Why do many japanese want to have white skin?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

I'm sorry but that's a huge and completely unscientific conclusion you've jumped to. You're going to have to define what constitutes a pure bloodline and then give me an example of a nation which is "pure" for me to understand that.

Again... There is no measurable physical or genetic difference between a Han Chinese, Korean or a Japanese. This is a scientific fact whether you believe otherwise or not.



I think we do... and I think that these distinctions come under the regional tendencies I was talking about.

I am not a scientist, so any conclusion I come up with will be unscietific.

That being said, Japan was closed off to foreigners until a few generations ago, so there was, and in many ways still is a "pure blood line" in terms that you had a group of people that went for many generations without any outside genepool mixing.

Again, I don't know how you can say there is no "measurable difference" where gene and DNA science is so knew. That's like saying there is no measurable different between a Korean and African brain. Well, just because we don't have the tools doesn't mean there isn't a difference.

Kenyans don't "tend to" be black. They are black. Japanese don't "tend to" have black hair. They have black hair.

I am not quite sure what you are getting at.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not a scientist, so any conclusion I come up with will be unscietific.

That being said, Japan was closed off to foreigners until a few generations ago, so there was, and in many ways still is a "pure blood line" in terms that you had a group of people that went for many generations without any outside genepool mixing.

Again, I don't know how you can say there is no "measurable difference" where gene and DNA science is so knew. That's like saying there is no measurable different between a Korean and African brain. Well, just because we don't have the tools doesn't mean there isn't a difference.

Kenyans don't "tend to" be black. They are black. Japanese don't "tend to" have black hair. They have black hair.

I am not quite sure what you are getting at.

There is no difference between a Korean and a Kenyan. The differences are literally skin deep for the most part. (As for your brain example. Are you suggesting the brain of an African and an Asian are different?)

Between Japan and Korea there aren't even physical differences as they are so close together.

If you remember I said that any tendencies were vast (i.e. continental) and not consistent (skin colour actually varies in shades within all so called races).

THAT is what I'm saying.

And all Japan's isolation suggests is that there may be less variation WITHIN the Japanese population. Not that they are different as a whole with say their Korean or Chinese neighbours.

[Fire_Girl625]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

There is no difference between a Korean and a Kenyan. The differences are literally skin deep for the most part. (As for your brain example. Are you suggesting the brain of an African and an Asian are different?)

Between Japan and Korea there aren't even physical differences as they are so close together.

If you remember I said that any tendencies were vast (i.e. continental) and not consistent (skin colour actually varies in shades within all so called races).

THAT is what I'm saying.

And all Japan's isolation suggests is that there may be less variation WITHIN the Japanese population. Not that they are different as a whole with say their Korean or Chinese neighbours.

Acctualy, there IS a noteable difference. Japanese facial details are more caucasian-like than their Chinese and Korean neighboors. They have more of a bridge to their nose, and thinner faces. They still do have Asian eyes, and their noses don't protrude out as much as european noses, but they are noteably different from other asians.

The facial structure of the different "Races" are noteably different, even within such groups. For example, an Italian person and a German person are both white. However, the Italian has a noteably darker skin tone, dark hair, dark eyes, usualy different nose shape, and are typicaly shorter. Germans are pale skinned, taller (Not always, though), and usualy have lighter hair and eyes. Changes in our facial anatomy were probably made to either survive (It's less sunny in Germany, which is why germans are paler and have lighter eyes than Italians) Or possibly to attract mates (I've heard one or two people say that the reason Asians have such different eyes is an evolutionary trait to become more attractive, and since those with these unique eye shapes had more mates, eventualy that trait stretched to all of Asia)

The brain it's self probably doesn't change, but the mindset and method of thinking do change from culture to culture, and is probably why there are so many unique cultures out there.

[Jax]

Originally Posted by Fire_Girl625

Acctualy, there IS a noteable difference. Japanese facial details are more caucasian-like than their Chinese and Korean neighboors. They have more of a bridge to their nose, and thinner faces. They still do have Asian eyes, and their noses don't protrude out as much as european noses, but they are noteably different from other asians.

The facial structure of the different "Races" are noteably different, even within such groups. For example, an Italian person and a German person are both white. However, the Italian has a noteably darker skin tone, dark hair, dark eyes, usualy different nose shape, and are typicaly shorter. Germans are pale skinned, taller (Not always, though), and usualy have lighter hair and eyes. Changes in our facial anatomy were probably made to either survive (It's less sunny in Germany, which is why germans are paler and have lighter eyes than Italians) Or possibly to attract mates (I've heard one or two people say that the reason Asians have such different eyes is an evolutionary trait to become more attractive, and since those with these unique eye shapes had more mates, eventualy that trait stretched to all of Asia)

The brain it's self probably doesn't change, but the mindset and method of thinking do change from culture to culture, and is probably why there are so many unique cultures out there.

Hey, im kinda new to JF. i find your reasoning interesting, however i think you are being presumptuous to assume 'facts' such as Japanese people generally look more Caucasian german vs. italian etc. While there is indeed noticeable genetic discrepancy between Japanese and say Korean/Chinese due to centuries of geographical isolation, it is imprudent to make wide sweeping generalisations such as 'japanese have thinnner faces' without having seen the empirical facts.

also, 'asian eyes' or more accurately the epicanthic fold is commonly believed to have evolved due to the need to survival in a particular environment. Not for any fashionable, cultural or aesthetic reason.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

There is no difference between a Korean and a Kenyan. The differences are literally skin deep for the most part. (As for your brain example. Are you suggesting the brain of an African and an Asian are different?)

Line up 100 Koreans and 100 Kenyans and I guarantee you I can pick out who is from which country pretty accurately.

No differences? Really?

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Between Japan and Korea there aren't even physical differences as they are so close together.

If you remember I said that any tendencies were vast (i.e. continental) and not consistent (skin colour actually varies in shades within all so called races).

THAT is what I'm saying.

I say there are signifigant differences between Korean and Japanese physicalities. You say there is no genentic difference. Fine. I can see a difference, though. Just like I can see a difference between Kenyans and Koreans.

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

And all Japan's isolation suggests is that there may be less variation WITHIN the Japanese population. Not that they are different as a whole with say their Korean or Chinese neighbours.

All three groups look different to me, so either I am crazy, or there is something different.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

Line up 100 Koreans and 100 Kenyans and I guarantee you I can pick out who is from which country pretty accurately.

No differences? Really?



I say there are signifigant differences between Korean and Japanese physicalities. You say there is no genentic difference. Fine. I can see a difference, though. Just like I can see a difference between Kenyans and Koreans.



All three groups look different to me, so either I am crazy, or there is something different.

Of course there is a difference between a Korean and a Kenyan and that is because (I'll repeat it again) there ARE regional tendencies but these tendencies are vast BUT for the most part ONLY skin deep. The difference between an African and an Asian is due to the distance between Africa and Asia.

As for you being able to tell the difference between a Japanese and a Korean... I don't think you're crazy... I'm sure there are cultural things you could pick up on. For example if I saw an Asian wearing a baseball shirt I would assume Japanese for the simple fact that baseball is big in Japan. But I seriously doubt you could tell the difference if 100 Japanese and Koreans were lined up naked in front of you. Even if you scored highly in such a test, if you couldn't score 100% (like I would imagine you would score if such a test involved Koreans and Africans) it would prove my point.

Anyway... what I just typed reminded me of the compromise we came to the last time we discussed this.

The fact that Japanese were isolated for quite a while MIGHT (I'm stressing the "might" because I'm now jumping to conclusions) make them less varied in appearance than say their continental neighbours... therefore physically more distinguishable as a nation.

This was the compromise we made last time no?

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Fire_Girl625

Acctualy, there IS a noteable difference. Japanese facial details are more caucasian-like than their Chinese and Korean neighboors. They have more of a bridge to their nose, and thinner faces. They still do have Asian eyes, and their noses don't protrude out as much as european noses, but they are noteably different from other asians.

I'm sorry but that is complete baseless bullsh-t.

I've seen plenty of wide-eyed Chinese with angular features as well as plenty of Japanese with flat noses and chubby faces.

Also I wouldn't compare Germans and Italians with Japanese and Korean. I'd say a better comparison would be Swedes and Fins.. but I suppose my overall point is that the lines are blurry unless you look at it from a continental perspective. But even then it's relative.

[Paul11]

I haven't read the whole thread, so I don't know if this is a new idea but ...

Many cultures do that to imitate the privelidged or royal caste/strata. they have lighter skin in most cultures because they don't do outside or manual labor. Sam thing as long fingernails, which is sign of aristocracy, because they don't work, so long nails aren't an encumbrance. Others grow long nails to look classy. same idea. Ever notice how the cosmopolitan of every nation have disrespectful terms for countryside folk and deride them as less, well, urbane and cosmopolitan?

[sparklyninja]

I've never rly got the whole cool thing with white skin. Like mine is freaky white, ppl think Im like an albino. And I look like a reflex in the sun.



I mean it no fun in the summer. I dont get why ppl like it so much. It's kinda fun in the winter though, cuz I cn look rly goth. But otherwise no, all my friends have got beautiful complexion. Except for me

[Fire_Girl625]

Originally Posted by sparklyninja

I've never rly got the whole cool thing with white skin. Like mine is freaky white, ppl think Im like an albino. And I look like a reflex in the sun.



I mean it no fun in the summer. I dont get why ppl like it so much. It's kinda fun in the winter though, cuz I cn look rly goth. But otherwise no, all my friends have got beautiful complexion. Except for me

I remember how mine used to do that when I went out after winter months when I was a kid XD I used to compare it to the moon.

I'm so pale, in some places, expecialy those that never see light, my skin is kinda translucent. You can see on my chest, and the skin on my fingers turn red when I spin around in my office chair and all the blood runs to them.