General Discussion

ram2008

(1,238 posts)

98. Dumbing down would only make sense if racism started out as a different concept

Sun Nov 29, 2015, 12:58 PM

Nov 2015

However it didn't. The definition fits the current usage and the general concept that the word has been used to expressed for decades.

Just because academia expands on an idea doesn't mean the idea or concept doesn't mean the original one doesn't exist. You can't just change the meaning of a word because you have a PhD in sociology, that's not how it works.

If certain parts of academia want to change the meaning of the word racist, then that would require society as a whole to change the underlying concept they are trying to express when using it. As of now, that is not the case, and probably never will be. Because in English language we're trying to convey thoughts effectively and efficiently, bundling racism up with a bunch of academic studies on inequality etc is just a tactic used by some to shut down ideas they don't want to hear or shield themselves from criticism. Just as the idea of Orwellian idea of "safe spaces" is taking hold.

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This will get ugly: can a non white person be racist?! [View all] w0nderer Nov 2015 OP

Anybody can be racist. Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #1

+1 Waldorf Nov 2015 #9

Yes. +1 840high Nov 2015 #69

Well Duh hu ++1 Vincardog Nov 2015 #85

Correct, +1 greytdemocrat Nov 2015 #96

Presently, yes. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2015 #2

If you benefit from a racist system, are you a racist, even if you Agnosticsherbet Nov 2015 #3

Don't you mean "privileged"? Shankapotomus Nov 2015 #25

That is something that bothers me. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2015 #30

Exactly...in the USA the privilege is tipped against minorities and for Whites. vaberella Nov 2015 #47

We are all immersed in s racist system. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2015 #53

That is the Sociological definition AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #75

We've went over this before....no only white folks can be racist. ileus Nov 2015 #4

Anyone can be A racist AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #76

+1 darkangel218 Nov 2015 #86

POCs can be biased but in this country, built from the beginning on white supremacy, . . . brush Nov 2015 #130

I take it you've never been to prison Facility Inspector Nov 2015 #95

I dunno. Ask Louis Farrakhan. KamaAina Nov 2015 #5

....x10 840high Nov 2015 #70

Of course, a non-white person can be racist. Anyone can. ManiacJoe Nov 2015 #6

Sure a non white can be racist. Marrah_G Nov 2015 #7

Yes they can. romanic Nov 2015 #8

I think they can, except they might have a legitmate reason for fearing Hoyt Nov 2015 #10

Of course. Shandris Nov 2015 #11

best entry so far w0nderer Nov 2015 #12

A basic characterstic of racism TlalocW Nov 2015 #13

i may be misunderstanding you w0nderer Nov 2015 #14

Blacks can't handle college TlalocW Nov 2015 #22

When that person is part of the power structure. For example, pnwmom Nov 2015 #15

if i'm not mistaken in japan there are people racist against white people too? w0nderer Nov 2015 #16

Yes, against anyone who isn't "pure" Japanese. pnwmom Nov 2015 #18

That is institutional racism AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #73

Yes a non white person can be racist. Autumn Nov 2015 #17

WP study: most racist countries today: (1-2) India, Jordan (3-5) Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran Yorktown Nov 2015 #19

Thank you for posting this davidpdx Nov 2015 #33

What are AA's? Yorktown Nov 2015 #36

I assume they meant African Americans???? Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #38

I doubt it in context Yorktown Nov 2015 #41

A majority would likely be Americans jberryhill Nov 2015 #129

I should have written that out, African Americans davidpdx Nov 2015 #43

True, Japanese/Western couples tend not to stay in Japan. Yorktown Nov 2015 #51

I think the only reason I say they are treated slightly worse than Caucasians davidpdx Nov 2015 #54

Are you an African American? Yorktown Nov 2015 #56

No I'm not davidpdx Nov 2015 #59

That is interesting - thank you. nt SusanCalvin Nov 2015 #40

Very interesting thanks for posting this (nt) jack_krass Nov 2015 #64

I'm amazed the Dominican Republican isn't on that list AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #74

The Sudanese would be in good racist standing too Yorktown Nov 2015 #84

Racism cannot be imposed by individuals loyalsister Nov 2015 #20

I think you're describing systemic racism, not regular racism n/t ram2008 Nov 2015 #32

"regular racism"? loyalsister Nov 2015 #34

Regular racism is the standard most people think about ram2008 Nov 2015 #35

Pretending that there has been no scholarly advancement doesn't erase it loyalsister Nov 2015 #42

It's not a personal definition, it is the definition ram2008 Nov 2015 #46

If you asked people on the street loyalsister Nov 2015 #55

If we refuse to use language that is the societal standard, then communication breakdowns ram2008 Nov 2015 #57

You just made a whole lot of good sense GummyBearz Nov 2015 #71

Have you ever read laws or bills before they are passed? loyalsister Nov 2015 #109

The agreed upon language is the one in the dictionary ram2008 Nov 2015 #110

Trying to twist slang usage into meaningful language loyalsister Nov 2015 #111

You can't be serious ram2008 Nov 2015 #112

As I said before I don't view individuals as racist loyalsister Nov 2015 #113

This thread is about individuals ram2008 Nov 2015 #114

The question was can a nonwhite person be racist loyalsister Nov 2015 #116

You just said individuals cannot be racist ram2008 Nov 2015 #117

You might not the vast majority people do SpartanDem Nov 2015 #119

Just like the vast majority of white people loyalsister Nov 2015 #124

Imposed, no. Practiced, yes. AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #77

I was trying to figure out how to explain this clearly and gave up. Warren Stupidity Nov 2015 #100

Holwever, in the vernacular 'racist' to describe a person is a synonym of 'bigot' Gormy Cuss Nov 2015 #107

The academics describe racism in three flavors 1) institutional 2) personally-mediated 3) internal lumberjack_jeff Nov 2015 #143

Depends on how you're using the term, and your 'academic DNA'. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Nov 2015 #21

It depends on how you use the term. For me, of course, anyone can be a racist uppityperson Nov 2015 #23

Of course. But it's more damaging and serious from the dominant race AZ Progressive Nov 2015 #24

Can a race of people discriminate against a different race of people? Rex Nov 2015 #26

Racist against Whites? No. 951-Riverside Nov 2015 #27

Sure you can AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #78

The concept of race is anachronistic. Bok_Tukalo Nov 2015 #28

Bigoted, yes. Racist, no, not in the US at present Warpy Nov 2015 #29

It's absolutely possible for non-white people to be racist ram2008 Nov 2015 #31

Racism, like all other "isms," is institutional in nature. Warpy Nov 2015 #49

When people describe racism, they are thinking of the dictionary definition. ram2008 Nov 2015 #50

Some people are, not all. kwassa Nov 2015 #63

Dictionaries tend to 'dumb it down'. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Nov 2015 #88

Dumbing down would only make sense if racism started out as a different concept ram2008 Nov 2015 #98

Except the current usage is NOT how the term originated. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Nov 2015 #105

Nihilism, pessimism, optimism... the suffix 'ism' doesn't denote an institutional status. Marr Nov 2015 #115

And all of those Blacks and Latinos are living in largely poor neighborhoods. vaberella Nov 2015 #58

Just because it happens disproportionately to minorities, doesn't mean minorities can't be partof it ram2008 Nov 2015 #61

Privilege is not a one horse town. There's intersectionality of privilege across any existing Erich Bloodaxe BSN Nov 2015 #89

By that standard. . . . Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #39

Only in the CEO's office or home Warpy Nov 2015 #48

Like this guy says randys1 Nov 2015 #104

Like this? cabot Nov 2015 #106

Yes mythology Nov 2015 #37

Of course they can, and demonstrably are.. Snow Leopard Nov 2015 #44

Anyone can be racist as long as they are the DOMINANT race in a particular country! vaberella Nov 2015 #45

BS. Anyone can be a racist. Katashi_itto Nov 2015 #52

+1 darkangel218 Nov 2015 #79

it must be exhausting for you TheSarcastinator Nov 2015 #94

The system is racist. People are bigots. Iggo Nov 2015 #60

Of course they can melman Nov 2015 #62

Only the race in the position of power, in the position to oppress, can be racist. nt valerief Nov 2015 #65

so in africa only black can be racist, in asia only asians and in middle east...?n/t w0nderer Nov 2015 #66

I'll bet whites are running the IMF. nt valerief Nov 2015 #67

Horse manure TheSarcastinator Nov 2015 #93

Wrong. Goodbye. valerief Nov 2015 #101

Definitions are altered all the time. Language is dynamic, not static. kwassa Nov 2015 #135

you sound like a communist ericson00 Nov 2015 #102

That academic definition hasn't made it very far into general use. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2015 #108

No. Anyone can be prejudiced, 6000eliot Nov 2015 #68

So I a white person is unemployed what power does he have? Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #97

Your mistake is thinking about this as an individual. 6000eliot Nov 2015 #118

So is a KKK member just as racist as a normal white guy? Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #138

Why would that be a question? 6000eliot Nov 2015 #142

I would encourage you to look at the percentage of CEOs who are black YoungDemCA Nov 2015 #125

You still have inherent white privilege philosslayer Nov 2015 #137

Of course, anyone can AgingAmerican Nov 2015 #72

Anyone can be racist. nt darkangel218 Nov 2015 #80

Depends on your definition of racism and your geographical location. ZombieHorde Nov 2015 #81

Depends on where that person lives. Recursion Nov 2015 #82

This OP now comes in graphic novel form Scootaloo Nov 2015 #83

I have seen this notion tossed around Skidmore Nov 2015 #87

What about majority minority cities? MichMan Nov 2015 #90

only racists believe non-white people cannot be racist TheSarcastinator Nov 2015 #91

Of course they can. nt. polly7 Nov 2015 #92

During one of the past "what is racism?" discussions, I found an article that was useful to me petronius Nov 2015 #99

Yes and I have seen it on DU Duckhunter935 Nov 2015 #103

Yep. nt darkangel218 Nov 2015 #123

I've seen it too! B Calm Nov 2015 #144

Anyone need some butter? Initech Nov 2015 #120

First thing you need to understand is how do we apply racism in this country� MrScorpio Nov 2015 #121

Very well said. YoungDemCA Nov 2015 #122

That's ridiculous TeddyR Nov 2015 #128

Some resources here would seen instructive� MrScorpio Nov 2015 #131

Anyone who makes a decision about a person based on Race, is a racist . orpupilofnature57 Nov 2015 #126

I don't believe in "races" of people... Mike Nelson Nov 2015 #127

Absolutely. truebrit71 Nov 2015 #132

we ALL have biases hopemountain Nov 2015 #133

Any human can be. That would seem elementary. WinkyDink Nov 2015 #134

Oh, it's this thread again. cemaphonic Nov 2015 #136

I don't understand the point of your OP. George II Nov 2015 #139

Of course they can... absolutely JCMach1 Nov 2015 #140

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #141