On fun with tacos and why Carol cares not at all for Elly.

[dreadedcandiru2]

As we saw the other day, Lynn is the sort of imbecile who makes hilariously racist comments without even realizing it. Anyone with two clues to rub together is going to see that expressing astonishment that Japanese-Canadians eat the same food, watch the same television and pretty much live their lives the way everyone else does is at best a paternalistic wing-nut with an over-focus on where people come from and at worst a stupid clod who doesn't and can't understand why her idiotic comments about the REAL Thailand mark her as being the sort of racist who expects to be on the set of "The King And I" instead of the sort of racist who burns crosses on front lawns or makes panicky comments about the yellow peril.

The interesting thing about this sort of phenomenon is that Elly and the others can go for years without being really aware that blithering about their Japanese, Black, Hispanic and other sort of friends only serves as a reminder to those others who are being indulged by being included that the Pattersons assume that the default setting for humanity is "white Anglo-Saxon Protestant." Given that Carol and the others know that Elly is only really hanging around to prove what a great gal she is, it's not only dead easy to toss the woman's kid under the bus, it's kinda hard to care about the dimwit's hopes and dreams. This, I should think, is why Carol said that if any woman in the neighborhood had to defer her dreams of travel and having a career because she got oopsed at thirty-nine, it's for the best that it's someone she doesn't much care for and doesn't think has what it takes anyway be the one.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I don't think "racist" describes Lynn, because she lacks the fear and hatred of other types, but rather just rather inept and culturally insensitive. I get that the impression that Lynn's part of Canada is probably one of the least racially diverse areas (whitest) in North America, much like certain wealthy suburban enclaves or other isolated parts of America, probably less diverse than even small Southern towns (which tend to have a mix of black, white, and Hispanic), and that figures into why Thailand wasn't exactly like the Thailand Pavilion at Epcot, or whatever her fantasies may have been based off of.

It probably says more about her that despite traveling a lot, she doesn't seem to learn from those experiences.

[dreadedcandiru2.livejournal.com]

Good point. The adjective that best describes her is paternalistic as she tends not to question the mush she was taught in fifth grade geography.

[kazokuhouou.livejournal.com]

I think the trope you're looking for is 'innocent bigot'.

[dreadedcandiru2.livejournal.com]

That seems to fit Elly to a T.