Bald Genius Stereotype: Raymond Reddington From The Blacklist

Character Description

Character: Raymond Reddington.
Television show: The Blacklist.

The Blacklist is an ongoing American crime thriller television series that airs every Friday at 8 PM on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). The show premiered on 23rd September 2013 and is currently on its eighth season, claiming that it has been renewed for a ninth season already in 2021-2022 (The Blacklist, 2021). It follows through Raymond Reddingtons life (James Spader), a former navy officer who voluntarily turns himself in after evading capture for years. He supposedly has a list of high-profile criminals, which he is willing to exchange for immunity. As a result, he ends up being an informant for a secret Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) task force. In 2014, the series won the primetime creative arts Emmy Awards for outstanding stunt coordination for a drama series and was nominated in several other categories in the same year (The Blacklist, 2021). Currently, it is rated 91% by Rotten Tomatoes, 8.7/10 by Tv.com, and 8/10 on IMDb, which is a good rating (The Blacklist, 2021). Additionally, it is among the top 100 rated series of 2019-2020.

Raymond Reddington is the main character on the show, and it revolves around him. He is a bald genius stereotype portrayed through the events that occur from the first episode to where it is currently. Reddington is all-knowing, and he makes calculated moves that are somewhat unfathomable. He has networks across the world and has connections with both good and bad people, and whatever decision he makes portrays the decision-making skills of a knowledgeable person. The FBI constantly depends on him for information while he uses their resources for his gain. For instance, in one episode, he helps the task force track General Ludd to get him arrested and steal his money and secure a hard drive containing currency blueprints (The Blacklist, 2021). In another episode, he says to one of the characters: You see that Geoff, that is what an intelligent man does. That is what separates men like me from men like you.

According to a study by Tanja Baudson (2016), male baldness is linked heavily to intelligence and success. Even in TV shows, it may be found in such characters as Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Vin Diesel, who often take geniuses roles, making rather intelligent decisions and calculated moves. This establishes bald men as such and consequently increases their perception in this way, creating an unwarranted stereotype. He, for instance, cites the movie Jumanji which involves Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. Kevin Hart, who has a lot of hair in the film, is portrayed as dumb, while Dwayne Johnson is the strong, intelligent one and is also the voice of reason.

Concept Application

Concepts: Ultimate Attribution Error, the Halo Effect, and Self-fulfilling Stereotypes

A character such as Raymond Reddington can be analyzed under the Ultimate Attribution Error. This error arises when an individuals behavior is explained in terms of their disposition instead of their situation. Individuals who believe in the bald genius stereotype are likely to demonstrate a bald mans intelligent decisions and behavior on his disposition. For instance, if a bald man was the head of an organization that was on the verge of collapsing and he made a decision that turned the firms fortune around, people might think it is a natural occurrence because he is bald and, hence, intelligent (Radeke & Stahelski, 2020). However, if a non-bald makes the same decision, then most people are likely to link that the outcome depends on the decision itself and not on his natural intellect (Baudson, 2016). However, this does not mean that either of them is naturally intelligent, though such stereotypes are made entirely from the beliefs people have about male baldness.

This stereotype can also be understood using the concept of the Halo Effect. As defined in Week 6 Module, the halo effect is the attractiveness stereotype, which tends to assign positive qualities and traits to physically attractive people. The bald genius stereotype encourages people to be attracted to bald men and gives them other positive attributes. For instance, they are deemed to have better mental health, great intelligence, and higher mortality. However, men who are not bald are considered criminals and linked to criminal activities (Radeke & Stahelski, 2020). Ladies are also likely to be attracted to bald men instead of non-bald ones as they deem them more successful and accord them pore positive qualities.

Finally, Raymond can be analyzed using the concept of self-fulfilling stereotypes. This aspect changes how people act, making them have behaviors that portray the stereotype. Therefore, the bald genius stereotype encourages people to think of bald men as intelligent individuals. Consequently, if such perceptions become dominant, such people are likely to engage in intelligent talks and discussions. Thus, they are likely to assume such a trait based on such treatment as they are deemed intelligent by most people (Radeke & Stahelski, 2020). Even in schools, tutors are likely to ensure that bald male students are assigned more challenging tasks because of the assumed higher academic ability and interest. This may have a positive effect on them depending on their perception of the teachers treatment.

Summary and Conclusion

The bald genius stereotype can lead to an inaccurate explanation and perception of bald mens intelligence and success. This is the effect that stereotypes in TV shows and movies have on how people view each other globally. Additionally, this affects the interactions that one has with bald men, making them view themselves as intelligent and successful. Though this might be a good thing, the effect that it has on non-bald men is unnecessary. Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge that such concepts as the halo effect, self-fulling stereotypes, and ultimate attribution errors portrayed by the bald genius exist only in movies. Therefore, such must be differentiated from reality to ensure that equity and equality are upheld.