Posted on: 20-04-05 09:34:54
For those of you who saw the Amazing Race segment on India, Any comments?
I thought that they could have shown India in a better way rather than going with the stereotypes. And what is with the shaving your head thing? They have it in every segment on India.
Lastly when will our fascination with the white skin end? Why do we tend to treat Caucasians like Gods when they are in India ?
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I have only 2 cents to contribute, not a cent more, not a cent less ;-)
Black wants to become white(Micheal Jackson). Brown wants to become black(Like Beyonce & Usher). White wants to become brown(Tanning).
This Fascination for white skin is not just restricted to India, I have seen this with Indians in Canada also.
Not to name the location I have seen in atleast 2 companies in the border of Mississauga/Brampton, where desis would go out all the way during the break to buy coffee for their white sahibs(supervisors) from the nearest Tim Hortons. The supervisors were treated like somebody special, like we were trained to treat the british a few hundred years ago.
OLD HABITS DIE HARD ?
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Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....
"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"
Quote:
Orginally posted by shankaracharya
Not to name the location I have seen in atleast 2 companies in the border of Mississauga/Brampton, where desis would go out all the way during the break to buy coffee for their white sahibs(supervisors) from the nearest Tim Hortons. The supervisors were treated like somebody special, like we were trained to treat the british a few hundred years ago.
OLD HABITS DIE HARD ?
I'm surprised something like this happens in Canada in the year 2005. When will our folks come out of this.
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SS
Reiki Grand Master
If above actions are meant just to please and gain favors, keeping some kind of inferiority in oneself, then I find this a pathetic approach.
100 Years of slavery has put this "White is Better" complex in our Blood. 
It is not just limited to Indians deferring to Goras. Pick up any Indian newspaper and glance through the Matrimonial columns
"Tall Fair and slim girl wanted...."
"Fair and Smart Boy currently......"
"Wanted Fair Brahmin..."
I mean, wanting to buy a dog, cat or horse of a certain color is one thing but this is too much.
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Microsoft - Which end of the stick do you want today?
Quote:
Orginally posted by my2cents
For those of you who saw the Amazing Race segment on India, Any comments?
I thought that they could have shown India in a better way rather than going with the stereotypes. And what is with the shaving your head thing? They have it in every segment on India.
Lastly when will our fascination with the white skin end? Why do we tend to treat Caucasians like Gods when they are in India ?
I'm not sure if this is such a big deal. I saw the show and yeah, they could've shown some large multinational with a fancy cafe and a gym, a five star hotel, some funky night clubs and cars in Mumbai. Instead they showed dusty and crowded streets, rickshaws, animals on the road etc etc.
But hey, that's what the show's about and that's how they get ratings. They want to portray "India the mystical", not "India the we-have-everything-you-have-in-the-west".
And what's wrong with shaving the head? It is an ancient Hindu custom practised in many parts of India (most prominently at Tirupati), it symbolizes a human being sacrificing physical beauty to follow a higher path. Why should we feel embarassed about that?
I do agree that treating foreigners like Gods is still pretty common in India and that sucks, but whatever! There's nothing anyone can do to make that mentality go away, it will go away on its own gradually with globalization. Its just a question of exposure. A brand new desi in Canada is likely to be enchanted by lighter skin tones, however that attitude fades away after a while on its own (at least in most cases).
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Are you there?
What is the show about?
Anyways I agree our treatment of foreigners of the fairer variety is something to behold. There is a point at which it stops being hospitality and much closer to what Desitiger said.
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I once made a mistake, but I was wrong about it.
