Cross-posted at Montclair SocioBlog and in Portuguese at Conhecimento Prudente.
This ad illustrates some sociological idea, something I could use in class. I’m just not sure what it is. (You may have already seen it. It’s been around on the Internet for a few months.)
Yes, it’s a beer commercial, not a documentary, not “reality.” But the couples are real and unscripted – like the victims in a “Candid Camera” bit (or the subjects in some social psychology experiments). Real and unscripted too is our reaction as viewers. I don’t know about you, but after the ad was over, I realized that I had shared something of the couples’ anxiety at being different and hence excluded. The bikers are neutral, maybe they are even silently hostile, so when they suddenly became accepting, my sense of relief was palpable. I laughed out loud.
So sociological point one is that we are social animals. Excluded we feel fear, accepted and included we feel comfort. Point two is that laughter is social. Here (and in many other situations) it’s a kind of tension-meter. There ad had no joke that I was laughing at. It was just a release from tension. No tension, no laughter.
The ad also illustrates “definition of the situation.” The rigged set-up shatters the couples’ standard definition of going to the movies. They are anxious not just because they are different but because they nave no workable definition and therefore no clear sense of what to do.
Finally, the ad raises the issue of stereotypes. Stereotypes may actually have some general statistical accuracy. The trouble is that the stereotype converts a statistical tendency to absolute certainty. We react as though we expect all members of the stereotype to be that way all the time or most of the time. Is it reasonable when you see 148 bikers to be fearful even to the point of leaving (I think some of the couples didn’t take the available seats)? You don’t need to have read Hunter S. Thompson to know there is some truth in the image of bikers as above the mean on violence. But in a theater where you find them quietly awaiting the movie?
What other sociological ideas does the ad suggest?
Comments 69
Leslee Beldotti — January 10, 2012
Years ago I had major surgery at the Naval hospital in Chicago. While in recovery I dozed in and out of consciousness frequently. At one point when I was awake, a big, burly, black man in scrubs walked into my room. "Ah, you're awake!" he said. "I'm Carl and I'll be your night nurse. I wanted to introduce myself while you were awake. Some people freak out when they see a big black man looming over their bed in the middle of the night."
Despite my drug-induced haze I suddenly felt a great deal of sadness at the fact that I live in a world in which someone whose job it is to care for me felt the need to apologize for his physical appearance. I decided in that moment that I would make EVERY effort to NOT judge people based upon their appearance. It was the least I could do for Carl.
Whisperingishard — January 10, 2012
As I watched, I began to feel bad for the bikers. "This isn't what I paid for," said one of the movie goers. Didn't pay for what? To sit by someone who isn't like you? I got teary eyed when the people did sit with the bikers. Like there was an expression of acceptance. (The only exception I can think of in people's hesitation of sitting with the bikers is if the area or their clothing indicates that they are a gang. Gang activity of any sort is dangerous to bystanders).
Lila — January 10, 2012
I hope the movie was Twilight or something.
Anonymous — January 10, 2012
IDK that the stereotype idea presented is necessarily WRONG, but....I, as a black female, would be incredibly uncomfortable to be in a room surrounded by 150 white men, many of whom look like skinheads, and no one else. I can imagine that a white woman might feel some, if not all, of the apprehensions I'd experience being alone in a darkened room with only men. Notice that there was never a couple of men; all seemed to be a couple comprised of a man and a woman, aside from a couple comprised of two women. This isn't as simple as stereotyping a single person or a small group of people based on how they choose to appear in what is normally a secure space.
Also, even if they were all little old ladies in prairie dresses, walking into a movie theater that is completely crowded and trying to find a seat is an uncomfortable situation to be in.
Saridout — January 10, 2012
i'd love to see this same experiment using different types of people. would the couples have reacted, or even noticed, if the theatre had been filled with nothing but men?
Abandoning eden — January 10, 2012
I just felt bad for the bikers....as a hippie who has bikers in my family I've had the privilege to spend a lot of times with bikers (they still frequently work security at hippie events + I have the family connection) and every single biker I have ever met (which measures in the dozens if not hundreds) has been super nice and even I would say... cuddly is how I would describe them. Like big teddy bears. The Phreaks (in that I include bikers + hippies + any other visually distinctive subculture) almost always turn out to be the nicest people, I think since they are treated badly by others due to their appearance, and know what it's like to be treated badly.
Carolina — January 10, 2012
I wonder if the mass presence of bikers is perceived as more threatening. It's interesting that in several instances it was the woman who acted first, while in another, the man was the one who acted almost to protect the woman by questioning her judgment.
Carolina — January 10, 2012
Another thought is that the connection between bikers was palpable, as they witnessed what might have been experienced as a fraught situation, sharing an unspoken anxiety/sense of irony.
missdisco — January 10, 2012
I think my thought would be "FFFFUCK, there's no aisle seats! I'm not clambering around all those people!" I like aisle seats.
Anonymous — January 10, 2012
"You don’t need to have read Hunter S. Thompson to know there is some truth in the image of bikers as above the mean on violence."
Whoa. This sounds an awful lot like the "kernel of truth" justification for using stereotypes to evaluate...the very same justification that so many of us try to combat on a daily basis. If this were a theater full of black men, and anyone tried to argue that "well, you know there's some truth in the image of black dudes as criminals" (as some folks undoubtedly would), I suspect the rest of the socimages commenters would pounce on that. And rightfully so. Why should it be different if we're talking about bikers?
cee — January 10, 2012
I would be really interested to see this 'experiment' repeated with stereotypically non-threatening groups - say, women dressed in traditionally conservative religious apparel (hair covered, modestly cut, plain colored dresses).
Particularly in response to all the people saying they feel bad for the bikers, I wonder how much of the reactions shown is due to the pure foreignness of the group and a feeling that the subjects are not welcome/do not belong in that group as opposed to outright fear.
(note: I am unable to view videos, so I am surely not giving as good of an analysis as I could be)
Gilbert Pinfold — January 10, 2012
From a sociological pov, one question is 'following the "death of God", has tolerance become a religion?' Many commentors have pointed to the tension between instinct (flee) and the desire to be, and appear to be, tolerant, non-judgemental, etc.
This latter desire appears to be moral, spiritual or something noble, which is why I call it 'religious' in nature. It is certainly neither natural, nor is it rational. Interestingly, other posters here go so far with their piety (to continue the religion metaphor) as to try to deny the fact that bikers (also known as 'outlaw bikers' are dangerous and intimidating. (Obviously, Abandoning Eden, bikers are stand-up guys if you're pals with them. So are Mafiosi, Bloods and Crips).
ahimsa — January 10, 2012
The sociological issue that interests me is the *assumption* that these two strangers will want the beer that's being offered. Maybe these folks don't drink alcohol? (recovering alcoholics? teetotallers?) Or maybe they do like other alcoholic drinks but don't like beer? Or maybe they would normally like a beer but don't want to drink and drive?
I know, I know. It's a beer commercial. I'm not supposed to think anything other than "beer good." Still, that's just the way my mind works. :-)
Lori — January 10, 2012
At the beginning of the video it says "Brussels" so Europe. I think most comments are written from a US perspective, with people expecting "bad boys" to carry fire weapons. In Europe people generally don't carry guns and I think people are generally not as suspicious / fearsome of others (in part because of the very fact of few people carrying guns).
Well, while my above thoughts are rather speculative, I think one can definitely say that "bikers" evoke different reactions and have different images in the US and Europe (and probably even differing in European countries, too). One thing to keep in mind.
Anon — January 10, 2012
I'm a woman who used to live in West Hollywood, and I honestly don't think I would have been bothered--or paid much attention at all, really. Probably just "Oh bears-- wait, what movie is this again?"
In my circles, this look doesn't read "straight" to me at all. Frankly, I would have been infinitely more alarmed if everyone had looked like nightclub PUA douchebags or had been wearing military t-shirts and flag pins.
PH — January 10, 2012
Perhaps this has already been addressed, but in case it has not:
(1) The commercial began with the statement "148? bad boys". Some of the "bad boys" gave the couple mean and seemingly nasty looks. Perhaps the "bad boys" were coached to give mean looks to better the commercial? Point being: it's not just a matter of the "bad boys" looking a certain way, it's also a matter of them ACTING a certain way towards the couple.
The commercial seemed to sort of instigate a potentially fearful situation a bit, in other words--but in a way that still invited some bold folks, I think.
In this way, perhaps this isn't a good example on stereotypes, actually.
(2) In some sense, are the "bad boys" not emulating a rather violent image--are they not creating a sort of identity--sending a message to others, that is--in terms of how they dress? To an extent, perhaps it is a very rational and objective thing to do to walk out of the theatre as some of the couples did. I live close to Oakland, for example, and I love the city: but I am not going to walk around a rough neighborhood therein at night. Does that make me racist or stereotypical? One could make such a case, but I think it would be a rather narrow-minded argument.
I guess one should first ask: what does it mean to dress as those bikers dress? Do all bikers dress that way for the same reasons? Are there non-violent bikers that garb themselves in historically violent imagery? How many are actually conscious of that?
Now I know I am being verbose. Thanks for the post--really stimulating!
Anonymous — January 11, 2012
If it was me walking into the theater, I would have been intimidated by the silent crowd staring at me. In previous life experiences, that look and silence have been VERY strong signals that I don't belong there and should leave. It doesn't matter what their wearing. It could have been pink princess dresses, I would have felt the same insecurity and probably would have left. I'd like to think I could just brush it off and walk by, but if I'm paying for entertainment, I'm going to do it in a place where I don't need put on a show myself.
Anonymous — January 11, 2012
Quite effective, that commercial.
At first I just kept thinking, well, I'd be startled to see an entire theater full of bikers, and who likes sitting in the middle of a bunch of strangers? But I like bikers just fine - I'd probably have said hello to whoever was around. Only if I got overwhelmingly hostile responses would I have been uncomfortable.
But that's not because I'm an awesome person who has no problems with bias or stereotypes. It's because these guys look like my tattoo artist and other people I adore.
Fill that room with well-off, conservative straight white men? If you want a group, go with male corporate CEOs (yes, I know they're not quite *all* straight white men) or some such. Anyway, that would have been extremely off-putting to me. I'm not sure I would have left, but it would have been difficult.
Nouvelle Vague — January 12, 2012
Maybe because of my upbringing, I identified with the bikers and automatically judged the couples who left. My laughter, then, had nothing to do with tension ... It was more amusement at the "winning" couples' confused faces.
Blix — January 20, 2012
"What would you do?" Doesn't this exclude anyone who may fit the image of a biker?
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