Here’s some food for thought:
| Occupation | White | Hispanic | Black | Asian |
| Plumbers | 63.2% | 20.2% | 9.5% | 1.9% |
| Electricians | 63.6% | 20.5% | 8.5% | 2.2% |
| Carpenters | 62.2% | 23.3% | 7.1% | 1.6% |
| Masons | 64.1% | 19.1% | 9.5% | 2.1% |
| Physicians | 62.2% | 9.5% | 5.1% | 18.6% |
| Accountants | 61.1% | 10.9% | 8.6% | 15.1% |
| Actuaries | 71.4% | 5.1% | 3.1% | 17.3% |
| College enrollments | 38% | 33% | 37% | 60% |
| College 5 year graduation rate | 64% | 54% | 40% | 74% |
The source of most these statistics is Zippia.com. College enrollments and on-time graduation rates come from the National Center for Educational Statistics.
The college enrollment and on-time graduation rates don’t really fit together with the job statistics (they’re measuring very different things) but I included them because I think they are illuminating. There aren’t actually many actuaries in the U. S. I only included because for me it represents the “path not taken”. When I graduated from high school I was offered a four year scholarship if I became an actuary. Actuary is a pretty good job but it wasn’t something I was interested in.
You might look at the job statistics and shout “Systemic racism!”. Depending on how you define that I might agree with you. That seems to be a term like “woke” for which the definition changes depending on the individual. Considering the relatively younger age of all of the construction trades jobs (and actuaries) we’re talking about relatively recently not historic racism. The population by race in the United States is 75.5% white, 19.1% Hispanic, 13.6% black, 6.3% Asian. Counting the adult population only doesn’t change that by much.
Need I point out that there are a disproportionately high number of Hispanics in the construction trades and a disproportionately high number of Asians are physicians, accountants, and actuaries? And that the percentage of blacks in all of those jobs is disproportionately low?
Here’s what I think:
- I think that young black Americans can pursue and succeed in any job that’s important enough to them and for which they will do what’s necessary.
- I think that expectations (their own; their teachers’ their parent’; others’) tend to channel young black Americans towards certain jobs. That’s why, for example, a disproportionate percent of black college students major in public administration.
- The table above illustrates a point I have been making. Our immigration system along with stereotypical expectations (see above) is stacked against black Americans.
- The system by which we train physicians, too, is stacked against black Americans. It might have made sense in 1910. It doesn’t make the same amount of sense now.
As an aside, note the low percentage of on-time college graduation rates among young black Americans attending college. IMO that’s explains the politics of the Biden Administration’s fixation on forgiving college loans.
Can you find the numbers for television acting and advertising?
McKinsey did a pretty detailed report on blacks on TV and in film. They are still largely under-represented, especially in off camera roles and in management. Of those who do get roles it is likely in films/stories that are about race or race adjacent and funding for those is much lower.
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/black-representation-in-film-and-tv-the-challenges-and-impact-of-increasing-diversity
Commercials are more difficult since most studies just sample stuff so it’s influenced by what you sample. Her sis one from Forbes.
“While non-Hispanic white people comprise 59% of the U.S. population, white actors accounted for 72.5% of people who appeared in TV and digital video ads in 2022, according to a study by Extreme Reach, a global marketing logistics company. That marks an increase in white actors from 65.6% in 2021.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaredcouncil/2023/01/26/after-vows-of-more-diversity-tv-commercials-and-digital-ads-are-getting-whiter-survey-says/?sh=1870b67a394c
Steve
“I think that young black Americans can pursue and succeed in any job that’s important enough to them and for which they will do what’s necessary.”
Recognizing that it’s, on average, more difficult. Schools are usually worse, the communities not as coherent and supportive. A higher percentage of white students can afford prep for tests. For the same exact drug crimes a black kid is much more likely to get arrested, prosecuted and go to jail. Take 2 identical resumes and the one with the black name is less likely to get an interview. So if it’s important enough and they work hard enough, meaning they have to work harder, and they dont arbitrarily end up in jail, sure.
BTW- 75 +19+13+6=113
Steve
No argument from me on that.
As to Grey Shambler’s question, IMO it’s actually multiple questions:
1. Percentage of actors and newsreaders
2. Percentage of behind the scenes workers
3. Screentime
Every source I’ve found supports the idea that blacks are disproportinately low in #1 and #2. I suspect that blacks are actually disproportionately high in #3, usually at the expense of Hispanics. Also this:
is an example of lying with statistics. When you count all people who identify as white, i.e. including Hispanics in the United States, the percentage is almost example 72.5%
I’m probably watching too much T V , especially our new subscription to UTube.
It’s been remarked upon in media and my own personal observation is that African Americans are deliberately over-represented in advertising. Black husband, white wife, two Asian kids.
At first I thought it was a tentacle of The Great Replacement, but after some thought, I’ve decided that it’s just Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity on the cheap.
Television doesn’t pay commercial actors that well, unless they are celebrities, this way, audiences see lots and lots of Black faces while keeping them out of the boardroom and decision making positions.
D.I.E. Being simulated.
BTW, love the U Tube series “How the World was madeâ€
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, Grey Shambler. “DEI on the cheap” is actually a pretty good phrase.
As to whether minority Actors are getting a fair shake, I’d have to note first of all that
performers considered to have star power,
box office appeal, are living in very rarified air. There have been Black leading men , but they are still a breed apart.
Standouts. Real talent, Actors like Sydney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Laurence Fishburne.
None of these rose on looks alone, as did Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Tom Selleck, or any in a long line of heartthrob celebrities.
As to female performers, It’s fairly obvious to me that all men prefer Caucasian looks and women aspire to be admired.
I thought Oprah Winfrey displayed talent in “The Color Purple “ as did Goldberg, but if Winfrey had stuck with cinema, she would’ve soon been forgotten.
In modern times, Betty Gabriel has proven to be a diamond in the rough.
Portraying characters sympathetic and appealing.
I’m not too worried about asiatic performers as they have an audience that makes Hollywood and its awards ceremonies look petty.
Well, there are movie actors and there are movie stars. Pitt, Cruise, and Selleck are movie stars. Today we have a few movie actors, e.g. Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, and quite a few more movie stars like those you’ve named.
Is Leonardo DiCaprio a movie actor (as I’m using the term) or both a movie actor and a movie star?
Dave Schuler: Is Leonardo DiCaprio a movie actor (as I’m using the term) or both a movie actor and a movie star?
Former movie star who has transitioned to more serious movie actor.
Actors: Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Michelle Yeoh, Willem Dafoe, Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Downey Jr., Rita Moreno, Laurence Fishburne, Kenneth Branagh, Kenneth Branagh’s mustache, Kate Winslet, Jack Nicholson, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston, Ke Huy Quan, etc.
I concur with that list.
Did you see Cowen’s claim that Tom Cruise is the greatest actor of all time? I think he was confusing movie star with actor. His commenters pushed back on that. He is not a personal favorite so I probably under-rate him but even trying to overcome my bias I would have a hard time putting him the top 10 or even 20 I think.
Steve
There’s really no question who the greatest movie star of all time was: John Wayne. He had the top box office of any performer for decades and was on the list of top box office actors for decades more.
I think he was an underrated actor but he won’t make many lists of “best actors”.
AFI’s 100 Years…100 Stars: AFI’s 100 Years…100 Stars is the American Film Institute’s list ranking the top 25 male and 25 female greatest screen legends of American film history.