Michael Scott’s Sensitivity Training Vs. Strangers

In regards to finding some kind of connection to those unknown to us, identifying another individual’s racial/cultural background through certain characteristics will provide some type of context. Michael Scott’s diversity presentation from the “Diversity Day” episode in The Office can affirm this as well. The Office is a sitcom that uses a comedic documentary-like style to capture the work/personal life of a paper company. Many things are exaggerated, however it is inspired by typical workplace scenarios. In one of these particular workplaces scenarios, it is Diversity Day in the office, which means they are going to be informed by a visitor about diversity in the workplace. After having the visitor, Michael Scott decides to do his own take on diversity and tells his employees “I want you to treat other people like the race that is on their forehead.

OK? So everybody has a different race. Nobody knows what their race is, so… I want you to really go for it, cause this is real. You know, this isn’t just an exercise. This is real life,” (officequotes). People having the race of an individual as the only indicator (using index cards), is not too far off from what strangers go through. Without knowing personal information, people are left to their own devices in figuring out their relation to those unknown. Keeping this in mind, unfortunately, observed characteristics may have to be associated with things such as stereotypes to give some context in establishing a relationship between those around us. In doing so, however, using characteristics to identify race, ethnicity, or any other demographic, whether that be in a diversity presentation or real life, soon after, people can form an idea of how they relate to one another regardless if it is accurate or not.