We all know how Indians are obsessed with being of light complexion (making Fair and Loverly being a Mukti Billion Dollar empire ) and westerners being obsessed with being tanned (and hence multi-billion dollar empire of tanning lotions and tanning beds ) .
In every society people want to show off as being rich , have token which display their wealth , be it jewellery like Gold , diamonds, rubies , pearls , designer handbags and belts which cost lakhs and serve NO purpose other than showing off that you are rich .
The same has always existed in every society world over since forever.
In ancient tropical countries like Indian , Asia , Africa etc, rich people lived in castles , travelled in carts while poor worked in fields.
So the ones who worked in fields got tanned and were of a darker shade than rich people. So the color fo skin was an obvious display of your social status .
In Europe, where everyone was pale due to lack of sunlight , only the people who were rich could travel to the west like the South of Italy and France in the winter season and get some sun and hence tan. So a tan displayed wealth in terms of having money to travel, just like an LV purse or a Gucci belt that we buy today.
Skin color was a display of wealth. Simple.
Nothing to be inferior about. That is how societies work.
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