Trevor Noah explained the difference between racism in South Africa and racism in the US
Noah's off-the-cuff answers to audience questions are often as good, if not better, than his scripted scenes.
Trevor Noah addresses "The Daily Show" audience.
During a recent Q&A segment of “The Daily Show,” host Trevor Noah was asked what the difference was between racism in South Africa and racism in the U.S. His answer is honest and to the point, if not just a little disturbingly accurate.
At first he answered with that classic brand of charming Trevor Noah humor, jokingly complimenting the audience member for “asking such a deep question in a bubbly manner.”
“I thought you were gonna ask the difference between spring and summer,” he quipped before giving his candid take.
For Noah, it all comes down to directness.
“I think the biggest difference is that I find that South African racism is and was a lot more blatant,” he shared, adding that having racism out in the open was the “greatest gift” the apartheid government bestowed on the country.
“It was there, it was happening to you. It wasn’t hidden,” he continued. “So you would just [say] ‘we don’t want this.’ People would fight. ‘Stop this apartheid. It’s racism!’ and then the government would be like, ‘yes of course it is racism. That’s what we’re doing to you.’”
Racism in America, on the other hand, is much more insidious.
Noah told the audience, “But then what happened in America is … you hit that period where they started changing things … and they were like, ‘oh we gotta be silent about this.’ And then it wasn’t blatant anymore … I’ve always thought that’s a terrible thing to do to people. Because now people have to be detectives of their own racism.”
He gave a clear example: “So in South Africa, the government would just say ‘Blacks cannot live in these areas. You’re Black, you don’t live here. Now you know, ‘I’m Black, I don’t live here.’ But then in America, you’d be like, “Can I get a home loan?” and they’d be like, “Mmm, no.’”
Noah is, of course, alluding to lending discrimination. According to an investigation from The Markup, loan applicants of color were 40-80% more likely to be denied than white applicants with similar financial profiles. Many times, these applicants of color get denied despite having less debt and earning higher income.
But why stop there? There’s also redlining and implicit bias in healthcare (made all the more evident by the COVID-19 pandemic). Even the technology we use on a daily basis is embedded with subtle, yet distinct racism—from facial recognition to beauty filters that favor lighter skin, to a lack of diverse emojis. Though we are beginning to have more discussions on these disparities, on the whole they remain. And yet, in contrast in South Africa, the bias is often denied.
Which version of racism is worse, the unabashed kind or the kind that hides just far enough below the surface of awareness that many can deny its existence entirely? For Noah, the answer is obvious:
“I know it’s strange to say, but I think there’s something liberating about fighting an obvious enemy as opposed to one you have to prove exists.”
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."