Silly Question

[jasreeve17]

Why over analyse - Jet has it. I thought that everybody knew this clear fact.

Poor black farmers - bad.

Rich white land owners - good.

Welcome to Asia.

[britmaveric]

Unfortunately white as ghosts is the ideal. Hence use of people with those characteristics propogates the ideal. Sad isn't it?

[LaoPo]

Why over analyse - Jet has it. I thought that everybody knew this clear fact.

Poor black farmers - bad.

Rich white land owners - good.

Welcome to Asia.

If you talk about me....I'm not the one who's -over-analyzing, it's Mr. Dove and it's collegues in order to sell more, that's all.

I agree with Jet.

History

In eastern Asian countries, pale skin represented royalty or sophistication. Most royals were believed to have their pale skin from staying indoors all day as opposed to the farmers who spent their lives working in rice paddy fields under the sun.

In Japan, geishas were (and still are) known for their painted white skin, which represents beauty, grace, and high social status.

In Iran, during the Achaemenid dynasty, farmers and civil workers used some kind of lightening lotion to keep their skin white and soft.

In parts of Latin America and Africa, white skin is appreciated and associated with higher social status along with light-colored, straight hair (see Colonial mentality), and depigmentation may be used as a permanent alternative to makeup.

from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_whitening

It's a cultural thing together with 'wisdom' amongst Asians, protecting themselves from the sun which is BAD for the skin. That's why you see so many people (though many women) in Asian cities protecting their face with umbrellas, books, newspapers when they hit the streets.

LaoPo

[jasreeve17]

Why over analyse - Jet has it. I thought that everybody knew this clear fact.

Poor black farmers - bad.

Rich white land owners - good.

Welcome to Asia.

If you talk about me....I'm not the one who's -over-analyzing, it's Mr. Dove and it's collegues in order to sell more, that's all.

I agree with Jet.

History

In eastern Asian countries, pale skin represented royalty or sophistication. Most royals were believed to have their pale skin from staying indoors all day as opposed to the farmers who spent their lives working in rice paddy fields under the sun.

In Japan, geishas were (and still are) known for their painted white skin, which represents beauty, grace, and high social status.

In Iran, during the Achaemenid dynasty, farmers and civil workers used some kind of lightening lotion to keep their skin white and soft.

In parts of Latin America and Africa, white skin is appreciated and associated with higher social status along with light-colored, straight hair (see Colonial mentality), and depigmentation may be used as a permanent alternative to makeup.

from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_whitening

It's a cultural thing together with 'wisdom' amongst Asians, protecting themselves from the sun which is BAD for the skin. That's why you see so many people (though many women) in Asian cities protecting their face with umbrellas, books, newspapers when they hit the streets.

LaoPo

I wasn't picking on you. I know your comments to be very sensible.

[LaoPo]

Unfortunately white as ghosts is the ideal. Hence use of people with those characteristics propogates the ideal. Sad isn't it?

It's interesting to see the different views between Farang and the Asians themselves....but I don't think it's sad.

Since the more than 35 years I come to Asia I am still amazed how some Farang judge and see Asia and it's diversified cultures. That's NOT personal Sir Brit, since you are a real Gentleman !

I mean to say that having a white® skin in Asia was already there long before the 'skin whitening' cosmetic industry jumped at it.

LaoPo

[lannarebirth]

I think cosmetic companies and advertisers exploit common insecurities and foster even more to create artificial demand for products absolutely no one needs. Whether it's "whitening cream" or "bronzer".

[Austhaied]

Where i come from white people try to get a tan. In Thailand tanned people want to be white. Go figure.

To me it's just the ego at work.

[farangsay]

I think there's two elements here. Simply put "brown" people seem to

find "white" skin attractive and vice versa.

In my time I have had my skinny white legs pawed , my blue eyes

admired and my pink nipples pinched. Only the last one bothered me

because it was a bit painful (tequila should be banned in Thailand).

The issue is the standard of TV advertising in Thailand. I have seen

ads for food for kids claiming they will make the child smarter. The

worst one I ever saw (I've no idea of the product) had a woman

entering a commercial building and then being ejected through a

(closed) window.

Maybe in time advertising like this will just lose it's appeal in the

same way women in the West got fed up with anorexic super models

being offered as the ideal.

[canuckamuck]

They sell pills to make you skinny, creams for bigger boobs. There are devices to enlarge Mr. Johnson and exercise free gadgets for six pack abs.

There is a sucker born every minute. It’s supply and demand.

This has less to do with Thailand than it has to do with human vanity in general.

At least it stimulates the economy.

[Nebukanezar]

Ok firstly about Dove, Don't get me twisted, Dove is a FOR PROFIT Company so damm right they are looking at the bottom line. That being said at least they are doing something a LITTLE bit more humane than pushing that unrealistic bigoted imagery that is self defeating for a people who by and large are NOT WHITE.

And about the skin whitening crap, as a Black American I have a lil insight into this. During my grandfather's and my father's generation early -mid half of the 20th cent, there was this "light skin" craze infecting our community as well. We fried up our hair with chemicals and hot combs (the inventor of which became the first black female millionaire in America BTW) we used a multitude of whitening creams to lighten our skin color. Only light skinned models would be seen in any advertising, and there were even black churches and social clubs were only light skinned blacks were welcome.

Then the 60's rolled around and we finally woke the F*&! up and realized that Black is Beautiful and we started loving our selves for what we naturally are. Now you can see all shades of us in advertising and in movies. The bleaching products that were once to be found in all the shops in our communities are now virtually non exsistant.

When will Thai girls wake up and look at their pretty chocolate and honey complexions and say "Si dum suay di..." ?

What ever the reasons or excuses behind trying to be something that your not, it's not healthy, not cool and it can never lead to a positive self image.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Nebukanezar

[LaoPo]

When will Thai girls wake up and look at their pretty chocolate and honey complexions and say "Si dum suay di..." ?

What ever the reasons or excuses behind trying to be something that your not, it's not healthy, not cool and it can never lead to a positive self image.

Well, that's your view on the situation and there's nothing wrong with that, but hundreds of millions of women in Asia think different than you, because they feel and think like that for thousands of years.

Not so easy to change.

But, there's hope for you; in China the first tanning studios opened not so long ago and having a more 'brown' tan is popular now amongst well-to-do youngsters.

But, getting brown -on your skin- is in fact creating/having dead skincells.....they'll fade away. And getting brown by sun tan could be dangerous.

LaoPo

[wamberal]

Where i come from white people try to get a tan. In Thailand tanned people want to be white. Go figure.

To me it's just the ego at work.

And where I live people join gyms to exercise to burn off excess kilojoules from eating too much (and drinking too much, too), while in lots of places people struggle to eat enough to survive.

Go figure. There is a lot more than ego involved in human behaviour.

[Nebukanezar]

When will Thai girls wake up and look at their pretty chocolate and honey complexions and say "Si dum suay di..." ?

What ever the reasons or excuses behind trying to be something that your not, it's not healthy, not cool and it can never lead to a positive self image.

Well, that's your view on the situation and there's nothing wrong with that, but hundreds of millions of women in Asia think different than you, because they feel and think like that for thousands of years.

Not so easy to change.

But, there's hope for you; in China the first tanning studios opened not so long ago and having a more 'brown' tan is popular now amongst well-to-do youngsters.

But, getting brown -on your skin- is in fact creating/having dead skincells.....they'll fade away. And getting brown by sun tan could be dangerous.

LaoPo

Actualy Lao you signature Buddist qoute says it all "Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind."

So it's not about MY oppinion as you put it, it's about being healthy, emotionaly and in part physicaly. Be happy with what you have, stop trying to evny someone who has something you do not.

And as you said, there is "Hope" for me about Tanning studios???? Who said I wanted asians to Tan, I just like an excuse to rub down my thick yummy fiance's curves with oil in public As for other pepole I don't like tanning salons any more then whitening creams.