Race has been the root of many issues throughout history. From Christopher Columbus and the Natives to the issues facing society today regarding African Americans, race has caused many conflicts. I see history as a big factor in the conflicts facing society today. A good portion of American History shows how those with paler skin trumped those with dark skin, and that mentality has trickled into present day America. But that is most definitely is not the case for every racially sensitive situation. Jews could look like Germans and Germans could look like Jews, but still Hitler thought that Jews were inferior. Events like the Holocaust show that race is often constructed by the majority. The majority decides who is on top. This is so obvious in our society. It is no coincidence that white actors have played any race you can imagine in about every movie that calls for someone of color.
You could argue that it's because of talent, but in reality it's because white people dominate Hollywood. When white people play roles of color, it misrepresents that race creating even more stereotypes and prejudices that are unjustified. It also is not a coincidence that Snapchat filters tend to make your face paler. Being white is just a beauty standard imposed on us through filters, advertisements, movies, and any other platform you can think of.
I'm not quite sure how, but this influence has spread to Korea. Many women there want to look caucasian instead of Korean. They bleach their faces and get double eyelid surgery. The scariest part of this is that it starts at such a young age. If you look at middle schoolers and high schoolers, you'll see them wearing very pale make up and double eyelid glue or tape. It disgusts me at how Korean society embraces this. It just goes to show how race affects our daily lives. (I didn't realize how much of a rant this became, sorry).
Everyone has prejudices and stereotypes for different races. They may be good or bad, but they're there. It is important to acknowledge these stereotypes because there is no way to fix a problem without admitting that there is one. Spiegleman addresses this is Maus when he says, "In some ways, he's just like the racist caricature of the miserly old Jew" (133). He does this to bring our attention to stereotypes. Whether they're true to the person or not, it is better to avoid stereotypes in general.
(Shout out to Caelan for my title. Sea puns are getting harder and harder to come up with)
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| Exhibit A. |
I'm not quite sure how, but this influence has spread to Korea. Many women there want to look caucasian instead of Korean. They bleach their faces and get double eyelid surgery. The scariest part of this is that it starts at such a young age. If you look at middle schoolers and high schoolers, you'll see them wearing very pale make up and double eyelid glue or tape. It disgusts me at how Korean society embraces this. It just goes to show how race affects our daily lives. (I didn't realize how much of a rant this became, sorry).
Everyone has prejudices and stereotypes for different races. They may be good or bad, but they're there. It is important to acknowledge these stereotypes because there is no way to fix a problem without admitting that there is one. Spiegleman addresses this is Maus when he says, "In some ways, he's just like the racist caricature of the miserly old Jew" (133). He does this to bring our attention to stereotypes. Whether they're true to the person or not, it is better to avoid stereotypes in general.
(Shout out to Caelan for my title. Sea puns are getting harder and harder to come up with)
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