Anyone know the story behind all the blackface I see around town?

[Mac Mickmanus]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Weird comment. The minstrel thing was the thing decades before the 1970s and surely there were American movies shown here back then.

Of course the Thais localized the general concept with Thai dress as was shown.

OK, what I meant was old American television  programes and USA culture .

  Not everything revolves around the USA 

[simon43]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It kind of does when there are exaggerations of lips and eyes.

Are depictions of Father Xmas racist or discrimanating against obese people?  He's often depicted as morbidly obese.

 

Homer Simpson is depicted as a fat white guy with a fat face - not very nice...

 

So many examples of white-skinned people being depicted in a negative manner.  Every depiction is racist if you want to believe it's racist.

 

I don't ????

 

 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

OK, what I meant was old American television  programes and USA culture .

  Not everything revolves around the USA 

Not everything. But American cultural influence has been and is powerful.

My theory is the Thai blackface thing came from that influence. Just not buying the hill tribe theory.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Just now, simon43 said:

Are depictions of Father Xmas racist or discrimanating against obese people?  He's often depicted as morbidly obese.

 

Homer Simpson is depicted as a fat white guy with a fat face - not very nice...

 

So many examples of white-skinned people being depicted in a negative manner.  Every depiction is racist if you want to believe it's racist.

 

I don't ????

 

 

Oh wow. Irrelevant white resentment appears. 

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not everything. But American cultural influence has been and is powerful.

My theory is the Thai blackface thing came from that influence. Just not buying the hill tribe theory.

I would be very surprised if many/any Thais had even heard of the  USA blackface furor 

[simon43]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Oh wow. Irrelevant white resentment appears. 

JT - you're falling into the same trap that you seem to fall into every time >>> attacking someone whose view opposes you, rather than a logical discussion.

 

If (as a white guy), I find depictions of white-skinned people in cartoons, dolls, movies offensive and racist, should I clamour for them to be banned?  Of course not. I can live with my views and I'm happy to respect but ignore the views of those who disagree with me.

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I find depictions of white-skinned people in cartoons, dolls, movies offensive and racist, should I clamour for them to be banned?  Of course not.

I doubt you have ever found them offensive, so the argument doesn't stand up........however, if you truly found them offensive you sound like someone who would be up in arms in the blink of an eye.

[JDJD]

For now I will lean towards bluebluewater and the Northern Tribes theory. He's asked around a bit. The first picture I showed most distinctly shows over exaggerated lips and chains around the ankles. Could be jewelry? I was talking to a pale skinned Thai friend of mine a few weeks ago. She asked me, "You like skin black?". Because I have been on the motorbike a lot lately and not covering my arms and legs. I told her I didn't mind either way.

 

I went on to explain how people like Trump, or DeCaprio, or Jolie have tans because they are portrayed as people that vacation to extravagant, warm, sunny places. People that have time to golf every day, take a cruise on their private yacht, or lay around the beach resort soaking up the rays. Properties in America and all over the world are higher priced next to the beaches. Wealthy people own the properties and enjoy the beach.  Wealthy people own plenty of property in cold places also, don't think I'm confused. 

 

I also believe companies love to sell whitening products to Thai people to make money. Lots of money! Make them believe they are not good enough or of lower class than pale skinned people. That many elite in Asia never see the light of day. From limousine to penthouse. She said, "Thai people like white skin because it makes them look clean and makes them want to hug and kiss haha." I said, "So dark skin makes you look dirty, like a fisherman or a farmer?". She didn't reply. Presumably because much of her family are farmers. Or because my skin is now tanned, and she doesn't mind kissing. lol Sorry, I left this part out. Then she said, "Tanned, not black men, look strong". Humans will go to every length to portray others as the others. Hilltribes sounds logical as well as cute stuffed dolls/culture brought over from America. Displaying them in front of businesses or selling them in religious souvenir shops seems like there is really a story behind it. 

Edited July 10, 2021 by JDJD

[KarenBravo]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not everything. But American culturak influence has been and is powerful.

My theory is the Thai blackface thing came from that influence. Just not buying the hill tribe theory.

German culture, too....

 

......the fried chicken is great and the Nazi clothes are just so cool.

Edited July 10, 2021 by KarenBravo

[LeatFingies]

21 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Nope - they are just figures with black faces, just as the golliwog on Robinson's jam was just a cuddly black toy, and Father Xmas is just a fat white guy.  Just because it's a black face or doll doesn't make it racist!

So as a white guy, if I buy one and hang it from my review mirror, I should be safe right?

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

How about everywhere you turn in the UK, Germans (okay not a race) were depicted as jackbooted, SS guards.........very funny to many lowlife in the UK.......but okay with you because they think it is amusing?.......what about empathy (look it up) for the Germans.....oh that doesn't count...they just have to suck it up......they started the war not us?

Was that during the early 1940's ?

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, JDJD said:

For now I will lean towards bluebluewater and the Northern Tribes theory. He's asked around a bit. The first picture I showed most distinctly shows over exaggerated lips and chains around the ankles. Could be jewelry? I was talking to a pale skinned Thai friend of mine a few weeks ago. She asked me, "You like skin black?". Because I have been on the motorbike a lot lately and not covering my arms and legs. I told her I didn't mind either way. I went on to explain how people like Trump, or DeCaprio, or Jolie have tans because they are portrayed as people that vacation to extravagant, warm, sunny places. People that have time to golf every day, take a cruise on their private yacht, or lay around the beach resort soaking up the rays. Properties in America and all over the world are higher priced next to the beaches. Wealthy people own the properties and enjoy the beach.  I also believe companies love to sell whitening products to Thai people. That many elite in Asia never see the light of day. From limousine to penthouse. She said, "Thai people like white skin because it makes them look clean and makes them want to hug and kiss haha." I said, "So dark skin makes you look dirty, like a fisherman or a farmer?". She didn't reply. Presumably because much of her family are farmers. Or because my skin is now tanned, and she doesn't mind kissing. lol Humans will go to every length to portray others as the others. Hilltribes sounds logical as well as cute stuffed dolls brought over from America. Displaying them in front of businesses or selling them in religious souvenir shops seems like there is really a story behind it. 

Darker skin is certainly associated with workers (outside in the sun) and therefore low class for sure in Thailand........white means a higher class/office based worker.

 

I think Coco Chanel made tanned skin fashionable in the West, before then it was also considered low class.

 

 

[Tarteso]

A tribute to those brave Nigerian romantic scammers? ????

Edited July 10, 2021 by Tarteso

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Was that during the early 1940's ?

Anytime....UK is still obsessed 

[simon43]

Just now, LeatFingies said:

So as a white guy, if I buy one and hang it from my review mirror, I should be safe right?

 

6 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

How about everywhere you turn in the UK, Germans (okay not a race) were depicted as jackbooted, SS guards.........very funny to many lowlife in the UK.......but okay with you because they think it is amusing?.......what about empathy (look it up) for the Germans.....oh that doesn't count...they just have to suck it up......they started the war not us?

Perhaps you need to look at some of the comedies from Germany, France, Spain etc which depict British people in a negative manner.  I personally find them hilarious, because unlike so many nowadays, I take zero offence at people making jokes about different races, nationalities, skin colours, facial features etc.  I still have a sense of humour.  And yes, although I'm not a 'low-life Brit', I 'wet myself' at Alf Garnett, John Cleese, Love Thy Neighbour etc.  It is honestly VERY FUNNY!

[scorecard]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not everything. But American cultural influence has been and is powerful.

My theory is the Thai blackface thing came from that influence. Just not buying the hill tribe theory.

Why not?

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Anytime....UK is still obsessed 

Do you have any recent examples ?

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, Heng said:

My guess would be representations of Sakai (or Rambutan people in the local slang).   

 

And actually, if those are who they are meant to be, they are descended from slaves (and not that slaves have to be negroid, but they are a negroid origin people) if I recall.  

That's what I've heard.

[Neeranam]

8 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

German culture, too....

 

......the fried chicken is great and the Nazi clothes are just so cool.

Nothing wrong with that, similar to Europeans dressing up as Ghengis Khan, or Romans.

[Surelynot]

 

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I take zero offence at people making jokes about different races, nationalities, skin colours, facial features etc.

So there can be no racism and anyone who is offended is a snowflake........you are portraying the clear example of the world of autism.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Nothing wrong with that, similar to Europeans dressing up as Ghengis Khan, or Romans.

Words fail me.

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Do you have any recent examples ?

Nope

[Smithson]

30 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

I am going to go right out on a limb here with the crazy notion that whether or not it is perceived as being racist is very much up to the people it is depicting not the people who create them...........?????

So who is it depicting?

[simon43]

3 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

 

So there can be no racism and anyone who is offended is a snowflake........you are portraying the clear example of the world of autism.

If anyone wants to be personally-offended, please go ahead.  That's your choice.  My choice is to treat every individual as a person, not as a black-skinned person or brown-skinned person or white-skinned person.  I make jokes about my Lao, Thai and Chinese friends, and they make jokes (often so un-PC) about white people.

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

14 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Nope

Probably because they dont exist and that stereotyping ceased when WW 2 did 

[Jingthing]

35 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

I would be very surprised if many/any Thais had even heard of the  USA blackface furor 

That has nothing to do with my origin theory.

[Smithson]

30 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not everything. But American cultural influence has been and is powerful.

My theory is the Thai blackface thing came from that influence. Just not buying the hill tribe theory.

American cultural influence is powerful sure, so is Chinese, Indian, and amazing...Thai. America is not the center of the world, even if ppl desperately want it to be. It seems many would like to colonize the world with American values and religious ideas. The OP has capitalized the word 'black', something that has started in the US and they are trying to export.

 

What happens in the US should stay in the US, the place is a awash with social problems that other developed countries don't have.

 

I don't buy the hill tribes bit either, they generally have white skin and are considered very attractive. If you look at old Thai painting sometimes you will see black men who really stand out, but I'm not sure what place they hold in Thai culture.

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, simon43 said:

If anyone wants to be personally-offended, please go ahead.  That's your choice.  My choice is to treat every individual as a person, not as a black-skinned person or brown-skinned person or white-skinned person.  I make jokes about my Lao, Thai and Chinese friends, and they make jokes (often so un-PC) about white people.

 

Yes we all know about the difference in perception of PC stuff in Thailand. 

 

[simon43]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes we all know about the difference in perception of PC stuff in Thailand. 

 

But does that make it wrong?  Why should Thais (or any other country or culture) adhere to what's considered to be/not be PC in the USA, UK etc?  (Sorry if this is way too much off-topic!)

Edited July 10, 2021 by simon43

[Mac Mickmanus]

Just showed the photo to my hill tribe friend and she has no idea what it stands for, what it is and really doesn't care either way , back to watching youtube now