The (Least) Favorite aspects of your culture.

[bloogleford]

now you try and tell me Racism is only Racism if a white person picks on a non white person, but its fine the other way round..?

Can I get some context here? Because it makes it sound like you think racism is about "saying stuff". The simple act of an individual discriminating against another individual based on race is the simplest, least complicated form of racism. The forms that matter most are the institutionalized stuff..and this little model of "If they can say it I can say it" is so silly it doesn't even fit in to any real analysis of racism.

You really think white people are discriminated against somehow because there's a double standard about language?

Sounds like a pretty petty complaint tbh, again..maybe there's some UK context here I don't understand, but I know all the people who talk like this in the states are mainly whites that think the fact that they can't scream the N word without repercussion makes them oppressed.

[Kreekakon]

You guys really think racism is about "saying stuff"? The simple act of an individual discriminating against another individual based on race is the simplest, least complicated form of racism. The forms that matter most are the institutionalized stuff..and this little model of "If they can say it I can say it" is so silly it doesn't even fit in to any real analysis of racism.

You really think white people are oppressed somehow? Psshhaw.

Saying stuff may not be "in-depth" racism, but it is still a type of racism nonetheless.

As for the "If they can say it I can say it" thing you're talking about, that's not what my weighing scale metaphor was about. What it meant was when "human rights" advocates discover that a demographic of people are being discriminated against, they'll fight for the inferior party's rights, which sometime can lead it to being overdone to the point that everyone forgets about/overlooks several of the problems that may, or may not overshadow the once superior demographic after actions have been taken.

I'd say the same thing can be applied to male/female rights

[the dark side]

well, for UK context blooglford, lets look at the recent issues over that horrible film thats caused such a furore in the muslim community (and understandably so!), as that affects the US as well, so it should be something you can identify with.

recently, A bunch of rather more radical Fundamentalist followers of the Islamic religion (who, may i add, were all born in the UK!) were parading through London waving placards saying "allah wants all christian heathens burned!", and the police did nothing, yet when a christian citizen said "if they beleive that then why are they living in a predominantly christian society?" HE got arrested for racism!

it is totally unbalanced! they were being even MORE racist if you ask me for holding up such EVIL statements! and all because of a silly, racist, little film made by some Egyptian Born faschist who DARES call himself "christian" (he isnt... no way!) who isnt worth the time of day! let alone the effort of actually staging a march!

they should not have been allowed to get away with such horrible, evil, statements simply because there were Arabic, they should have been arrested!

bit of an extreme example i know, but, im not very good at explaining things to others so i often do have to use more extreme examples in order to be understood.

[Deep One]

well, for UK context blooglfors, lets look at the recent issues over that horrible film thats caused suche a furore in the muslim community (and understandably so!), as that affects the US as well, so it should be something you can identify with. a bunch of rather more radical Fundamentalist followers of the Islamic religion were parading through london waving placards saying "allah wants all christian heathens burned!", and the police did nothing, yet when a white citizen said "if they beleive that then why are they in a predominantly christian society?" HE got arrested for racism!

it is totally unbalanced! they were being even MORE racist if you ask me for holding up such EVIL statements! and all because of a silly, racist, little film made by some Egyptian Born faschist who DARES call himself "christian" (he isnt... no way!) who isnt worth the time of day! let alone the effort of actually staging a march!

One of protestors died from toxic smoke of burning US flags. That was fucking ironic and hilarious.

[the dark side]

Ironic Yes. Hilarious... well, not in my personal book i am afraid. Loss of Real human life is never funny, even if the person who died was Evil. of course, death is often mandatory, a necessary evil, in order to defeat evil, but it must never be celebrated, nor greived. it is just something that happens in war, and sadly, this issue in the middle east is all part of an ongoing cultural war, one that has been going on since the first crusade.

its still beyond me why they are getting so uptight though, i understand WHY they are angry, the film pretty much takes a brown one all over what they hold most dear, but the extremity of there anger is what i dont understand, its downright disturbing! i mean, if someone made a film like that about the christian religion, there would be anger yes, a major ban in most cinemas, a FURIOUS letter from the pope, and probably an Equally Fuming one from Archbishop Tutu, but most would think "effing twonk!" or "poor misquided soul" (depending on religious outlook) and carry on with our lives, at most maybe posting some napalm coated messages on a forum (i would be one of those posters, ill admit it) it would only be one or two madmen who would crack out the explosion making tools. so why are so many people in the arabic society getting so wound up about it? its just the sick opinion of one stupid faschist. they should take it out on HIM! not on the rest of us who just want a quiet life.

ps. thanks for the rep boost dark one.

[Ghieri]

I honestly think that the morals of the US are a child of convenience. They take the parts that are within arms reach and write off the rest. Like you constantly hear about how black people can use the N word and whites can't, therefore they adapt the ideology that we should use that word as their own because it's easier than actually thinking about it harder.

It's not hard to pick apart their argument because they really don't think about it. It's just something to make them feel intellectually satisfied. "I did my thinking for the day!"



PS. So no one wants to discuss the pros and cons of industrialization? Aww.

[the dark side]

ahhh, the mental equivalent of "acheivement unlocked: you can press the A Button!" basically, i get it..

something else i hate about modern culture, in all countries, the fact you dont have to think about anything anymore because the media executives will do it for you, form your own opinions for you, and then give it to you in such a dumbed down way it would patronise anyone with a mental age above 5.

ok aldigheri, for you.

industrialization: pros: more Jobs, Better Financial Economy. Cheaper Performance cars, cheaper goods in general, faster manufacturing times.

Cons: tons of smog and smut, Profiteering by greedy colledge educated businessmen, beautifull woodlands chopped down to build ruddy great big lorry depots! and an increase of urban crime due to deprived living conditions in the areas surrounding the major industrial estates. And, for our US readers, the Dreaded Military-industrial complex.

[Ghieri]

This is why I try to use scholarly articles whenever possible. The problem is you often have to pay for them. It's hard to be objective in these days. You almost have to pick a side, it seems. Can't just be for yourself, have to root for a team.

Also, I hate people who think Age is better than knowledge. I'm less than half the age of my mother but twice as smart.(She was born in the 60's and was raised on a farm and was part of a cult, I was born in the 90's, raised on the internet in the digital and information age, surrounded by acadamia, and driven by the pursuit of knowledge. She thinks she has a leg up on me somehow. I dun get it.)

[the dark side]

i kinda root for a team when it comes to gameplay mechanics in gaming genres but in life, i prefer to stay out of the way and keep quiet. im not one for hassle, it stresses me the hell out. also, i find objectivity is over-rated, subjectivity is better in my opinion, as its more personal to you.

Age is Not Better than knowledge on its own, no, but, i have found, personally, that Knowledge, without experience, is about as much use as a Fountain pen after someone has stolen the nib! so, i quess, in a way, she does have one up on you in terms of experience, where as you have one up on knowledge. as someone with a ton of knowledge about the things i am interested in, but less life experience than the average 7 year old, i can tell you that knowledge is actually sometimes rather over-rated, it needs experience to back it up, and with age, comes a hell of a lot of experience!

also, there is nothing wrong with living in the country!

[Ghieri]

Cheaper Performance cars, cheaper goods in general, faster manufacturing times.

True, products can spread faster, but you lose some of the charm of hand-crafted materials that we had in the 18th century. A sentiment, not a point.



When fact and perception go head to head, fact will always win out. Perception is logically flawed. It's why your brain can convince you that video games are real while you are playing them, or why people used to think the Earth was flat before the Greeks proved otherwise, or how some people think the sun gets bigger as it rotates around the Earth(Even though Earth goes around the sun, and it does not physically get bigger.)

also, there is nothing wrong with living in the country!

Arguably less and later informed than cities.