• frododouchebaggins@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    No. Racism is prejudice based on skin color. Please consult your closest dictionary. To be clear, there are lots of social problems, and there are different words to describe those problems. You want to redefine racism because you want to be racist towards white people.

    • flamingarms@feddit.uk
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      1 year ago

      Lol mate, you’re being willfully obtuse. As you already know, there is knowledge beyond the confines of the dictionary, and the dictionary is merely attempting to summarize a very complex subject. If you’d like to broaden your perspective, you can turn to the research which is where I’m pulling my definition. If you’d like to understand why it’s so important to include those other things I mentioned in the definition, there’s plenty of reading opportunities to explain that.

      • CorruptBuddha@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        As you already know, there is knowledge beyond the confines of the dictionary

        Yet dictionaries still exist, and their definitions don’t become invalid just because you want to avoid criticism.

            • Hello Hotel@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              He may be wrong, just not tunnel visioned like a lot of other theorys. Its not purely intent to harm nor purely power/ability that defines racism. 2 or more sides of the same coin. Both aspects share the same word.

        • flamingarms@feddit.uk
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          1 year ago

          The dictionary is not a replacement for the social sciences, friend. It seems like you have a narrative in your head about why I am arguing this point, but I’d like to point out that your argument is currently standing on “but the dictionary though” in the face of decades of research.

          • CorruptBuddha@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 year ago

            Social sciences, and dictionaries are two seperate things. No one is arguing that dictionaries replace social sciences, what people are saying is the common definition still stands.

            • flamingarms@feddit.uk
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              1 year ago

              If you’ll afford me a long comment, I have an example that I think will explain my confusion. If you check the Oxford dictionary, you’ll see it define “gravity” as a force. Let’s say someone says “gravity is a force” in a thread much like this. I and others clarify “well, it presents as a force in some respects, but very much not like one in others.” People respond “No, it’s a force.” I clarify further how that’s not entirely the case. “Check the dictionary.” Yes, but the dictionary is just trying to summarize a very complex subject in physics and is not a replacement for the sciences. “No one is equating the dictionary and the sciences, but people still use the dictionary definition.”

              I understand that; indeed that’s how this thread formed. What I don’t understand is why, when I say that gravity is not entirely a force, it is met with a rejection of that clarification and nuance. Gravity is not entirely a force; it’s way more complicated than that. Racism is not just prejudice; it’s way more complicated than that. I’m confused why this is such an issue.

              • CorruptBuddha@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                1 year ago

                Except now you’re telling me gravity only applies to people of colour.

                And in your own analogy, you don’t deny that gravity is a force. You don’t deny that gravity makes things go down.

                Racism as in racial prejudice is still a thing. No one has discovered some fundamental force that stops racial prejudice from being a thing. What you’ve done is started to view everything through class structures while denying racism can operate on an individual to individual level. That’s not reality, that’s just Marxism.

                • flamingarms@feddit.uk
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                  1 year ago

                  You’re mixing the metaphor, mate. Gravity certainly behaves like a force in some ways and looks like a force in some ways, but also does not look or behave like a force. You have to peel away the surface level. Prejudice may look like prejudice going both between the in-group and the out-group. But an insult from one person to another is a very different thing when the person doing the insulting is armed with a gun. Now it’s not just an insult, is it? Saying “that’s an insult either way” doesn’t really summarize the experience, does it? The person being insulted at the end of a gun is having a very different experience. It’s not an insult anymore; it’s a threat of violence, it’s a threat of death, it’s a threat of “I can and will take everything from you” with centuries of violence and systemic oppression to back it.

                  You’re right that gravity is kind of a force. But it’s also not, and that’s very important to understand. Ya feel me? I’m not saying racism doesn’t happen on an individual level; quite the opposite. I’m saying the systemic and social oppression cannot be extricated from the individual level. And that’s why it’s not the same thing for a white person as it is for a black or brown person, when those are the in-group vs out-group respectively.

                  I gotta say, mate, I happened to scroll up and see another comment you made, stating that “they need to prove it” but won’t be able to “because they’re wrong.” I assume that’s in reference to me. I engage in conversations like these with the intent of just that, having conversation, seeing if we can find some understanding, and being willing to be wrong about things. That comment makes me feel like I was the only one bringing that to this conversation, and you are simply engaging with it from a “I’m right” perspective without even a consideration that your perspective may not be entirely right. Am I reading that right?

                  • CorruptBuddha@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    1 year ago

                    I’m not saying racism doesn’t happen on an individual level; quite the opposite. I’m saying the systemic and social oppression cannot be extricated from the individual level. And that’s why it’s not the same thing for a white person as it is for a black or brown person, when those are the in-group vs out-group respectively.

                    This is a crazy idea, but how about we just call out racism as a whole instead of having arguments about how racism towards whites isn’t racism.

                    Like holy fuck, you are wrong. You DID say racism doesn’t happen on an individual level.

                    Sure is. But “White” is prejudice at worst, not racism. Racism includes the inherent power dynamics and systemic racism against minorities.

                    ☝️☝️☝️ That’s you! That’s your initial comment in this discussion.

                    In all honesty you’re better composed, and clearly smarter then me, but you’re either disingenuous, or caught up in your own BS, because your position is wildly inconsistent. When you start saying things like “it’s white prejuice at worst” that should be a sign to take a step back.

                    Anyways… Soo um… I guess if you don’t believe in the influence of actions on the individual level, you also don’t believe in grass roots, or the civil rights movements over the past 100 years?

                    That comment makes me feel like I was the only one bringing that to this conversation, and you are simply engaging with it from a “I’m right” perspective without even a consideration that your perspective may not be entirely right. Am I reading that right?

                    YOURE FUCKING RACIST. Cockroaches deserve to be exposed. You are lucky for how polite I’ve been, and that I’ve taken the time to help you stop being fucking racist. People like yourself are undoing the progress we’ve made as a society, because like every fucking other arrogant prick, you think you can balance the scales without any consideration for the greater implications.

                    Fuck totalitarians.You undermine the foundations of what it means to be human like every other dictator because you can’t see past your own fucking goals.

                    I think you’re scum. Straight up.

                    Also heads up… trying to gatekeep the term systemic racism is systemically racist. Sooo… Seems like you have no problem with the structures of racism when it’s beneficial towards your goals.

                    And of course I have fucking doubts. Maybe Marxism is the way… But I have zero faith.

        • flamingarms@feddit.uk
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          1 year ago

          I don’t know who that is; first time talking with them as far as I know. I don’t mind engaging with someone until they seem disingenuous; but yeah, that’s where I’ve reached with that person. A short reply of “check the dictionary” is not the sign of someone wanting actual conversation. Guessing you’ve had a similar run-in with them.