My point with the egyptians - is only to show that Black people dont need "white" influence to think this way and I dont want to allow the idea that if not for their actions we would never think such things much less take advantage of each other.

If anything the condition of lightening is not so much to acheive "whiteness" but to escape Blackness- you cant necessarily resolve that by accusing racial oppression cuz there is also a large contingency of light skinned Blacks that played right along with colonialism and the privelege of being light skinned (see the Octaroon communities of the early south and the isalnd of Goree and it authorities) and civilizations that preceded it by centuries.

Otherwise- My intention here was to play more devil's advocate. I think you're right on point with your statement but what does it have to offer people who use these products reasonable- those who dont risk skin cancer on either side of the issue?

If a dark skinned man avoids the sun to avoid getting darker- is this indicative of manipulative racial oppression or excusable activity similar to what is considered reasonable among "white" people?

Where is the line drawn between beauty consciousness and racially motivated self depracation?

Are we intimating that we shouldnt be beauty conscious at all?

K