Black is the New White

[purplelucrezia]

Particularly white people who shamelessly pretend to be black in the most patronising of ways.

The question to me though is, how exactly, does one do such a thing?
What constitutes being of a certain race.? You can only wear specific brands, or speak in a certain manner because of your ethnicity?

 

[halifaxshayman]

^ i think it's on a first come first serve basis. Certain things (clothing, speech and hobbies) serve as identifying marks of black people (and white people and every other race). They've developed specific characteristics that marked them different from others - it defines them nearly as much as their skin colour. Being French is limited to those strictly born and living in France. New Orleans, despite being an american city is also consider a French city of sorts. It carries over the French cultural influence, not just a French bloodline.

Royalty wear crowns, purple robes, sit on thrones and live in palaces. I suppose any wealthy person could have done that, but we automatically associate with the most obvious.

Even if a rich man does all of the above just because he likes the style of it, i think you can also understand other people taking mick out of him for being "plastic."

 

[Diorling]

Why does it make a difference if someone acts "black", which is relative anyway. Its like crticizing someone who is gay because he acts straight, or vise versa, that's just the way they are.

I find this whole thing to be absurd, the whole urban trend is popular cause it takes little effort and yields "good" style. It's getting overexposed like any trend and soon we'll be on something new, I was hoping Jay-Z, Usher and Kanye West would lead the revival of looking like you know what fits and what doesnt but it doesnt seem to be catching on.

 

[purplelucrezia]

The point of those assosiated symbols though, is to take them over, and make them your own. Which is exactly why you'll hear women using the "b" word regarding their own personality, or as a more obvious example here...
The idea of having clothing and styles, books and languages reserved only for certain groups is a frightening one for me, as well as potentially dangerous. As much as I do value groups and respect the right to maintain essential aspects, I also feel that a major component is one of sharing them. It's like, saying that the French can only have French fries, and if they're to be truly American, you have to rename them. The French language, isn't even reserved for France either, as you've cited as an example. I'm Canadian, and it's another official language here, and a vital part of our country's history. That doesn't mean that when I attempt to speak the language, I'm somehow trying to be French, but I think that it's not a positive idea to only allow "true Francophones" access to that aspect.

 

[purplelucrezia]

Why does it make a difference if someone acts "black", which is relative anyway. Its like crticizing someone who is gay because he acts straight, or vise versa, that's just the way they are.

Exactly, which is why that show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, made me so angry and offended. It was taken as being this huge joking assumption by the media here, but really- does that mean, that if you're gay and you dress poorly, you're not a true representative, or vise versa?
I had always taken sexuality to be about love, not how you pick your shoes.

 

[Angyl]

people really like to put others into boxes. it's a natural reaction. I try not to get angry when someone assumes I know alll about hte Vietnam war, or speak Chinese (man, I'm not even chinese!) But stereotypes are how we classify things, and that's just the way it is.

Maybe I'm too accepting of that.

 

[halifaxshayman]

It's not a matter of different ethnicities or cultures sharing between each other, happens all the time and nothing is truly indigenous.

I'm not trying to say that people shouldn't blatantly and directly steal large aspects of a specific ethnic group - such as black rappers. Although that can be highly offensive to the people you are without-a-doubt copying it from. I'm just saying that it's daft, daft, daft... in most cases. If you can pull it off without looking like an idiot or offending anyone kudos to you.