Is it ever helpful to make a generalization such as "all black people" or "white Americans"

[whatthehey]

6. Again the ignorance of generalized group references is appalling at DU

Not directed at the OP personally.

Why this isn't just automatically obvious I have no clue but this site, far far more than any I have visited, has a problem with this.

"All black people" means what it says. Every single one. Individually No exceptions. So there are very few things that can logically follow that and be true or even sensible. Even "...have higher melanin levels than albinos" probably isn't true, but I'll defer to physioloigy gurus. Certainly can't think of anything else.

"White Americans" means, or almost always when used in vernacular speech means, white Americans as a collective group. What distinguishes them from other groups or characterizes that group of people in general. So millions of things can follow that, without, to an honest and informed listener, implying in any way that every single white American is like that or does that. So let's see...


...vote Republican

...are at risk of obesity

...murder white Americans more than black Americans

All are absolutely unchallengably true even if you, thousands of you, are ectomorphs who would no more murder anyone than vote Republican, because that's what characterizes white Americans in the collective, general group sense.

The word "all" is important, and absolutely must not be mentally inserted where it is not present.