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"The Magical Negro" in America
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komerican



Joined: 17 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:37 pm    Post subject: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

The LA times has an interesting article pointing out that white guilt over slavery explains the existence of "magical" blacks. It also shows, in my opinion, that the basis for multiculturalism in the West is simply particular to America's unfortunate history. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.

On the other hand, multiculturalism is used by whites to leverage this guilt in order to gain more power for themselves, so perhaps a modified form of this would be useful. Wink


http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-center

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture...He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist...He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history..."


Wikipedia defines the term "magic Negro".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro

The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them.[3] Although he has magical powers, his "magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white male character."
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nicholas_chiasson



Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Location: Samcheok

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish I had a magical negro
-I'm sorry I can't come up with anything better.
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ceesgetdegrees



Joined: 12 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:58 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

komerican wrote:
The LA times has an interesting article pointing out that white guilt over slavery explains the existence of "magical" blacks. It also shows, in my opinion, that the basis for multiculturalism in the West is simply particular to America's unfortunate history. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.

On the other hand, multiculturalism is used by whites to leverage this guilt in order to gain more power for themselves, so perhaps a modified form of this would be useful. Wink


http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-center

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture...He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist...He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history..."


Wikipedia defines the term "magic Negro".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro

The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them.[3] Although he has magical powers, his "magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white male character."



What is your point?
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ED209



Joined: 17 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:55 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

komerican wrote:
. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.


Don't know what you're saying here. Korea shouldn't have black people? Korea isn't guilty of slavery? Korea can continue to run its ignorance into the minds of it's younger generation so the pure blood master race will win out? What is your point?
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Smee



Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man, Korean-Americans are so interesting!
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kimchi_pizza



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Location: "Get back on the bus! Here it comes!"

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:04 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

komerican wrote:
The LA times has an interesting article pointing out that white guilt over slavery explains the existence of "magical" blacks. It also shows, in my opinion, that the basis for multiculturalism in the West is simply particular to America's unfortunate history. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.




Quote:
Korea
Indigenous slaves existed in Korea. Slavery was officially abolished with the Gabo Reform of 1894 but remained extant in reality until 1930. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392�1910) about 30% to 50% of the Korean population were slaves. Slavery was hereditary, as well as a form of legal punishment. There was a slave class with both government and privately owned slaves, and the government occasionally gave slaves to citizens of higher rank. Privately owned slaves could be inherited as personal property. During poor harvests and famine, many peasants would voluntarily become slaves in order to survive. In the case of private slaves they could buy their freedom.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery#Korea
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ceesgetdegrees



Joined: 12 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:05 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

ED209 wrote:
komerican wrote:
. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.


Don't know what you're saying here. Korea shouldn't have black people? Korea isn't guilty of slavery? Korea can continue to run its ignorance into the minds of it's younger generation so the pure blood master race will win out? What is your point?


Yeah...really weird trying to somehow tie in koreans relations with blacks from blacks stereotypical characterisations in mainstream films. It's a pretty weak trolling effort i think but lrets see if the op is capable of articulating whatever point he thinks he has a bit better.
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Underwaterbob



Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:30 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

kimchi_pizza wrote:
komerican wrote:
The LA times has an interesting article pointing out that white guilt over slavery explains the existence of "magical" blacks. It also shows, in my opinion, that the basis for multiculturalism in the West is simply particular to America's unfortunate history. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.




Quote:
Korea
Indigenous slaves existed in Korea. Slavery was officially abolished with the Gabo Reform of 1894 but remained extant in reality until 1930. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392�1910) about 30% to 50% of the Korean population were slaves. Slavery was hereditary, as well as a form of legal punishment. There was a slave class with both government and privately owned slaves, and the government occasionally gave slaves to citizens of higher rank. Privately owned slaves could be inherited as personal property. During poor harvests and famine, many peasants would voluntarily become slaves in order to survive. In the case of private slaves they could buy their freedom.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery#Korea


Since Koreans were enslaving themselves does that mean they see magical Koreans to assuage their minimal discomfort they feel for their role in this?
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rumdiary



Joined: 05 Jun 2006

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where would Morgan Freeman be without the role of The Magical Negro?
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Captain Corea



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:58 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

komerican wrote:
The LA times has an interesting article pointing out that white guilt over slavery explains the existence of "magical" blacks. It also shows, in my opinion, that the basis for multiculturalism in the West is simply particular to America's unfortunate history. The relevance for Koreans is that Koreans don't have and shouldn't have this "guilt" and hence no need for any action to "assuage" it.

On the other hand, multiculturalism is used by whites to leverage this guilt in order to gain more power for themselves, so perhaps a modified form of this would be useful. Wink


http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-center

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture...He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist...He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history..."


Wikipedia defines the term "magic Negro".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro

The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them.[3] Although he has magical powers, his "magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white male character."


You do know that there are multicultural countries other than the US right?
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Suwoner10



Joined: 10 Dec 2007

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You mean this guy?

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kimchi_pizza



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Location: "Get back on the bus! Here it comes!"

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:53 pm    Post subject: Re: "The Magical Negro" in America Reply with quote

Underwaterbob wrote:
Since Koreans were enslaving themselves does that mean they see magical Koreans to assuage their minimal discomfort they feel for their role in this?


That's kind of the point I'm making to the OP. The first word of the wikipassage is what? "Indeginous". Mankind has been enslaving others throughout human history and the creation of civilization and the need, no not "need", bad choice of words....want of forced, free labor. But I reckon most slaves were taken from other nations as war booty or a belief of racial and/or religious supriority. I can only think of a possible handful of countries that enslaved their own kind and Korea is one of them. Is that a worse evil? Well, that's up for discussion...

So a magical Korean? Sure, why not make'em the next character for a Lucky Charming cereal..."They're magically dericious!" (JOKE! There's my little jab at Korea for the month!)
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kabrams



Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Location: your Dad's house

PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I can only think of a possible handful of countries that enslaved their own kind and Korea is one of them. Is that a worse evil? Well, that's up for discussion...


Only a handful? Many countries enslaved their own citizens/people. Not to mention the modern slavery that happens in places like the United States everyday. No, I'm not talking about the sex trade, either. I mean physical, labor-based slavery.
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travel zen



Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Location: Good old Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a few questions..

- How man Americans (nowadays as opposed to 200 yrs ago) are apologetic about human slavery in America?

- How many Germans/Japanese feel apologetic about what happened a mere 60 years ago?

- I still don't understand how a black person can 'bail out' a white person because of the issue of slavery.

- Why should Koreans (or anyone) assuage the guilt (real or imagined) felt by anyone? How could an entire racial/cultural group feel guilt?

- What is so magical about a 'negro' bailing out a depressed 'white' person?

-What is a 'white' person? What crayola color do I need for that?

I have many more questions, but it seems like dude here is just taking an angry crack at 'black/dark brownish' people Rolling Eyes
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Pligganease



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: The deep south...

PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe his point is that Korean racism against blacks is OK since they didn't own black slaves in the US?
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