This one felt borderline unnecessary and hyperbolic:
"No one cared what I was doing. Is this what it feels like to shop when you're not black? "
But then she started making connection to Amazon Go by saying:
"The idea of walking into a store, taking an item or several off the shelves and strolling right back out again boggled my mind. It ran counter to everything I had learned about being black and shopping."
I think the idea would run counter to everybody regardless of race.
"I was afraid someone would pop out from behind a display of Amazon-branded merch and scream, "Get your hands off that!"
I also didn't find above statement particularly credible or representative of average person. The article just felt a tad forced, and I stand by this observation despite all the down votes.
What data do you have to back up your determination of credibility here?
Is it based on surveys and discussions with minority populations who have similar shared experiences to the author or is it based largely on a comparison to your own personal lived experience?
The one about Oprah in Zurich is absolute bullshit. When you take in account that the boutique in question is one of Zurich's most luxurious (not for nothing they have $38k purses on sale) you can imagine the type of treatment any customer gets from the salespeople, who are used to see incredibly rich customers from any part of the world pop in for their shopping. If anything, the episode highlights exactly the hyper-sensitivity of some people (given that Oprah didn't just lie to publicise her then upcoming movie on the theme of racism, "The Butler").
I assume if you're on HN that you have at least one well-paid black coworker in tech. Ask them how often they get uncomfortable, questioning looks while walking around their own neighborhood and you'll see exactly how hyperbolic that statement is.
Just because she feels that way, doesn't mean every black person does. Maybe many do, but I don't think it is productive to speak for other people's experience.
Of course when speaking for oneself, then it is fine to say anything.
All other things being equal, it should be pretty clear that a given black person is more qualified to speak about the black experience than a given white person is to refute them. If you have reason to believe that this particular writer is unreliable or not representative, then by all means share them.
heyooo
> it should be pretty clear that a given black person is more qualified to speak about the black experience than a given white person is to refute them
I think people are only qualified to speak about their own feelings and experience, just not for other people unless those people requested that.
Other people should do that you say?
Are you trying to imply something?
I hope you're not trying to imply hypocrisy, because saying what someone should do is not speaking for them.
"As a hacker news poster, we all feel that ..."
Not even targeting this article in particular, it isn't bad at all from that perspective, just a trend I have been seeing and thinking about.
And I feel incredibly similarly to her when I walk into Starbucks and pickup my prepaid drink. I imagine I would feel just like her shopping at Amazon Go as well.
I’m not denying there are differences in how you are treated depending on your race. In fact, as a father of black children it is my responsibility to make them aware of the extra level of care they need to engage, during shopping for example.
But the feelings she shares are not unique to being black.
> No one cared what I was doing. Is this what it feels like to shop when you're not black?
The author does imply that all black people are eyed with suspicion when shopping, which is impossible to say but almost surely not true.
However the answer to the question can still be "yes" without giving in to the implication.