Thursday, January 18, 2007

Racist Bullies or just plain Bullies?

Once again the makers of Big Brother find themselves in a bit of bother. The last time it was over the golden ticket scandal and letting evicted contestants back in the house, to get voted out again.
The title of this post says it all. I think what we are seeing with the Jade/ Shilpa situation is classic girl bullying. Jo and Danielle are every bit as guilty as the dreadful Jade. When girls choose to bully other girls it is normally done a bit differently to boys. Although there are a fair share of violent girls around, normally the attacks are more psychological and emotional than pure violence. A group of girls, following the lead of a dominant female will deliberately exclude another. Her opinions and views will be ridiculed. They will snipe and bitch behind her back and to her face and generally convince each other that this girl somehow deserves what she gets.
If you have been watching the latest Celebrity Big Brother then you will see all of these traits and more. The striking thing here is that the culprits are fully grown women, not teenage girls. They are all experienced in the workings of television and fame/ infamy. Yet they continue their assaults oblivious to the numerous cameras and microphones around the house and even their person.
Danielle's performance last night in the diary room, was of a high school girl being confronted by her headmaster and trying to say what she thought she had to, to get her off the hook. I think the remorse she showed was not because of what she said, but because she was caught saying it!

I personally believe that the racist allegations have been exaggerated. Shilpa has been picked on because she is different. Not because she's Indian, but because she has a bit of class and an air of intelligence about her. If she was exactly as she is, but was white then the situation would not be any different. She'd still be different to the three protagonists. Therefore in their eyes, fair game.
Racists are ignorant but not all ignorant people are racist.

One comment Jade said /shouted at Shilpa was along the lines, that her job was to come into the house and beat you! The public now have an opportunity to stuff those words back down her throat and show her just how infellential (influential) she really is!!