I would join the Midnight Sanctuary LS as well.
And... I absolutely love this discussion. I had EVERY intent on working on my characters' bios tonight- but got caught up in Calli's Miqo'te thread and this one. haha
Both... very awesome, very good discussions on the two types of "races" looks like I'm gunna be playing.
I'm getting excited.
I can't wait to work with you all on this!
Lastly... not to derail the subject at hand, regarding LeCard's (and Freelance Wizard's) comments about the correlation of race in the US to Wildwood vs Duskwright, few things:
IRL-
I also live in the Southern US...
In addition to being a Military brat and traveling RN...
And it is my observation that through my travels not only living in the South, but all over the US, that though racism does exist (some very blatant)... it is absolutely NOT isolated to the South. In fact, I found much more of it in the Midwest and North than the South. The South just gets more attention and are more demonized due to history. But also makes us far more sensitive to NOT being racist. And in this, I'm talking specifically of "white vs black."
As an anthropologist, I find the topic of division based on skin color to be absolutely ludicrous. One's skin color has absolutely nothing to do with the mental capabilities of a person. Genetics DOES have a 'say' in this, and in physical abilities and so on- but face it, folks... Earth is made up of mutts. ESPECIALLY in America. It is my belief that if the pot was not continued to be stirred by those wishing to continue to place a dividing line between skin shades, that people just wouldn't care anymore before long. I mean, really... culture is what divides us, not skin color. That is seen clearly in lightskinned 'African Americans', 'Latino Americians' and 'Native Americans' and ... and 'Caucasian Americans' who were raised as a member of another racial culture. You are who your culture/family raised you to be. Skin color is simply an evolutionary adaptation to the amount of cloud cover of our ancestors. And... we are all slowly becoming a shade of brown.
Tl;dr- Dividing folks based on skin color is asinine.
SO!
Relevance to this discussion: Considering that in the US had a variety of 'desegregation' episodes with the most recent being the African Americans in the 1960's, I have to correlate my beliefs and observations to Eorzea. Today, 40 years later, there are still lingering 'senses' of feelings of racism threaded throughout, but it is not always 'black vs white' or 'white vs black'. It is not always blatant- in fact, it is rarely so anymore. There are pockets of pure hatred on either side, but those pockets tend to keep to the background and only rear their ugly heads at times of duress/perceived duress. There is legislation that passively favors one over the other. There are jobs/opportunities that are offered (or removed) based on skin color... but it is typically subtle for fear of reprecussions.
Now... will Eorzea be similiar?
One ponders.
In Gridania, I see the racism to be more overt. More violent and insulting. But heck- the Wildwood seem pretty racist and resistant against ANYONE that is not 'one of them'- DW or not. I mean... granted... my DW starting city -was- Gridania on Balmung Beta... but I also started a Miqo there, and she got the same treatment. So here? yeah... oppression is likely. Torches and pitchforks if you don't behave EXACTLY as told. And... I wager skin tone would play a huge role in this as well. If an Elezen could 'pass' as Wildwood (much like a lightskinned African American during the '60's and even back to the time of the Civil War), they would be treated better. Given more opportunities. Perhaps the 'truth of their birth' being ignored (until such time as it was more beneficial/profitable to bring it up and 'knock them down a notch'). Which, IMHO, could give creedence to Eva's character's experiences.
In Ul'Dah, I sense a more cosmopolitan and globally accepting attitude. No one seemed to care one way or the other what 'race' you were... And oppression here would likely be met negatively. Or at the very most, be subtle- perhaps in the form of pricing of goods.
Cannot speak for Limsa...
So it is not inconceivable that similar feelings might exist in Eorzea as do on Earth... or even less so. I mean, we're talking segregation and hostilities between Wildwood and Duskwright taking place hundreds of years ago- not mere 40. But we're also talking about recent wars/calamities drawing us all together again... and perhaps stirring the pot again and old resentments/traditional hatreds resurfacing. Especially as Elezen are said to live a bit longer than Hyur, so the 'hundreds of years ago' separation might not be as 'distant' as it might be for a Hyur.
Now... if the pot was continued to be stirred by the DW's (WW are traitors, betrayed our Elezen cultures, weakened themselves to cater to the Hyur, etc) and the WW (DW are arrogant, cowardly, thieves, backstabbers, etc), then we could see hostilities now. But I seriously doubt outright prejudice would be tolerated... well, not in Ul'dah anyway. (I really can NOT speak to Gridania as I did not spend ANY time there in Beta past L2...) I suppose the only lingering global 'prejudice' might merely be based on stereotype: all DW are thieves and backstabbers.
So... post went on longer than I planned. Apologies.
Oh... but wanted to add: no one should ever feel uncomfortable RPing racism or prejudice or whatever against my DW. If it is in your character's nature and RP to do so, do it. IC is IC, OOC is OOC. I will not color my OOC opinion of you based on your IC character's behaviour.
In fact... well Ok I might be lying. I might actually like you MORE for causing a bit of conflict and challenge into my RP. haha
