Both the videos are of the 30 Rock bit.

I am a white man who works with primarly black women, and it is shocking the way all of them in my office are responding to these allegations.



100% victim blaming. "Why are they just bringing it up now? It was 20 years ago, she just wants money. Why was she in the playboy mansion anyway, that is just asking for it."



It's crazy. They all acted this was about the Ray Rice thing, blaming Janay for being drunk and provoking him. The 20 somethings and the ladies in their 60's all feel the same way.



Is it a cultural thing I do not understand, or is it a gender thing? All the men agree with me that Rice and Cosby are scumbags who victimized women and deserve severe punishment. Can anyone help me understand this?

Really? Not for me...

@2

You just need to explain it to them in a calm and reasonable way, so that their emotions don't continue to cloud their judgment.

@2,
Maybe the Just-world hypothesis?

The women you work with perhaps identify themselves as being part of the in-group of the victimized women. If they can "explain away" Cosby's actions as being the fault of the women and not a random action, it helps them feel better about their own security.

It's a fallacy, but one that a lot of people rely on (conservatives, for example... the Just-world hypothesis is the bedrock of their entire belief system).

You're usually copying of jezebel/gawker for slog posts is running 2 days behind on this one.

usual*

All of sudden I have a strange craving for pudding pops, roofies and old black men.

... I think I'll hit the Walgreens at 23rd and Jackson

@2 I agree with Urgutha Forka @5. People love to victim blame, because it makes them feel safer. It also makes them feel better about themselves for not doing anything about the issue. And if you feel powerless like you can't do anything about the issue, then this also gives you an out. All types of people do this; it's a very common thing humans are prone to. It's just good to be aware of it, so you can try to catch yourself if you find yourself doing it.

@5: It is really the fact that it is literally 100% support across the board that I find so baffling. I can certainly understand a handful of people feeling that way, but the number and disparity between the black women and other racial/gender groups at my office is quite remarkable, which makes me think it is cultural, and I simply do not understand it.

12: Here's the best explanation I've read so far:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/busine…

@12 As far as I can tell, it became a big thing to talk about recently, because a man started calling Cosby a rapist. Before that, it had only been women who had accused him. But a man believed them and spoke up regularly publicly, so it got attention. Going based both off of this source, and how I first heard about it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteveryt…

14: Another: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment…

@11,
That is rather strange. Maybe there are some who don't agree but are conforming to the behaviors of those more vocal in their victim blaming? Or maybe they already feel sort of threatened and grouping together, regardless of what's right or wrong, is how they feel safer?

Weird though.

@11,

It could be a combination of the just world fallacy and those women's particular motivation to defend Cosby specifically. Women are socialized to put men's needs first, and the race politics aspect to this, where black men are often under attack even when they've done nothing wrong, makes these women inclined to defend Cosby when they wouldn't defend a white rapist.

I'd like to see the SNL bit, too... anyone know where to find a link? They're both 30R for me, too

Has Bill Cosby been convicted of these decades old crimes? Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon to brush old Bill off their agenda when he has not even a shred of evidence against him. Inuendo and accusations ,that's all they are at this point. I'm not defending him, I'm just pointing out the fact that all these accusers have come forward at one time to slam the shit out of his integrity and long standing respect in the T.V. industry. Why all at once? If it's money they want then it's a sad way to go about it. Some of these accusations go back to 1974! What in the FUCK have they been doing for 40 years? Going to counseling, drinking and drugging to forget the horrible memories? Get over it.

@ 2: People love to think they control their own destiny, and will concoct all kinds of dodges, logical fallacies, and speculative stories to explain to themselves why this would NEVER HAPPEN TO THEM. We all do it. When you add institutionalized racism to the mix and consider that these protestations are the ones these women make in YOUR presence, as a white man, the combination of their denial and their desire to remain non-threatening to you should not be surprising.

@2: There is nothing you are going to be able to say that doesn't appear to be a white man telling black women how a black man is a disgrace. The only thing that I would communicate is that you don't appreciate talk diminishing the significance of domestic violence or sexual assault in the workplace and that you consider such conversations inappropriate. Then go back to work. Do not get drawn into the conversations and if they continue then you need to refer it to a supervisor.

@22: Oh no, I am not looking to get management involved or have a confrontation, and their opinions, while baffling, do not really offend me in any meaningful or harmful way. They are not even really talking to me about it, I am just overhearing conversations.



I am really just confused at the lack of differing opinions among that group. I think it is a combination of defending an idol, and just world fallacy, but was curious if anyone knew of any cultural factors I may be ignorant of.

Both clips are the same for me too (30 Rock).