...tus. Who we are does not depend on the ethnic group we belong to, but from time immemorial people are divided according to their color of skin. They are divided into those “better” and “worse”, and what is truly unjust they can not do anything about it.
In Marston Bates’ essay there is raised a problem of having “wrong skin color” . What does it mean “wrong”? Inappropriate? Unsuitable? But for what? It is the fact that a great Black writer, actor, etc. would have more difficulties in achieving success and respect than an average White writer or actor. It is hardly understandable that the color of complexion is so important factor in judging the people.
There are also contradictions in names of Whites and Blacks. When we are thinking about white color we see snow, milk, lilies, etc. But as Marston Bates says “ermine may be white, but not people” . I would say that “leucoderms” are rather pinkish than white. On the other hand when we imagine black color, in our minds we have coal, raven or the night sky. Meanwhile there is no completely black man on our planet. “Melanoderms” (it is name suggested by Bates for the Negroes) are brownish. Some of them have a very dark complexion, some others- rather pale.
Very common connotation with black and white is the connotation of good and evil, where white is innocent and black is harmful. When we think about pink or brown we do not associate them with good or evil. But most often used names for those two ethnic groups (Blacks/ Whites) are imposing so mistaken associations, and there is no intention to change them, because human mentality does not have an ability to accept easily new things.
When we are talking about tints, it is well known that black mixed with white give grey. Grey is a color between black and white and is c...