Is anyone watching How racist is Britain on BBC3?

Original post by lustawny

Right, so I'm a robot just because I'm a rationalist? Nevermind the fact I interact with other TSR users in a warm, friendly manner the majority of the time; my belief in being rational, as opposed to idiotically superstitious, singles me out as inhuman?

No you are not a robot because you are a rationalist. But if you rely on a dictionary definitions to be your whole understanding of what a word means and it's connotations at a current moment in time then THAT is robotic.

P.s. I happen to think I'm pretty rational and I'm definitely a human so it's not an attack on you generally. Just on this topic of language and how the meaning of words changes over time and in a way that a dictionary can never reflect or capture.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 42

Original post by Ethereal World

See my response to Josb please.

I have seen it and it doesn't excuse poor use of language in order to demonise people with legitimate concerns.

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Reply 43

lustawny

6

Original post by Ethereal World

No you are not a robot because you are a rationalist. But if you rely on a dictionary definitions to be your whole understanding of what a word means and it's connotations at a current moment in time then THAT is robotic.

P.s. I happen to think I'm pretty rational and I'm definitely a human so it's not an attack on you generally. Just on this topic of language and how the meaning of words changes over time and in a way that a dictionary can never reflect or capture.

Well, I personally think this whole argument boils down to freedom of personal choice.

Reply 44

Original post by lustawny

Well, I personally think this whole argument boils down to freedom of personal choice.

Every argument ever could boil down to that. It's just to move away from the discussion about the interpretation of words and give the dictionary definition and say 'I'm a rationalist' isn't really engaging in the point I'm trying to make.

Reply 45

lustawny

6

Original post by Ethereal World

Every argument ever could boil down to that. It's just to move away from the discussion about the interpretation of words and give the dictionary definition and say 'I'm a rationalist' isn't really engaging in the point I'm trying to make.

No, you're just trying to sway me by appealing to my better nature, which isn't going to change what I believe.

Reply 46

Original post by DiddyDec

I have seen it and it doesn't excuse poor use of language in order to demonise people with legitimate concerns.

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I never said it excused it. I just agree that religious prejudices do fall under the umbrella of racism in our modern interpretation of the word.

I also don't get what the legitimate concerns about Muslim women wearing hijabs are. It's a sign of oppression within the religion (even if Muslim women say otherwise). People are saying re Syrian refugees that it is okay to bring women and children over. Well is that not okay if the women are wearing hijab? Do we think these women are a threat or not?

I believe racism is over-used and shouldn't be banded around as it is. But to challenge a point based on that and refer to a dictionary isn't really discussing the issues it's discussing the semantics, and nothing ever changed through the latter.

Reply 47

Original post by lustawny

No, you're just trying to sway me by appealing to my better nature, which isn't going to change what I believe.

Well that's fine. We've had a discussion. I've given you my opinion on the matter. You aren't going to change what you believe. That's fair enough. You're entitled to your own views but discussion is healthy and good for both sides. :u:

Reply 48

Original post by Ethereal World

I never said it excused it. I just agree that religious prejudices do fall under the umbrella of racism in our modern interpretation of the word.

I also don't get what the legitimate concerns about Muslim women wearing hijabs are. It's a sign of oppression within the religion (even if Muslim women say otherwise). People are saying re Syrian refugees that it is okay to bring women and children over. Well is that not okay if the women are wearing hijab? Do we think these women are a threat or not?

I believe racism is over-used and shouldn't be banded around as it is. But to challenge a point based on that and refer to a dictionary isn't really discussing the issues it's discussing the semantics, and nothing ever changed through the latter.

You are arguing for the use of it when it is nothing more than incorrect use of language. For instance "literally" is used incorrectly all too often but that does not change the definition of the word.

I don't know where your examples of legitimate concerns have come from but the term is often used by those wishing to shut down conversation normally with bigot thrown in.

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Reply 49

Longshot700

OP

Original post by Josb

OP spends the majority of his posts saying that white British are racist, whilst the most racist people in the UK are probably south Asians or from Muslim countries. How many of them would let their children marry outside their race? Who's racist now?

A lot of my posts are against racism. But I've never said only white people are racist.

Reply 50

Abbie3M

1

Original post by Wilfred Little

Why is it? What exactly are you scared of?

I don't mind Muslims what so ever. I do mind when they wear a veil though. Do you know who is hiding under that? Veils show extremism to me. I can't help feeling uncomfortable when there is somebody on the tube or a bus wearing a veil.

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Reply 51

goldenshades

19

You guys have no clue lolol

Original post by DiddyDec

Not very.

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Original post by Kyx

As I thought :smile:

Reply 52

Kyx

6

Original post by goldenshades

You guys have no clue lolol

Reply 53

generallee

16

Original post by Ethereal World

Yeah but I'm talking about all religious prejudice. Islam is just one religion.

Why not call it prejudice?

Religious people are prejudiced against people of other faiths, and atheists. Atheists are prejudiced against religious people. And so on ad infinitum. What they are NOT is racist.

There is a heck of a lot of stereotyping and prejudice and bigotry. It is a facet of human nature, that is very unpleasant and in the worst examples lethal even. But I don't see how shoehorning more and more of what we dislike in human nature into one catch all term of moral disapprobation makes anything better?

It just makes "racism" a more and more meaningless word.

Reply 54

al_94

14

send me the link then

Reply 55

Original post by goldenshades

You guys have no clue lolol

Enlighten me.

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Reply 56

goldenshades

19

Original post by DiddyDec

Enlighten me.

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Unless you yourself are an ethnic minority living in the UK you have no idea what it is like; even if I were to describe it to you you would still find an excuse to say that it is not as bad as people make it out to be, so I won't bother. But for you to say that racism is non-existent/occurs at a low level in the UK makes you just as ignorant as the racist people themselves.

Reply 57

walking in glass

1

Original post by ♥Samantha♥

Islam is an ethnic religion.

What?

Reply 58

walking in glass

1

Also, is there a link?

Reply 59