Kia Matthews: "Get out of my life. This pseudo well-meaning 'white fascination' with 'how black people use' Facebook or Twitter is akin to people being fascinated by a rare species in its natural habitat. Maybe I should set up an observation room with 4 walls of windows so people can come watch 5 to 7 black youths using Twitter and Facebook on their Sidekicks."
Diorama!
The Awl is now responding to Tumblr posts? **sigh**
It was research for their upcoming "How Black People Use Tumblr" post.
Tumblr is on the Internet too! (And her Tumblr is actually really awesome.)
Awlcist!
Brian, please.
Oh no Choire you've been randomly harshed on by Tumblr.
Well, Choire, you were kind of asking for this sort of response.
So, great. Now that you've ruined that conversation, I'll never know how to tell if I'm hittin' it right.
Me neither. If you look up uainthittinitright on Wikipedia, it asks you: "Did you mean antitrinitarian?"
It would be better for everyone if black people and white people just lived in some sort of separate--but equal-- spaces.
Like MySpace and Facebook?
"well-meaning?" ha ha. NOW who's misinterpreting the intentions of another race?
Why's she assuming you're white?
Totally valid point. There are tons of black and Asian dudes named "Choire." Also, Choire has a picture on this site, in which he appears as a white dude. Of course, that could just be an *avatar*.
*blinks*
i learned as much about black culture from reading past midnight black people's tweets as i learned about japanese culture from looking at their porn online.
the internet has truly expanded my cultural horizons.
nebbishy?
The whole "fascination with species in it's natural habitat" isn't really that far off. As Choire said in the other post, our bubbles have gotten so small because our other social networks require us to be 'friends' with the people who's life we encounter. the only problem with being fascinated by late night black people twitter topics is that it so blatantly reveals that I live a life where I hang out mostly with people who look like me and/or have similar interests as me, although not necessarily on purpose. I wouldn't say it's patronizing to be be curious and think it's kind of great that there are other people in the world who are doing funny things that you wouldn't encounter on a regular basis.
didn't this Tumblrer (does this work?) see the #raceisasocialconstruct tag!?
but really, who knows, maybe I'm a blathering racist.
I feel like this blog is making me more stupid. Apparently any mention of theAwl in any, I mean *any* other place is worthy of another post.
NEVER LEAVE.
i'm sorry, i'm not sure i understand. i don't read jewish tweets or look at jewish porn, but i think your comment was a great introduction to jewish culture for me.
i can't wait to blog about it!
Yes, but -- to make a taboo of noting and expressing interest in (constructed) racial differences isn't necessarily helpful. And that post is not the only example of that phenomenon -- college taught me to censor every impulse of "hey! different!"
Maybe a tone of bemusement in that post seemed pejorative, but the hashtag in question WAS "u ain't hittin' it right."
People who tweet are the social construct here.
Wait so how does one earn the right to observe black internet culture?
Because to say that it does not exists simply isn't true. So, if Choire isn't allowed, should one of the women of color (Choi or I or Emily) published our observations? Or would commenting of the social networking styles of other groups just enhance their Othered-ness and make us fetishizers?
Not sure how the credential process works around here.
I read nothing pejorative in Choire's post (in fact it was pretty nuanced and done in totally fun spirit "Of oh hey! People email each other about this so let's just talk about it responsible way!" )
Different cultures use social networking and mass communications in different ways. -- well beyond this one particular hashtag.
Also, arg, when will race stop being the third rail? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, why isn't Choire on tumblr?
Agreeing! And also wondering! What color is Emily?
What color is the color of THE CHOSEN?
Peach!
oops, should have refreshed before commenting. let's try again:
scratch n sniff peach!
Does this mean we don't get a post about Wendy Williams saying "wisdomatically" today when referring to Maya Angelou?
Stuff Black People Hate About Stuff White People Like About Stuff Black People Tweet
You guys. It's not the observation that bothers me. It's most certainly an interesting observation.
It's the "fascination" that I don't like. It's a weird thing to explain. It like "aww, how cute, they have their own little world." I dunno, I suppose it's one of those things that's impossible to talk about and NOT sound just a little bit racist.
To be honest, it was that Black People on Facebook thing that sent me over the edge. Not Natasha's posting of it, rather its existence. I wouldn't be surprised to find that a black person was behind that blog, actually.
Kia!!! <3
Hmm ... I definitely feel what Kia is talking about here. It's like if you're white and you're always asking your black friends things about being black or black culture or whatever, and it's like, if they're your friends, they're your friends, not your "black friends," so back off already and see the whole person in front of you.
On the other hand, so much of what is cool and great and good in American culture generally has been received, begged, borrowed, or stolen from the American black community, so the general fascination with African American language and culture is understandable, maybe? (Even if we realize its a multicolored quilt composed of many groups and subgroups, and ultimately individual people, and not a monolithic thing?) As long as it's a shared fascination with black culture because it's generally a source of good things, not because it's "black-other-ohlala" thing?
Or is it OK for a person who is not black to be fascinated, as long as he restrains himself in public discourse? In other words, is it uniformly offensive when white people, no matter how sensitive or educated, attempt to write about or comment on black culture?
Sorry, but when there are 25 children in the Apple store during school hours, people ask questions. Perhaps whitey is trying to figure out where your next flash mob will be?