed since they are very unlikely to cause any misconceptions. This is especially true in a society where people do not view things passively, but rather, see things through their own framework of mind. We do not live in parochial communities that believe things presented in the media wholesale.