What is Digg?172 Comments
- FredM, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8As a monkey from the future, I am offended by the comparison to black people.
- Stillbored, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Right, they re-programmed the entire ***** script used for the site and the reccomendations just to compare African Americans to Apes.
I'm surprised you people can even find you keyboards. - Mordanthanus, on 10/12/2007, -6/+11You know what? Most people would probably have never noticed this if it wasn't shown to them. Am I the only one who is getting tired of hearing about racism? This is just an example of some dumb ass's idea of a joke... one that only he/she and a couple of friends might have seen. Now, it is dugg up for all the world to see and for weeks we will hear nothing else except how "white people" are all racist when it was just one prick. Damnit why can't people just get over it.
- quatre4, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4It honestly just looks like the Walmart script is just written poorly. The Martin Luther King documentary lists Polar Express and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as similar. Dukes of Hazzard (unrated) also lists Polar Express and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (kids movies) as similar sometimes, in addition to Batman: Begins (how they hell are they related?). It seems to me like it's just bad quality database work.
- 44north, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Hell, I'm black and I DID laugh..then i was offended...then I laughed again. I am so wrong.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Walmart didn't make the comparision, but you sure did. So, I guess we can call you racist now.
- Jaan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You know, I'd be really interested in the real reason these DVD's were bunched together ... the only rational post I've read so far is the one suggesting that it's because racism is a theme explored in PotA's and the other films as well. *lightbulb*
And I agree with others here though ... it's only racist if you think black people resemble apes yourself, and then you're really the one with the problem. Me, I resemble the Stay Puff Marshmallow man (c: - 44north, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I am sure Wal-Mart isn't actively trying to be racist. My first email was to Wal-Mart corporate informing them of the oddity. But, your comments intrigue me even more. Are we really supposed to overlook everything just because we are tired of the argument?
- avantretard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Racism is a THEME explored in all those works. This combined with a subpar database system = NON STORY.
- Metal_Hurlant, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2There's a bit of "racism is in the eye of the beholder" going on here.
Consider this hypothetical scenario:
Next to the movie "Planet of the Apes", Wal-mart starts recommending a series of jet-li movies.
Which of the following do you think would happen:
1: Jet-li fans are up in arms at the implied insult of their fearless kung-fu master
2: Asian people are deeply offended by the perceived comparison of their ethnic group to apes.
3: White people pro-actively claim to be deeply offended on behalf of all asian people for reason above
4: Nobody even thinks twice about it.
Am I alone in guessing 4 would be the overwhelming response?
What is so different here?
Is this maybe an interesting showcase of collective guilt and over-compensation? - Jaan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2>"What the ***** are you talking about? Just because you recognize racial slurs doesn't mean >there's anything wrong wtih you. It means you are well in-tune to the sensitivities of others. God->*****-forbid."
If you don't know what I'm talking about you'll never get it. Well in tune my ass ...
I'm not "white" (although my skin is light colored), and I'm really sick of do gooders trying to be all sensitive to my needs. It's almost reverse racism and I get it all the time in the "culturally diverse" city of Cambridge MA where I live. People here get all hung up on my cultural background they can't seem to get past it, where people I've met it the South will actually invite me over for dinner and talk to me without even asking me where I come from and what language is my "first language".
>"i'll bet 95 percent of the people here who are offended are white. white people get more offended >than anyone else by this kind of thing."
How much do you want to bet 95% of the people here are white regardless < DUCKS > - 44north, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I agree the script is the culprit and not some racist programmer looking to make a point. BUT, things like this are what hurt the reputations of good companies. It is a matter of poor quality control. A company the size of Wal-Mart should have people testing and retesting things to make sure this doesn't happen. Not in this day and age.
- crizo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Both ++digg and digg++ are correct. Unfortunately, what most people here do is ++digg. That's how this crap gets to the front page.
- Vektuz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Hahaha, amazing. Well, actually, it just means that people who bought planet of the apes also bought the other stuff. Its based on previous purchases, no doubt.
- frankendigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That is just soooo wrong. Try not to laugh, i dare ya.
- airjun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1they changed it, its gone
- mattjumbo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yes, Jaan is exactly right. P ot A is a very political movie about racism. The analogy is very thinly veiled. The 'apes' are emblematic of racist white culture in 60s America while the human characters are meant to represent blacks and other oppressed minorities. That's where the connection lies, not in any supposed physical resemblance between black people and apes.
- techlinks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Uh...some people are just idiotic. It's obvious it's pure coincidence. Like other people mentioned...look at the other recommendations.
- jfair, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Dugg. This is insane. It's very offensive.
- ViperDaimao, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1weird. Im at a loss to explain this. I dont believe that any store, much less one like walmart would intentionally insult any group like this. but im still really wondering whats going on here? Possibly a lone website worker playing a sick joke?
- acousticiris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think what you're seeing is a simply anomaly, rather than a script error. I'm guessing that the two movies: Unforgivable Blackness, and Martin Luther King: I Have A Dream / Assassination Of MLK are not being classified at all in the system and are probably showing up as recommendations for other movies for no good reason.
Take a look at those movies and you'll notice that the "Similar Items" list for both of them are identical (and equally bizarre):
Madagascar
Polar Express
Cinderella (SE) (Platinum Collection, Special Edition)
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Full Frame)
Dukes Of Hazzard (Full Frame)
That seems kinda strange to say the least.
I remember when I had a Tito, I constantly was recommended very strange things that had no real correlation, like Friends and The Batman cartoon (except that in all likelihood someone else with a TiVo liked some of the shows I liked and had kids). - 44north, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1unfreakingbelievable
- wired4u, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I am white, dont really care but this sure is funny. But people sure do take ***** to seriously- give this a week and there will be a law suite with some black power group claiming how walmart destroyed these people for life.
- justdarick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow... I'm offended by the complete insanity of people on this site.
All of these movies have a common theme, being oppressed and/or enslaved. That is why they are similar and that is why they are grouped. Nothing else.
I am quite impressed by Wal-mart's database and will applaud them for doing a good job grouping similar films. - darwinandpaine, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm offended by how easily people are offended these days. I expect more from the digg.com watchdogs. Are my fellow "diggers" really so culturally illiterate as to not know that "Planet of the Apes" is a great CIVIL RIGHTS movie and that people interested in civil rights might have an interest in MLK or other civil rights stories? Duh! Shame on everyone who took offense. Can we all just get along?
- fishmasta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1C'mon people. Even if this wasn't just a script error, if you've ever watched the Planet of the Apes movies, you'd know they were all an allegory for the Civil Rights Movement.
- fname, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is not a Wal*Mart, it's a problem is general of recommendation engines. Some white supremacists or racists probably went about viewing African-American themed movies, then browsed ape-themed movies, in order to get this result. Amazon has been bothered by this type of activity in the past.
Don't blame Wal*Mart. I doubt they have anything to do with this. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2...well, what the hell isn't offensive about WalMart?
- Odweaver, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Submitter is a moron, they choose that based on what other people have went to from that, kinda like what was done to Jack Thompson's book on amazon.com
NO DIGG FOR STUPIDITY! - wizgha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1fname: This is not a Wal*Mart, it's a problem is general of recommendation engines. Some white supremacists or racists probably went about viewing African-American themed movies, then browsed ape-themed movies, in order to get this result. Amazon has been bothered by this type of activity in the past.
Oh Christ... - TKDWILSON, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"""""Dugg. This is insane. It's very offensive.""""""
Any of you think it is because the same people buy all three? Perhaps people who like documentaries like MLK also like classics like planet of the apes. I hate Walmart, but I hate more how everyone cries racist about everything. If someone was born after like 1975, they shoudln't be allowed to cry discrimination. The government has been favoring minorities for a while now, and can you imagine a major business surviving if racism was known to be among the corporate ranks? - JamesWilson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You notice they changed it now?
Want to see what was there before they changed it?
I took a screenshot.
http://jwilson.actworld.net/pota.jpg - BNJM, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Do you suppose they suggest a sleeveless flannel lumberjack shirt, mud flaps for your truck, a box of ammunition, and a case of beer when you buy something NASCAR related?
Wal-Mart sucks anyway! - kevbryant, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1it would take someone preoccupied with race in order to notice or point this out to the world. thanks for being part of the problem.
- yikiad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i will probably totally get flamed for this, but here goes...
i'll bet 95 percent of the people here who are offended are white. white people get more offended than anyone else by this kind of thing. - Malakin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Maybe a documentary on George Bush would of been more appropriate?
- Opiate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Agreed with srj76.. The only ones that are racist are the ones that made the association themselves. If you look at the other recommendations they don't make much sense either. Legislated politically correct racism ftw.
- jjk5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Fishmasta,
THANK YOU. That's what I was going to say. It's long been known that PoTA was an American Myth, commenting on both the Vietnam War AND the Black Power movement. Nothing racist in what Wal-Mart has done. - xboxusr666, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0heres a cap
http://www.geocities.com/xboxusr321/walmart.JPG - Dropscience, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0being that Im probably the only black person on this site...it is offsnesive...none of the black ppl i know like PotA
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0the flick is pretty good. check it out.
- mercnboy3, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0digg += 1
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0no digg and may buddha have mercy on your soul.
- tomscott, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0*****, i think i'm more shocked they carry those movies
- spacenettnet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0lol I think this is hilarious and that all of you that are mad are just trying to look for something to argue about.
- munboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0No digg. Ever. This is just another way to bring more racism talk into the world, and another way for people to falt Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a great company, and does great stuff for the US economy. I hate how every time ANYTHING HAPPENS, it is called "racism". I have been completely desentized to racism. Shame.
- ezweave, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It is probably just coincidence, disturbingly funny in a way. And today, of course someone would find it offensive. I am not sure what constitutes 'similar'. Allot of stuff I tried searching on brought up Willy Wonka and Polar Express. The amazon "what other people bought" just gives you a host of sci-fi movies.
FWIW, I don't know that Jack Johnson or Tina Turner should be classified as leaders. At any rate, Tina Turner didn't struggle with racism as much as she did Ike... haha, that is supposed to be a joke. That's the problem with kids: athletes and entertainers are considered to be somehow role models. I call social dysfunction. - Andilinks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Isn't Wal-Mart a Chinese company now?
- cy_kid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hlscott@walmart.com
- gweedo767, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0++digg is fine, they just want the operation of incrementing their digg to occur before anything else. That is fine...
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