How does this forum full of young left-wing whites define "blackness"?

[Potus]

Responses are not limited to the young lefty whites.

We had a class discussion about Ferguson that transitioned into a broader conversation about race. There was this sort of assumed definition of blackness held by different classmates. Really, any disagreement was based on a fundamental disagreement on what it means to be black.

[TJ in Oregon]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

[Potus]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

Do you believe there is a cultural definition of "blackness"?

[TJ in Oregon]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

Do you believe there is a cultural definition of "blackness"?

Yes, there is a cultural understanding of "blackness" as a cultural identity and set of customs. But, it is still a term regarding ethnicity, much like there is a cultural understanding of "Irish-Americanness" or "Italian-Americanness". Those definitions are also first and foremost ethnic terms. No matter what cultural behaviors I adopt I will never be black or an Italian-American.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

Do you believe there is a cultural definition of "blackness"?

Yes, there is a cultural understanding of "blackness" as a cultural identity and set of customs. But, it is still a term regarding ethnicity, much like there is a cultural understanding of "Irish-Americanness" or "Italian-Americanness". Those definitions are also first and foremost ethnic terms. No matter what cultural behaviors I adopt I will never be black or an Italian-American.

Huh?  "Blackness" is nothing but a stupid and ignorant stereotype.

[ingemann]

Shouldn't we (non-Black people) leave the defination of blackness to the Black people themselves?

[memphis]

Full of left wingers? Lolwut? The Atlas is an endless freemarket pro-capital echo chamber.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

"Blackness"?  Like I think there are any real divides outside of class and income.  I would say there is a certain urban/hip-hop culture... but that's not necessarily black.

[Padfoot]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

^^^^^

This.  Plus one must also self-identify with being black and/or be perceived as black by society.  There are a decent number of people out there of African descent whose skin is fair enough that they could potentially be perceived as white.  Race is almost entirely a social construct that depends solely on the "rules" of the society you live in.  American definitions of race differ wildly from racial definitions in other nations. 

[RR1997]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

[ingemann]

Full of left wingers? Lolwut? The Atlas is an endless freemarket pro-capital echo chamber.

Yes it's that, but it's also bleeding heart with the whole minority issues.

[ingemann]

Of African native descent.

It gets a little blurry when dealing with North African Arabs or what fraction of descent is required to be considered black.

^^^^^

This.  Plus one must also self-identify with being black and/or be perceived as black by society.  There are a decent number of people out there of African descent whose skin is fair enough that they could potentially be perceived as white.  Race is almost entirely a social construct that depends solely on the "rules" of the society you live in.  American definitions of race differ wildly from racial definitions in other nations. 

Yes, people say that and I agree, but the same people who say that the highest still try to force race outside USA into a American dichotomy, let's take PBS's "Black in Latin America" where Henry Louis Gates jr. try to force a American view of race down over the Dominican and Haitian relationship, and portray the Dominicans as self hating Black people.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

[ingemann]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

... yes....?

...I would love to read, whether that had anything to do with defining blackness or if it was a comment on my post.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

... yes....?

...I would love to read, whether that had anything to do with defining blackness or if it was a comment on my post.

It means that there's little point in trying to "define" it.

[ingemann]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

... yes....?

...I would love to read, whether that had anything to do with defining blackness or if it was a comment on my post.

It means that there's little point in trying to "define" it.

I agree to some degree, because ethnicity are often like porn, it's hard to define, but we know it when we see it. But that doesn't mean that there is not value in trying to create the defination. Of course I happen to think that such attempt should be left to the ethnicity, as we other tend to define other ethnicities as how they differ from our own and are often not able to define it on the points a ethnicity thinks are important for them as a group.

[politicus]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

... yes....?

...I would love to read, whether that had anything to do with defining blackness or if it was a comment on my post.

It means that there's little point in trying to "define" it.

Depends how interested you are in Atlas as a "subculture". Social constructs are a constant negotiation and  it is potentially interesting how we as a group define a concept like blackness compared to how other groups and society at large do it, since the forum is so unrepresentative.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Ethnicity is a social construct.

... yes....?

...I would love to read, whether that had anything to do with defining blackness or if it was a comment on my post.

It means that there's little point in trying to "define" it.

Depends how interested you ar in Atlas as a "subculture". Social constructs are a constant negotiation and  it is potentially interesting how we as a group define a concept like blackness compared to how other groups and society at large do it, since the forum is so unrepresentative.

Well, I guess the point was that I'm not really interested in providing a definition myself for a blatant social construct "blackness". Didn't want to imply that examining how others define it isn't interesting. It's actually always the first step in combating stereotypes.

[All Along The Watchtower]

If you're asking if Obama is a black, then yes.

[Badger]

Poorly.

[Replicator]

All I want to say is that South Carolina elected a black man to the senate. So much for the liberal myth of racism. Nanananananah!!!!!