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Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

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601–610 of 898 posts

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#601

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but suggesting that racism is only racism when the government does it too is a first. I think you've misunderstood this post. This is less like a "white's only" restaurant, and more like an Italian food restaurant. It's supporting a cultural niche, not excluding another.

Now I’m European, so maybe I’m not in the right cultural mindset for this, but your comparison really highlights what is problematic for me: based on someone’s skin colour you are determining their culture/heritage. What does a Nigerian have in common with a Jamaican, apart from the melatonin in their skin? Why would they have similar tastes in media?

> based on someone’s skin colour you are determining their culture/heritage. What does a Nigerian have in common with a Jamaican, apart from the melatonin in their skin?

Based on their skin color, they are treated the same way by much of society. They are often compelled, for safety and for just day-to-day peace from racism, to live in the same neighborhoods, go to the same schools, eat at the same restaurants, visit the same websites (where they don't have to read racist comments), play the same online games (ditto), etc. - heck, you can't even watch porn without encountering endless racist portrayals based on skin color. So people with 'black' skin have many common experiences.

Also, market segments don't have to be perfectly defined. We can always find flaws - no two people are alike; no one person is exactly alike from one day to the next.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#602
post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's precisely the trouble. In NI, when someone ask you if you are Catholic or Protestant and you answer you are Danish, they leave you alone. In the US on the other hand, you get dragged in no matter what. If you are from Nigeria you still get thrown in with regular "African Americans". That has interesting results, because for university admission purposes, black is black. However, amongst Nigerian immigrants edu…

Thanks! Made it even clearer what the problem in the US is, i lived for >1.5 y in Tanzania Kenya Rwanda and Namibia, and the Culture (Food, Music, Cloth, TV, Soap-operas, Religion etc) is so vastly different as if you would compare Iceland to South Italy. I think it terrible what the US is heading too (equalizing culture with skin-color)

Most African-Americans, particularly the descendants of slaves, have essentially been forced through a cultural funnel to become a new thing. Up until retail DNA testing, the average AA person would have no idea if their ancestors were from Angola or Sudan or Zimbabwe. Teaching ancestral language and culture was generally forbidden. People from a vast set of backgrounds were forced together. Sometimes bred against their will. We are not "heading to" equating culture with skin color, we did it as a matter of policy centuries ago. And it's produced an incredibly vibrant culture at that. African-Americans are arguably the most significant cultural force in the world through music and entertainment.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#603
post #551

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Majority of Black Americans are a distinct shared cultural group, like Hispanic folk, who come in many different pigments, also like Hispanic folk, who also tend to have an identifiable manner of speaking and protocol, also like Hispanic folk.

The problem is that while "hispanic" indicates a linguistic origin, "black" (like "white") indicates a physical trait - having skin pigment past an arbitrary threshold of darkness/lightness. You can be black and hispanic, or white and hispanic. You can't be a white black american, even if that accurately describes your skin and culture respectively. Also, you're problematically lumping all sorts of people who happen…

No, Black culture is not simply about skin tone.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#604
post #2

“X for black people” sounds so bizarre to me(non-American). The cultural divide between the people must be insane.

These guys don't deserve to have their launch thread turned into the Nth copy, for extremely large N, of a same-old flamewar. That's what you started here, and it was entirely predictable from your comment, which means you broke the site guidelines. Please review them and stick to the rules. This kind of thing is nasty and avoidable.

"Eschew flamebait. Avoid generic tangents."

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#605

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh my, buddy, you had it even worse than the yanks did. Have you ever had an apology from your state for the serfdom, any reparations? The Atlantic empire enslaved people different by color, language, religion and used them as a tool for centuries. Now, they are attempting to fix it. The Rus' enslaved people of it's own creed, skin color and religion. Made them property as well. But, when serfdom cracked, everyone wa…

>Oh my, buddy, you had it even worse than the yanks did. Have you ever had an apology from your state for the serfdom, any reparations? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution Condescending to others about their own country's history is not a good look.

How does the OR even relates to a person not getting the race relations of the USA?

I elaborated my view by pointing out their version of slavery was shushed and never addressed with. The descendants never draw conclusions from their own history, failing to understand what's the deal with USA at their current timeline.

Looks like you're unaware of the https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_Revolution which steamrolled the foothold for hacks taking over (the October Revolution).

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#606

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You make it sound like segregation end... the last few years, and especially the state voting laws passed in the past year, show that while it may not be explicit law anymore, it is still certainly what a lot of people are fighting to do in any way possible. I (as a middle age white male) WANT people to be thinking about because it's still happening 24/7, and people who aren't bigoted should be aware and pushing back…

It's not though is it? "black people" are not a cultural group are they?

They very, very much are.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#608

I'm Russian and, probably, I don't really understand the situation with race in US. But I think that MLK was fighting against this "X for black people" thing. (X == buses, schools, shops, etc). Isn't it racism and segregation?

> 'm Russian and, probably, I don't really understand the situation with race in US.

Correct.

> But I think that MLK was fighting against this "X for black people" thing.

No, Dr. King was not fighting against Black-founded commercial services attempting to serve the particular interests of Black consumer. But, that's a pretty good illustration that your first sentence is correct (though its also a pretty good mimicry of American White conservatives coopting Dr. King, so, maybe you do understand a bit about race-based political propaganda in America.)

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#609
post #79

Netflix is already Netflix for black people.

Sort of.

Wait until they find out about Nollywood movies or TV shows which is also available on Netflix.

I find that the Nollywood producers seem to be having a good time exporting their culture and making themselves relevant as far as possible with the success of several Nollywood actors that have become memes themselves with a huge following.

That's what the viewers want to see, not more stories of some recent fraudulent political movements.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#610
post #542
post #205

I am not American but the overwhelming majority of the media I consume is American. Given the near hegemony of American popular culture, that is likely true for millions of non-Americans. All these people consume American content because they find it enjoyable and at some level relatable despite living in very different countries and not speaking English as their first language. At the end of the day, the human condi…

General Motors got strong armed by a black media group made up of billionaire media owners for not spending enough advertising dollars on TV companies owned by blacks. Make no mistake this kind of stuff is usually about the dollar bill more so than "representation".

Even if that were true, the racial disparities in income and especially wealth remain large. It doesn't seem untoward to advocate improvement there.
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