Here are some scenes from the movie Crash, composed of a host of stories that intertwine with each other. The movie dramatizes not only racism, but also the difficulties in human relations caused by stereotypes and preconceptions.

In the scene at this link you will see how the car driver (a cop, self-declared not racist) is easily tricked by some “first impressions” that he interprets incorrectly.

Crash, P. Haggis, USA, 2004, Yari Film Group (01:23:03 - 01:26:14)

ANALYSIS OF THE SCENE

What was the reason for the man’s ‘explosive behavior’ in your opinion?

Most likely the man fell into the ‘prejudice trap’; he let himself be fooled by appearances and perceptions, leading to a miscalculation of the situation.

Let’s hypothesize some of his thoughts:

  • “That guy really doesn’t look after himself, look at his dirty shoes... who knows what happened…”
  • “A black man, who likes hockey (a ‘white’ sport) and country music (‘white’ music)… Impossible! Now he wants me to believe that he even wrote a song…?!?!? Is he kidding?”
  • “Someone who is telling me all these lies is unreliable. Who knows what is going on in his mind? He’s making me nervous. I don’t know how to react… I'm with him alone in the car… who knows what he wants from me! The whole thing scares me.”