<p>I’m not a white supremest - I’m just offering a plausible explanation as to why darker skin has historically been discriminated against and will likely continue to be.</p>
<p>People tan in our current culture because we have jacked up standards of beauty relative to the aggregate cultural norm of the past. Tanning significantly ages one’s skin later in life (wrinkles) and getting one bad blistering sun burn can double one’s chances of developing skin cancer. We also consider an unhealthy skinniness to be beautiful. Check out the “Venus” pieces of art from other societies and you will see that their standard of beauty was more different than ours, and, in my opinion, usually more healthy, even though I personally find thin to be attractive as well, even if it’s not as pragmatic.</p>
<p>In the Song of Solomon in the Bible, Solomon’s lover brings out a seemingly negative trait that her skin is “weathered”.</p>
<p>i bet that if urm included asians, there would be less complaint
because from what i’ve observed, the race that complains the MOST about AA is asians</p>
<p>Pale skin is prized in Asia. It’s prized in most countries. It doesnt surprise me that you don’t notice your race there. Especially if you lived during your formative years in a white majority country and had white privilege ingrained into your mind.
When Bollywood emulates Americans, it emulates white Americans.
Anecdote: One of my mother’s cousins is married to a man who is Japanese and black. His family rejected his mother for marrying a black man and rejected him until he became a HS and college football star, wealthy, and successful in Seattle politics. Now he lives close to Bill Gates and all his Japanese cousins adore him.
Part of the reason my parents didn’t move to Vietnam (business offer) when I was little was because of views of dark skin there.</p>
<p>Oh, and that tan thing? Tan skin, like big lips, almond eyes, and other features characteristic of non-white people, is prized more on white people than it is on non-whites.</p>
<p>I know I’m going to regret stating my opinion about this later, but it is depressing to see so many people make biased arguments about affirmative action(seriously quit acting like ***holes; you guys argue over information that you have little understanding of)–it is nice to see people like ThisCouldBeHeven and Pigs<em>at</em>sea making non biased points. Here is my spiel: </p>
<p>Affirmative action is an argument about equality versus fairness. If you’re against affirmative action you believe that everyone should be treated fairly and judged based on merit; equality the opposite–it involves evening the playing field for minorities. This is an argument that cannot be won; quit being so hidebound to the other side of the argument, neither answer is completely correct.</p>
<p>I’m whitewashed (I’m hispanic), I come from an academically strong school and my family is well off. For this reason, I never understood why people would advocate AA. Then I went to a summer program that promoted the integration of underrepresented minorities into higher education. The program made me realize underrepresented minorities are under performing.</p>
<p>Of course education should be based completely on merit, but is is also important that people are equally represented. Education is the number one way for a group to improve their condition and without AA it makes it harder for Africans, Latinos, and under represented asians to move on and get an education.</p>
<p>Think about it.
Silent kitten: shut up, you’re so ignorant.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I hit every point–I was trying to be concise-- but I think it is important that people understand both sides of the arguments. There are a lot of benefits from affirmative actions and not as many negative externalities.</p>
<p>Oh and the person who said Hispanics have not had it so bad, keep in mind that they were not f***ed over by only America but also Spain and their own government.</p>
<p>Native American Indians probably got screwed over the most</p>
And also, practical concerns. Who wants to go to a school with only two black kids? MIT always beats Caltech badly in cross-admit, even though Caltech is in freaking California (and has a higher SAT average, for those types who don’t go outside enough to be interested in the weather). The lack of diversity is probably a factor. What if, in not having affirmative action, Caltech is actually lowering the academic quality of its class, by driving some of the best students elsewhere?</p>
<p>The way you described equality vs. fairness sounded like my exposition about process-equality vs. outcome-equality only using different phrasing… a matter of semantics.</p>
<p>“neither answer is completely correct.” I disagree. Polarized thinking can sometimes lead to false dichotomies, but not when you make sure your “either A or B” is of correct form.</p>
<p>The statement “X or not X” is a tautology and is always true. Substitute X with Affirmative Action is good/fair/etc. (I’m not sure of the proper word to use, but you should get my drift). Conversely, meritocracy is either the ideal route, or it’s not.</p>
<p>hey. i’m just letting the world know about the hardships of the white man. an example: name one white president of the united states. ha. you couldn’t. the powers that be are keeping the white man down . . .</p>
<p>-So, affirmative action, how do you feel about being dumped?</p>
<p>–OMG it’s sooooo unfair!!! I was just fooling around with that black guy with the 1900, we never did anything serious!! I looooooooove asians with 2400s, I just need some variety now and then, like, you know?!</p>
<p>-What is your response to your claim that you hurt white people?</p>
<p>– I never meant to hurt you guys you know your my besttttttttttttties! It’s just they take me for granted and they don’t respect that they have to work to get in, I didn’t even get anything for Valentine’s Day last year! That’s OK though I didn’t want anything anyway reeeeeeeealy. :)</p>
<p>Essays are really great for gleaning every last detail about a person’s background and upbringing, right? It’s not like they’re a single snapshot of a person’s life or anything.</p>