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Supple Cow · 05-04-2005, 12:10 PM

This may be a stretch, but I see this as similar to global capitalism in a lot of ways. (And that could just be because I'm reading about that right now, but I guess I'll see what kind of response I get before I decide.)

Holding on tightly to cultural values in a way that makes one easily offended - as in by certain words or actions rather than by intentions - is like economic protectionism. In a global capitalist economy (which is what we're in whether all countries want to come out and play or not), it inhibits growth and is generally detrimental to the nation that employs it, not to mention causing friction with other nations. A lot of people blame capitalism, but the real problem is when countries try to put controls on capitalism. A liberalized system of capitalism itself actually allows everyone to benefit, even if not in equal proportions.

In the same way, when we make up terms that don't even have a specific meaning, we are protecting something that doesn't need to be protected as well as causing a lot of trouble in the process. We suffer the consequences of this in the form of inhibited growth (lack of political clout, having to experience everyday racism, etc.). If there were a metaphorical free trade of culture (a.k.a. more liberalized views of race and ethnicity) , I could imagine that everyone would benefit from the interchange and that overall racism and inequity in the political and other important arenas would be reduced. In other words, it is not a case of "everyone is racist against us Asians," it's more about "us Asians" not going out of our way to be the "us Asians" GROUP and thus creating an environment where other people who don't know any better don't have anything to react to. When you take on a victim mentality, you reinforce the system which creates situations in which you experience "oppression."

05-04-2005, 12:10 PM	#45 (permalink)
Supple Cow Americow, the Beautiful Location: Washington, D.C.	This may be a stretch, but I see this as similar to global capitalism in a lot of ways. (And that could just be because I'm reading about that right now, but I guess I'll see what kind of response I get before I decide.) Holding on tightly to cultural values in a way that makes one easily offended - as in by certain words or actions rather than by intentions - is like economic protectionism. In a global capitalist economy (which is what we're in whether all countries want to come out and play or not), it inhibits growth and is generally detrimental to the nation that employs it, not to mention causing friction with other nations. A lot of people blame capitalism, but the real problem is when countries try to put controls on capitalism. A liberalized system of capitalism itself actually allows everyone to benefit, even if not in equal proportions. In the same way, when we make up terms that don't even have a specific meaning, we are protecting something that doesn't need to be protected as well as causing a lot of trouble in the process. We suffer the consequences of this in the form of inhibited growth (lack of political clout, having to experience everyday racism, etc.). If there were a metaphorical free trade of culture (a.k.a. more liberalized views of race and ethnicity) , I could imagine that everyone would benefit from the interchange and that overall racism and inequity in the political and other important arenas would be reduced. In other words, it is not a case of "everyone is racist against us Asians," it's more about "us Asians" not going out of our way to be the "us Asians" GROUP and thus creating an environment where other people who don't know any better don't have anything to react to. When you take on a victim mentality, you reinforce the system which creates situations in which you experience "oppression." __________________ "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan) Last edited by Supple Cow; 05-04-2005 at 12:15 PM.. Reason: clarity