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In lugnet.starwars, Thomas Weigle writes:
> > Basically, your supposing that kids apply all races to the figs rather than
> > perceiving them as NOT representing all races.
>
> No, I'm supposing that kids don't give a rat's ass about race.
I don't think they perceive of it as "race" so much as they perceive of it as
they don't think it represents themselves.
> Kids play.
> It's we, the adults, who teach kids about race, or rather, skin color (given
> that we still are only one race, something we should perhaps also teach our
> kids...).
I agree that "racial" differences are extremely subjective and based on
appearance. We are all one race.
Cultural differences, which are real, often get associated with "race", just
to confuse things.
>
> > Part of that understanding is that people are NOT all the same in • appearance.
>
> Kids KNOW this already. They will know it as soon as they watch a Disney
> movie.
I think this is certainly more true today than when I was a kid. Since Lego
is not the only toy available, it is certainly of less of a concern (but I
still don't get why Duplo has a variety of skin tones and system doesn't
except they really didn't think about it when they originally designed
minifigs).
>
> > To say they are all the same is a political statement.
>
> Not if your toys don't claim to be realistic representations of the world.
Claiming such, intending such, and having it work out that way in reality are
not necessarily the same thing. To make my own position clearer, I don't
regard minifigs with a variety of skin tones any more or any less "political"
than having minifigs with one skin tone (i.e. I'm only using the term
political because others have).
>
> > Luke (Mark Hamill) is pale. Lando (Billy Dee Williams) is not. Yellow is
> > pale.
>
> Yellow is pale to YOU. That's part of the entire problem with this
> discussion: the subjectivity.
The yellow Lego has chosen is pale on a non-subjective basis: make a scale of
white on one end and black on the other with a smooth blend of gray from light
to dark in the middle. You'll find that yellow matches up on the lighter end
(try the artist's trick and squint a bit - it helps to remove the color).
However, keying on relative light and dark rather than hue IS subjective.
There is no real right - I understand the thought processes that produce
either result. I'm only trying to impart to others that there are other ways
of looking at things, and hopefully some greater understanding will result.
>
> > As to the political message, your in denial. It's the crux of the problem.
>
> Nope. But I have noticed that the projective side of the human nature can
> often grow to ridiculous proportions whenever people feel that politics
> might be involved.
I think I've explained my stand on "politics". One side projecting politics
onto the other contributes to the problem as much as anything.
>
> It's damn easy to project a political message into the Lego minifig
> you-can-have-any-color-you-want-as-long-as-it's-yellow approach, especially
> given Lego's country of origin.
I really don't think of it as political. Clueless, perhaps.
>
> If you want my take on choice of color: When Lego first started
> manufacturing representations of humans, they didn't have the capacity to
> produce bricks in more than, say, seven colors. Of all those, yellow was the
> only one that even remotely suggested human appearance (blue, green, white,
> red, gray & black all being too artificial). After a couple of years,
> technology did make a choice of color possible, but the instant recognition
> involved with Lego System minifigs was such a strong attribute of the brand
> that changing it would be outright stupid.
I think you are correct. Lego didn't mind starting over with Duplo, but felt
that changing the Lego Systems minifigs would be counter-productive.
>
> Now... Up to now, yellow has been used to represent HUMANS. But what should
> they do when they want to represent real people? Well, people suggest they
> should start dealing with multiple skin colors. Again, that would be totally
> moronic, given the instant brand recognition aspects involved with the
> yellow, smiley faced minifig (although they do have expressions these
> days...). Also, Lego System Star Wars don't inhabit a universe of its own.
> It lives right next to the city, rock raider, what-have-you sets.
I'm not sure it would be totally moronic - it could be a plus. But it would
be a risk, and businesses don't like risks they can avoid. Since Star Wars
Lego is already commited to yellow, I'd seem inappropriate to change horses in
mid-stream.
>
> By "avoiding" a better representation of skin color for their minifigs, Lego
> isn't sending out a political message, the only thing their saying is "hey,
> everybody knows & loves the minifig. We don't give a rat's ass about what's
> PC in your book, so just shut the f**k up & let your kids play with it."
>
> & that's it.
I rather doubt Lego would agree to anything you said in that statement at
all. Neither language, sentiment, nor the term "PC" (which would mean THEY
were raising the spector of politics, not the other side).
>
> > But YOU have made it a political debate just as much as anyone.
>
> In what way? Because I'm "in denial"?
>
> I'm sorry. You're wrong there.
>
> You can find political messages in anything, as long as you want to. That's
> the beauty of human imagination. Sometimes, though, I wish people would use
> it for better purposes.
"As much as anyone". I don't view any of this as political - I'm not the one
that raised that as part of the subject. But if having multi-hued minifigs is
political, then having one-hued minifigs is just as political, or non-
political. If you view having DSM as political, then let me apply your own
statement: You can find political messages in anything, as long as you want
to.
I'm not really even arguing in favor of Lego changing its all-yellow policy,
I'm only trying to get people to understand the concerns of those who might
not view all yellow as being truly raceless or desirable.
Bruce
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