All publications of riah reginald . Kochi , India
Is Fairness a code for RACISM ?
There are certainly some few things which we should learn from endorsements. How they inculcate the necessity of the product. It is a process on its own. We are not aware when the seeds of the so called quintessential product is sown, and to be honest it is no barge in entry. Its almost like the stealth mode operation and the black lined FBI files, we know once its done, have no clue about the whereabouts, the protocol, all we know is the end result of our unquenched thirst towards that particular commodity. Some thoughts are like endorsements, to a degree that we even think it is instinct.
I also love the way they manoeuvre it. Yes, I agree there is no such thing as dichotomous thinking. Most of the things are submerged deep in the grey area. If you want to make a living, find the most effective way to manoeuvre the truth. Manipulate it to your need.
We know that change is inevitable. I know this doesn’t seem to get anywhere. Seems like a bunch of polished words. Let me bring in the big guns.
Just want to look at the astonishing fact of how a fairness cream with the same formula have evolved in so many ways and divulge from the original course of fairness, to a more ambiguous path of skin brightening serum to skin lightening serum. Truly we were unaware of this gradual process. We thought it was a completely different thing. Do we know why the branding were made different? These products can’t typically use the word fairness in their endorsements because it may sound not in concordance with Hypocritical society, who seems to advocate against racism.
India for one is deeply and so exclusively rooted into these without our own knowledge. We adore the Bollywood and the Hollywood film fraternity. We idolize them. We want to be just like them.
Let me ask an honest question. How many of us use fairness cream, oh! Sorry let me edit it. how many of us use skin brightening serum? I’m not a big fan of this, but it doesn’t mean that I haven’t used it. Of course when people around you look so perfectly sculptured, parents tend to induce the idea of such creams through assertive method.
Talking about our fondness to color, I have had a lot of experience myself. Though not the front runner in experiencing it, I have watched it in sidelines. This particular incident dates back to 2003, when I was in first grade. Newcomers are not welcomed with garlands, be it any school. I sat in the last bench. With me were 2 girls. So, the fairer one suggested that I sit in the middle. Because she din’t want my other benchmate to touch her. The reason was she was having dark complexion. Both me and the other girl were new comers and were certainly not interested in being on the radar by disobeying our “ fairer benchmate” as it seemed like she had everything figured out on her own. I wasn’t ridiculed much, but my other friend was, and I regret that I never took in the courage to defend it. I understood that she was much better than those who made fun of her. If there was any litmus paper test to show how black a person is, I think that test would be pitch black for the ones who bullied us. Cause I’m pretty sure that her soul would have been so damaged beyond redemption.
And on a wider spectrum, it gives me shivers to think that such uncultured thought is imprinted on to us at a very young age.
Right now I totally understand our parents move, when they tell us to apply skin brightening serum. Cause they know that such rotted people exist. And all that they were doing was to keep their children safe from being bullied, but at the risk of turning ourselves into passive racist.
Myself I would prefer my child to be fair(even though I’m quite a tan myself) so that he /she doesn’t have to go through this.
This seems to be happening in one side of the massive wall, I certainly am clueless. Where are we taking ourselves. where are we directing the young children. Why do we still strongly uphold the narcissistic and the nihilistic trait which have been salvaged by the endless disputes being ransomed by the blood of innocent martyr!
Talking about the skin brightening serum and our love for fairness will bring us apart from the reality and the humanity of seeing everybody as equal. With the recent incidents happening throughout world, it has shed light on the matters like this, such as induced racism! True to say that, it is our facetious approach towards such topics that has lead to the copacetic condition of humanity in terms of racism, sexism etc. would it be boasting if I were to say that atleast our negativity is being eclectic and reaching new heights!
I write this article getting inspiration from one of the post, which criticized some actors supporting black lives matter. When they supposedly, were the ones endorsing fairness cream product.
Such acts of hypocrisy with such deep rooted vile, naïve, and evil thoughts make us far from the social animal that we are defined as.
