MovieChat Forums > Insecure (2016) Discussion > Is Insecure "smart?"

Is Insecure "smart?"

posted 8 years ago by shes_hollywood
10 replies | jump to latest

Am I expecting too much from this show? The use of the N-word and reflexive moniker of "B$%*$!" is a bit much and as a show about intelligent Black people, and women especially, comes across as lazy writing. What I love about the show is that it unapologetically isn't trying to appeal to a wider audience, but that's also a double-edged sword, because the show should still be able to resonate with a broader audience. This show has a chance to make up its universe for the Black people living within it; even if the creator really talks like this, why write it into the show? It does make the characters (especially the female leads) seem a bit uncouth. It reminds me of when a hip hop artist is praised for being "conscious" by wider society (think grammy's), but then the same artist gets a pass on tried and true misogyny etc. In what ways is that consciousness?

I cringed throughout the whole finale with the strip club scene and I'm from Atlanta (I've never been to a strip club IRL), but we're known for them. Who is the intended audience for the show? It was too much and as I imagined, just made me sad. It was tooo objectifying and the jokes therein fell flat; felt strange that a female would shoot the scene so lewdly. Maybe we're just supposed to see that Lawrence is a "good man" in comparison to his buddies, but that's a low bar to set. What was the point of the gratuitous scene?

I think the show is smart in the way that it's approached Blackness in the workplace (corporate and non) and addressed classism and other "issues" within the community while feeling realistic and remaining both playful and funny, but it feels like the writing is insecure (pun intended) how to balance being political with trying to stay authentic.

Is Insecure a smart show?

[–] pianoman6584 8 years ago

The show is beyond perfect. This current generation of the black community is marked primarily with a struggle between preserving black culture and assimilating to European culture. We go to college. We have careers. We traverse the coorporate latter. But some of us still talk Ebonics and use the N word with those who we are comfortable with. Molly is a lawyer. She seems to be doing very good for herself judging by how her coworkers treat her and how lavish her apartment is. At one point she even rolls her eyes at Issa, signaling her to leave the office so she can work. And yet she also uses the most vulgar language with her close friends. And she has an emotional self-destructive breakdown at one point. I've never seen a show so beautifully and accurately portray successful black professionals in modern times.

The one scene that absolutely stunned me was when Molly slept with the young guy from the club. Listen closely to the guy's words. Sure, he just brought her back home from a "hood" club and he looks like a typical thug, yet he speaks with a rather nerdy accent and vocabulary, talking about his subscription to a music service on his phone. He probably works in IT. He's probably well-versed in "keeping it real" while also navigating a Euro-centric society. I would know, because he resembles myself to a T.

So is this show "smart?" No, it's genius.

[–] chantel-holley 8 years ago

This is the absolute best best answer to this post. Insecure shows the life of many black professionals in corporate America being themselves. We play our roles well wherever we go.

[–] lulumary123 8 years ago

bravo, and agreed! Love everything about this poignant and astute show, so fresh! I'm not Black, but I find it ridiculous for anyone to think that smart, young people of any race don't have a "work-speak" that differs greatly from "friend-speak". I mean, I would never rapid-fire the f bomb at work (tho I'm in the music business, so it's pretty loose) or talk about men explicitly but I sure do with my girls...

I have many Black friends and coworkers and I would hate to think that the warmth, humor and politically-charged dialogues we share are somehow a "front", or that because I"m not Black they just will never be totally comfortable with me (??) I realize people naturally share culture with others of their culture differently than they do with those who aren't, but is it really always that different when no white people (whoever they are) aren't around? I find the scenarios depicted on the show a bit extreme, maybe because I also live in Brooklyn and we are all so mixed up together all the time, there is rarely a segregated work or social situation in my world.

Just curious, I know there isn't one single "spokesperson for all Black people" response :)

"A sword is useless in the hands of a coward" - Nichiren Daishonin

[–] CranberryNoVodka 8 years ago

Yes, yes, and yes to everything you said.

A bit of the old ultraviolence...

[–] ChocolateButt 8 years ago

Insecure is smart. It is possible to be intelligent while having fun with swearing and sex jokes. Maybe if you relax and put away the respectability politics you'll enjoy it more.

"What race are you? If you don't tell me I'll just...assume the worst."

[–] redalertdogs 8 years ago

Yassssss!

[–] PooperScooper95 8 years ago

Insecure is genius. It perfectly portrays the dual lives black professionals lead. There's nothing more fun then being a corporate mastermind, conforming to all of societies ideals and expectations, then going home and being your absolute self with the people who know you best. I've literally seen my friend who happens to be an attorney as well, switch up her tone of voice, inflection and personality when she gets a call from a client. It's absolutely hilarious and we all joke about it. But it can be mentally taxtint as well, switching back and forth often.

[–] nuwalk7 8 years ago

The use if n*gga and b*tch is now just pop culture words. Many educated young adults of use it. Many races use the n word. Many college educated females call each other B's. Crude as they may be, the lack of these words as part of the show's dialogue would seem disingenuous. Don't make it more than it is.

[–] kidjay83 8 years ago

Its Girls the black version, girls is for Low I.Q people who need to feel smart and sophisticated with actually being either .

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

[–] emielyy 8 years ago

Insecure is for people who want to show how not racist they are without actually having black friends. They can also show others how not racist they are by discussing the show with their other totally not racist white friends.

I wish the budget for this show went towards something useful, like real hookers on the set of game of thrones.