this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2025
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[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 37 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (9 children)

European racism is out of control to the point of cringe. The new world cannot hold a candle to you.

Here is a quick example. Netflix released a Norwegian movie called "Christmas as Usual" (translated). It essentially takes the concept of the American 1967 film "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner", moves it to Norway and gives it a holiday twist. According to Netflix, this 2023 film was in the Top 10 in thirty countries. How? How is a movie concept from America's peak civil rights battles era working for you in 2023?

My wife is European and my largest clients are European with European staff and the abundance of casual racism is hard for myself and my staff to handle. Don't get me started on my family in-law.

EDIT: Europeans were definitely not ready to hear this one. LOL

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 27 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Your point really doesn't land. Netflix released a movie? Okay... And?

[–] Blaze@sopuli.xyz 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The film was one of the few of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light, as interracial marriage historically had been illegal in many states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states, until June 12, 1967, six months before the film was released, and scenes were filmed just before anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia.

Makes more sense with this context.

[–] friendlymessage@feddit.org 17 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I still don't get it. Why is a movie's success with an anti-racist trope an indicator of racism?

[–] Vegan_Joe@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Because it should be a non-issue and not an impactful or driving feature of the film.

That feature of the film moved the status quo in 1967. It seemed like that was the point.

If a film were released in America today that pushed interracial marriage as an issue, most would find it racist because it is not a large issue in the greater culture (for the most part).

[–] FooBarrington@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

But I thought the movie only has a similar plot to this 1967 movie, which only featured interracial marriage in a positive light. Does it actually focus on interracial marriage? Because so far nobody has mentioned anything objectable.

[–] friendlymessage@feddit.org 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

EDIT: Europeans were definitely not ready to hear this one. LOL

Nah, your example is just shit and that the new world cannot hold a candle to us is fucking insane, y'all just re-elected Trump ffs. We definitely have a racism problem in European countries as well but our Trumpian party in Germany is currently polling at 19%, which is awful enough but to claim that it's that much better in the US is fucking nuts. I'm in a multiracial marriage myself and while my wife experiences racism in Germany, it's to a somewhat similar extent to the US

[–] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 29 points 4 days ago

Agreed. We have been sold xenophobia by our politicians and media for longer than America has existed.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)

European racism is out of control to the point of cringe.

Oh damn it's all the way to cringe? Now that's serious lol

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago

Rapidly approaching can’t even status

[–] ddash@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Wikipedia describes the origin different, so maybe the parallels were not intended:

The film is based on the true story of Holmsen's sister, a Norwegian, and her relationship with an Indian, whom she brings home for Christmas Eve. The film was released to negative reviews.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_as_Usual

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

You misunderstand. I don't mean that it was a remake, just that it was the same concept. I think the term is "trope".

The fact that the Norwegian film is based on a true story just makes it all so much worse.

[–] Mr_Blott@feddit.uk 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Do you not think the problem is divided equally? Some Europeans tend to not notice casual racism, whereas many Americans tend to see racism where it didn't exist to start with?

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml -2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think you are missing the context of the film I used as an example. All the friction and the "comedy" in the film comes from the racism. From the start, it is the point. The taxi driver picks them up from the airport and asks the main character if he is from India. When he replies yes and asks if the driver if he's ever been there, his reply is no but he stopped in Turkey once. The when they arrive the soon to be mother-in-law assumes that the Indian boyfriend is the Taxi driver and the driver is the boyfriend. We are five minutes into the film at this point and it goes downhill from there.

That is just one easy to digest example using media. Our real life daily interactions with the staff from our European clients is a never ending source for more.

[–] Mr_Blott@feddit.uk 15 points 4 days ago

So you're saying the film points out the casual racism in an effort to shame the people that do it, even accidentally, and using comedy as the vehicle.

Whereas you just got angry and self righteous at said film

That's what I mean

[–] Boomkop3@reddthat.com 8 points 4 days ago

The scary part is that this racism is very alive in German politics right now

[–] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 4 days ago

What does the movie have to do with anything? Your in-law?

[–] Slovene@feddit.nl 5 points 4 days ago

Hopefully someday we'll learn to be more like USA police and judicial system.

[–] droporain@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 4 days ago

Looks at the world yeah "European racism is out of control. " 🤡