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The Black Culture Thread |OT2|

As a writer, how do you explain to the group you work with, that you're not trying to be a technical ass about the story, but that you're trying to make sure that their brilliant ideas make sense on paper? Preferably, without coming across like an asshole.
 
So this has been going around tumblr:
save-the-pearls-revealing-eden-book-cover.jpg

“Save the Pearls” is a vanity published YA novel trying to bill itself as the next “The Hunger Games.” The publisher says that “‘Save the Pearls turns the tables on racism.’”

It uses blackface as a plot device.

In author Victoria Foyt’s futuristic world, no one wants to mate with white people—or “pearls”—considered to be the ugliest humans oppressed by people of color. In order to survive, they must put on blackface make up to be attractive to the ruling class of “coals.” Hoyt explains: “their stunningly dark skin that carries the greatest amount of melanin…makes them the strongest, most powerful race alive.” The protagonist is a white girl who must smear her face with “midnight luster” make up in order to protect herself from radiation and in order to look beautiful to the oppressive “coals” in hopes that they will mate with her.

The rule in Eden’s post-apocalyptic world is: the darker the skin, the higher the mate-rate. Other factors calculated into one’s mate-rate include wealth or employment status. For example, Ronson Bramford, a handsome Coal titan of industry, is at the top of the heap with a mate rate of 98%. At age twenty-two, he only has two years left in which to mate—or else he’d probably have a 100% mate-rate. Tiger’s-Eyes, or Latinos, usually rate above Ambers, or Asians, in the future race wars. White-skinned Pearls offer little resistance to The Heat, and therefore, are at the bottom. Only a Cotton, or Albino, would be lower.”
http://racebending.tumblr.com/post/28112744536/save-the-pearls-is-a-vanity-published-ya-novel
Click to expand...
....yeah.....
 
thats gonna get a movie adaptation. i can see that shit now. "finally, acceptable blackface!"

i cant deal with these race threads..
 
CrazyDogg77 said:
I feel like that high mate rate ability is just an extension of "They're stealing our women"
Click to expand...

The section of the book where the pearliest of pearls main female is unmasked after the coaliest of coals (and most diserable male) has fallen for her blackface is gonna be real awkward.

"Love you anyway" will be said and the least attractive person in the world will bag the most attractive rich black man.....this could end badly.

I get what the author is trying to go for, but its bound to be misconstrued if not perfectly executed. It seems on its face like its just going to reinforce the white beauty standard that is in a lot of cultures. Even the premise " What if black was beautiful?" is pretty offensive without any need for an author's misstep.
 
Aw god.


Young readers will undoubtedly add "coals" to their vocab. At least Tiger's-Eyes sounds cool, but coal? Really? And Whites get pearls? That's awfully nice for a demeaning term and coal is awfully offensive for the classification of beauty.

This is onion level stuff here. Genius almost.


edit: sorry for spamming the thread, but how was this given the go-ahead? So many possibilities for this to turn ugly, or pearly as it will be called now. I can't understand a publisher thinking this is a good idea.
 
MorisUkunRasik said:
Aw god.


Young readers will undoubtedly add "coals" to their vocab. At least Tiger's-Eyes sounds cool, but coal? Really? And Whites get pearls? That's awfully nice for a demeaning term and coal is awfully offensive for the classification of beauty.

This is onion level stuff here. Genius almost.


edit: sorry for spamming the thread, but how was this given the go-ahead? So many possibilities for this to turn ugly, or pearly as it will be called now. I can't understand a publisher thinking this is a good idea.
Click to expand...


This is going to end so badly. Shoot it started off badly just from reading the descriptions. I'm trying to prepare myself for what will undoubtedly end up as another wave racism but I don't think I can.
"coals" .. ? they srs with this shit ? smh.
 
bobbychalkers said:
So this has been going around tumblr:
save-the-pearls-revealing-eden-book-cover.jpg


....yeah.....
Click to expand...

Okay, two things:

1. So the authors idea of a post apocalyptic future is one where dark people are considered.....attractive?

2. By those accounts, as a brown skinned person, I'm apparently already living in an post apocalyptic society as the inverse of that is a reality for me.
 
Every minority thread seems like a never ending vicious cycle of how long can a dumb argument ride and who wants to get closest to circling the drain.
 
In slightly related news I've narrowed my stage name selection down to two choices:

J. Coal or Tiger's-Eye.

Seriously though why isn't Tiger's-Eyes my tag by now?
 
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