Unsure if racist

[lacktheknack]

There's a big controversy going down on Youtube. Well, as big as a video-specific controversy gets.

Apparently, this video is racist.

<youtube=HGH-4jQZRcc>

It never struck me that an Asian man painted blue and depicted performing voodoo would be immediately tagged as "racist", especially considering that they could have gone a much worse route (ie. used an unpainted Haitian or such instead) when they wanted to include the use of voodoo in their video. What do you think? Is it too ambiguous, or cut-and-dry? Should they have skipped the voodoo entirely?

 

[twistedmic]

I can kind of see how some people might think that the paint used for the voo-doo guy was too close to black face for comfort ,especially since the paint looks closer to black than blue on my computer.

 

[DoPo]

especially since the paint looks closer to black than blue on my computer.

Yeah, same - looks rather black here, if OP didn't mention it I wouldn't call it blue. With that said, what is racist about that? Even if they used an actual black guy doing actual voodoo, how would that be racist? The video has a church chorus of while people - is that racist too? Because I somehow fail to see discrimination in all of this.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

I don't find it racist at all.. /:s

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

Well, if you're looking for it, it certainly looks like quite the "where the white women at" situation. Clearly black dude chasing after a very white woman and using fucking voodoo on her. It has quite the unfortunate implications, especially since white vs. black seems to be the color scheme of the video.

Spoiler: search your feelings knack, you know it to be true

 

[lacktheknack]

Well, if you're looking for it, it certainly looks like quite the "where the white women at" situation. Clearly black dude chasing after a very white woman and using fucking voodoo on her. It has quite the unfortunate implications, especially since white vs. black seems to be the color scheme of the video.

Spoiler: search your feelings knack, you know it to be true

[/spoiler][/QUOTE]

I love that gif so hard.

Although, one could make the argument that it's good vs. evil, seeing that black and white are common colors for that. There's also the point that, while the voodoo guy is dark, he's still Asian (not black) and painted blue (not black). The all-white chorus is suspect, though.

As I said, unsure...

 

[lacktheknack]

especially since the paint looks closer to black than blue on my computer.

Yeah, same - looks rather black here, if OP didn't mention it I wouldn't call it blue. With that said, what is racist about that? Even if they used an actual black guy doing actual voodoo, how would that be racist? The video has a church chorus of while people - is that racist too? Because I somehow fail to see discrimination in all of this.

Theoretically, it would be painting black people in a bad light as being evil and superstitious. But I don't get that vibe from the video either.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

Well, if you're looking for it, it certainly looks like quite the "where the white women at" situation. Clearly black dude chasing after a very white woman and using fucking voodoo on her. It has quite the unfortunate implications, especially since white vs. black seems to be the color scheme of the video.

Spoiler: search your feelings knack, you know it to be true

[/spoiler][/QUOTE]

I love that gif so hard.

Although, one could make the argument that it's good vs. evil, seeing that black and white are common colors for that. There's also the point that, while the voodoo guy is dark, he's still Asian (not black) and painted blue (not black). The all-white chorus is suspect, though.

As I said, unsure...[/quote]
You have a solid point there, which is probably the point the creators (honestly I should use a better term than that) intended. Personally I think that's probably what they were going for as well but you know...[spoiler="haters gonna hate"][img src="http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/255/638/690.gif"][/spoiler]
It can clearly be seen to be racist if you're looking for it. That doesn't mean it is racist, it's only racist if it actually reflects a racist idea, though black versus white color schemes are often interpreted as such. I think it's pretty cool, though somewhat confusing. I like confusing.

 

[Dwarfman]

That's actually a really awesome song. I like. Thanks for sharing.

As for racial depictions. I think people need to grow a thicker skin. Potentially anything and everything we see, do, listen or say is going to be offensive to someone in some way. The question that needs to be asked is whether the creator intended to evoke those emotions and why?

The music clip is clearly very thought provoking and its in your face nature blends well with the primal rhythm of the music. That being said I can't see how any of that reflects a rascist attitude.

 

[alandavidson]

The video is incredibly weird, but I don't see it as racist.

Also, the captcha seems to be obsessed with hobby horses recently...

 

[Olas]

Reminds of the scene in Birth of a Nation when the girl commits suicide to get away from the black man who wants to rape her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEznh2JZvrI&t=131m9s

Basically same thing except it's an asian wearing black makeup not a white actor.

 

[varulfic]

Haven't seen the video, but Florence and the Machine are awesome.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

No, it's not racist. It's just another music video trying too hard to be "edgy." In other words, it's stupid.

Also, that music sucked. Big time.

 

[manic_depressive13]

That video is incredibly offensive. Just look at the product placement at 3:29.

Shameless.

 

[Risingblade]

People of youtube are stupid, very very stupid. This song is awesome.

 

[Samus Aran but a man]

The treatment of physics is the most offensive part

 

[Gennadios]

Yeah, after the blueface, reddish lips, and voodoo parallels, it's looking quite a bit like minstrelsy. The video would get nowhere near that much attention if they just put a black guy in the voodoo role.

Not that I'm offended or anything, but I can see why people who care about that sort of stuff would be.

 

[lacktheknack]

The treatment of physics is the most offensive part

You're telling me that falling for a whole minute and crashing through a magically vanishing skylight into the arms of a boys' choir isn't as survivable as the video shows?

SAY IT AIN'T SO!

 

[urahara75]

Simple answer: yes, sort of.

The creative/visual director(s) of this video should have hot pokers held to his/her/their palms for such an extremely sophomoric oversight (and this me giving Florence and the Machine the maximum allotted amount of benefit of the doubt).