Deleted
Deleted Member
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 13:52:04 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2019 13:52:04 GMT
This will probably sound incredibly simplistic, but I find it helps not to think overthink things.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 14:01:05 GMT
via mobile
Post by daveythefatboy on Jul 5, 2019 14:01:05 GMT
It's an emotive word and it's used to label ideas and attitudes that are seen by the user as evil, whereas in fact often it's nothing of the sort I think that’s true. But I think it needs to change. The extent to which we insist that the word must only be reserved for aberrant ‘evil’ serves to keep us from owning up to the everyday mundane structural racism we accept as ‘the way things are.’ As long as that word is reserved for the evil - the rest of us get a pass, and have no pressure to look at what we do to perpetuate a racist status quo.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 14:04:42 GMT
Post by Reasonable good Nick on Jul 5, 2019 14:04:42 GMT
This must apply to everyone - hence Toby's comment that everyone is 'racist' to some degree, and my reply to him. A Chinese person will feel the same way, etc etc. I tend to agree with what I think John's getting at on this thread, which is that if you view this as being 'racist', then the term becomes meaningless. How so? Is it endemic to the term that it must be understood as something rare and atypical? Not necessarily rare. But what you've described is such a basic way of human thinking that if you call it 'racist', then I think you either devalue the impact and significance of the word, or you you get into a very unhealthy way of thinking, where people will mentally beat themselves up for having an entirely normal thought.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 14:06:28 GMT
Post by Reasonable good Nick on Jul 5, 2019 14:06:28 GMT
This will probably sound incredibly simplistic, but I find it helps not to think overthink things. Indeed.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 14:10:18 GMT
Post by Reasonable good Nick on Jul 5, 2019 14:10:18 GMT
It's an emotive word and it's used to label ideas and attitudes that are seen by the user as evil, whereas in fact often it's nothing of the sort As long as that word is reserved for the evil - the rest of us get a pass, and have no pressure to look at what we do to perpetuate a racist status quo. I'll probably regret asking this, but what do 'we' do to perpetuate a racist status quo?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 14:37:08 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2019 14:37:08 GMT
It's an emotive word and it's used to label ideas and attitudes that are seen by the user as evil, whereas in fact often it's nothing of the sort I think that’s true. But I think it needs to change. The extent to which we insist that the word must only be reserved for aberrant ‘evil’ serves to keep us from owning up to the everyday mundane structural racism we accept as ‘the way things are.’ As long as that word is reserved for the evil - the rest of us get a pass, and have no pressure to look at what we do to perpetuate a racist status quo. I think that's true, but I also think proportionality is important, in other words don't treat all forms of what might be deemed racism as having the same weight. Sometimes there's a hysteria around these issues that makes you yearn for some common sense. For example an elderly person using the term "coloured", such a term may be offensive to some non-whites and I'm sure we all understand why, but it's closer to being a social faux-pas than racism.
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Post by countmachuki on Jul 5, 2019 15:30:47 GMT
I hereby invite ALL Preludiners to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in beautiful Atlanta, Georgia.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 15:59:12 GMT
Post by bungo the mungo on Jul 5, 2019 15:59:12 GMT
i remember posting this on BCB and getting terribly abusive PMs which shook me to my core.
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 16:00:47 GMT
Post by Reactionary Rage on Jul 5, 2019 16:00:47 GMT
lacist
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 16:32:04 GMT
via mobile
Post by daveythefatboy on Jul 5, 2019 16:32:04 GMT
How so? Is it endemic to the term that it must be understood as something rare and atypical? Not necessarily rare. But what you've described is such a basic way of human thinking that if you call it 'racist', then I think you either devalue the impact and significance of the word, or you you get into a very unhealthy way of thinking, where people will mentally beat themselves up for having an entirely normal thought. I guess it depends on what you want. If the goal is to maintain a super-condemnation of the most virulent racists- then perhaps it makes sense to keep the value of that word rare. But if the goal is to finally get people to look at and acknowledge the systemic racism that we all contribute to - then maybe it makes sense to allow it be less loaded. Acknowledging racism in oneself shouldn’t be seen as shameful. Being unwilling to examine oneself is the issue.
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toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,219
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racism
Jul 5, 2019 23:02:06 GMT
Post by toomanyhatz on Jul 5, 2019 23:02:06 GMT
I know I've said this before, but the term has a very simple definition to me. Racism is a simple belief that people's intrinsic value is based on race. You can then debate what "race" means, but I think actual "racism" is pretty rare. Prejudice is, of course, a different story, and I think it's something all of humanity suffers from to some degree.
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Post by daveythefatboy on Jul 6, 2019 0:52:10 GMT
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racism
Jul 6, 2019 16:40:50 GMT
via mobile
Post by Inspector Norse on Jul 6, 2019 16:40:50 GMT
what do 'we' do to perpetuate a racist status quo? Whatever it is, it’s not enough, I say!
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racism
Jul 16, 2019 13:12:02 GMT
Post by bakagaijin on Jul 16, 2019 13:12:02 GMT
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Sneelock
god
there's a difference, you know...
Posts: 8,434
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racism
Jul 16, 2019 19:00:23 GMT
Post by Sneelock on Jul 16, 2019 19:00:23 GMT
it's hard to live in America right now and not have very strong feelings about this word. since this weekend, many commentators and news outlets are using this word to describe President Trump - some for the very first time. you either think it's the right word or you don't. I most certainly do.
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