# what is your opinion on "Melanin Theory" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297 "2015-07-16T04:26:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@thanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thanatic)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/1 "2015-07-16T04:26:11Z")
Melanin Theory says Black People are spiritually, physically and mentally superior to white people…that melanin gives them special properties > **[Melanin theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin_theory)** > > Melanin theory is a set of pseudoscientific claims made by some proponents of Afrocentrism, which holds that black people, including ancient Egyptians, have superior mental, physical, and paranormal powers because they have higher levels of melanin, the primary skin pigment in humans. > Melanin theory posits that individuals' responses to social stimuli are determined by the prevalence of the skin pigment melanin. Historian Stephen Ferguson describes melanin theory as a component of "strong" Afr... ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/2 "2015-07-16T04:40:06Z")
It’s really, really stupid. (However, people with freckles are, of course, much smarter than people who don’t have freckles. But I might just possibly be biased in this opinion…) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/3 "2015-07-16T05:12:38Z")
Pseudoscientific racism. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/4 "2015-07-16T05:15:21Z")
Does it also give them extra energy in their muscles? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/5 "2015-07-16T05:19:59Z")
[Magical Negro](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): See every film with Morgan Freeman ever made for examples thereof. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/6 "2015-07-16T06:12:58Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > [Magical Negro](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): See every film with Morgan Freeman ever made for examples thereof. Or Scatman Crothers. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/7 "2015-07-16T07:13:37Z")
The errors that page for the science alone are so stupid, white people created cocaine? So like what the coca plant itself was created by white people? Black people absorb energy vibrations from others emotions? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/8 "2015-07-16T07:21:48Z")
It’s utter bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/9 "2015-07-16T10:29:51Z")
After skimming the Wiki page, I would say racist. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/10 "2015-07-16T12:09:05Z")
Nice to hear of some reverse racism for a change. If anything, I’d say black people are superior to white Europeans, because whites are [up to 4% Neanderthal](http://www.amren.com/news/2014/04/europeans-have-three-times-more-neanderthal-genes-for-lipid-catabolism-than-asians-or-africans/)and black folk are closer to pure homo sapien. Speaking as a white Scot, oooga. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/11 "2015-07-16T12:39:53Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s utter bullshit. This phrase “utter bullshit” does it indicate that there are one or two scientists that don’t wholeheartedly endorse the theory? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/12 "2015-07-16T13:12:57Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s utter bullshit. I think you are too kind in your analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/13 "2015-07-16T13:23:15Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > [Magical Negro](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): See every film with Morgan Freeman ever made for examples thereof. > > Stranger So much melanin he’s black AND he’s got freckles. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/14 "2015-07-16T14:16:52Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Does it also give them extra energy in their muscles? No, silly. That’s because they were bred by slave masters to be that way. Everyone knows that!! ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/15 "2015-07-16T22:39:36Z")
It is the very definition of racism. It is saying that your value as a human being is _literally_ (used correctly\*!\*) based on the color of your skin not the content of your character. It is no different than the Nazis’ ideas about Aryan blonde hair and blue eyes vs Jews’ big noses. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > [Magical Negro](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): See every film with Morgan Freeman ever made for examples thereof. > > Stranger Just an aside: Back when Obama first came on the scene Rush Limbaugh played a song parody of _Puff the Magic Dragon_ entitled _Barack the Magic Negro_. Most dismissed it as just racism because they didn’t understand the meaning of the ‘magic negro’ meme… ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/16 "2015-07-17T01:16:16Z")
Imagine if someone said white people were superior because they had \*less \*melanin. Society would be outraged. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/17 "2015-07-17T01:31:52Z")
This might be a case where the term “pseudoscience” is actually too generous. Let’s be generous and call the proponents of these theories mentally ill. I’ll send them some tin foil. ---
**Author:** ![thanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@thanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thanatic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/18 "2015-07-17T03:11:57Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Nice to hear of some reverse racism for a change. > > If anything, I’d say black people are superior to white Europeans, because whites are [up to 4% Neanderthal](http://www.amren.com/news/2014/04/europeans-have-three-times-more-neanderthal-genes-for-lipid-catabolism-than-asians-or-africans/)and black folk are closer to pure homo sapien. > > Speaking as a white Scot, oooga. is this true…does that mean black people are more human than white people? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/19 "2015-07-17T03:32:35Z")
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. This is an extraordinary claim. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297/20 "2015-07-17T03:34:39Z")
> [@thanatic](#): > > Melanin Theory says Black People are spiritually, physically and mentally superior to white people…that melanin gives them special properties > > [Melanin theory - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin_theory) The theory is both stupid and racist. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-opinion-on-melanin-theory/725297.md?page=2)