Monday, August 18, 2008

Sweating bullets



Can some one tell me who circulated the idea that black people have some internal cooling system? At least ten people this summer have asked me whether I truly felt hot on hot days, and some people have come straight out and told me I have "no right" to feel hot because I am black. I never heard of this before now. What gives?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Basically they confuse the anti-ultraviolet-radiation protection your melanin provides with a cooling system (all the opposite, as this radiation is converted into extra heat).

Or going into the stupid side... "After all you come from hot Africa so you must stand it better". Or something else, go figure.

Camille Acey said...

Yeah someone did mention something about African people being "used to it", and my slapping hand got itchy. Thank the Lord for anger management...Actually I was more annoyed and confused than anything else.

Anthrophile said...

"No right?" Seriously? Seriously?

Possibly because they are a collection of f*ckwitted f*cktards, pardon my lack of patience and kindness?

Hopefully that was a good-natured joking thing that just doesn't come across in print?

Anonymous said...

Damn! The stupid is strong.

Anonymous said...

*Blink*Stare*Blink* Wow! How do you continue a serious conversation with someone after they've said foolishness like that?

Thank goodness for your anger management skills.

Anonymous said...

ive been down this road and its an ugly one
people just dont know
they just dont know

Anthrophile said...

*still highly annoyed*

I like to think one could counter people like this by rolling my eyes and going "I AM a HUMAN BEING, you know." In an attempt to shame them silent.

But it might not work.

Lisa said...

Wow. Just...wow.

Laura said...

I've heard people say similar things to me in Kolkata - in my case, a few Bengalis have assumed that, because I'm white, I'm not able to tolerate the heat as well. I was quick to point out that I grew up in Miami, which is only a few degrees north of Kolkata, and actually feel a lot more comfortable in hot climate than even moderately cool ones.

The response - I'm wrong! Apparently we're all genetically programmed to only tolerate one kind of climate. I always thought that was just a myth to support theories of racial superiority! Go figure...

Anonymous said...

Just ask them if they can walk around in a bikini or a t-shirt when it's -10 degrees celcius.
Ask them why they own coats. Shouldn't need one right?

gs said...

Thats got to be some backwoods wives tales, kind of like how some people think albinos posess magical powers or that people with ginger hair have no souls... i've actually heard these absurd things... ignorance is wasted energy...we've got to do better.