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... which is a pious, self-congratulatory cliche. I don't mean to attack the sincerity of this particular author, since this might be a perfectly honest and ge

by dkarl 17y ago

... which is a pious, self-congratulatory cliche. I don't mean to attack the sincerity of this particular author, since this might be a perfectly honest and genuine account, but for an educated liberal young person to write about accepting a working-class Spanish-speaking working mother as her peer is not really any different from writing about how pretty, thin, or well-educated she is. That is to say, whether it's true or not, it's in bad taste.

Tichy 17y ago
"but for an educated liberal young person" I suspect most other liberal young people are not cleaning kitchen sinks in other people's apartments when they have that revelation, though. Bad taste - or maybe it is just being honest? It's not as if those people who are not saying it (supposedly showing better taste) are not thinking it.
pyre 17y ago
> for an educated liberal young person to write about accepting a working-class Spanish-speaking working mother as her peer is not really any different from writing about how pretty, thin, or well-educated she is. That is to say, whether it's true or not, it's in bad taste. Isn't the whole point, "I used to think there was a distinction before and I used it to discriminate, but now I realize that I was wrong?" How is that message in bad taste? {edit} For example, if someone in the 1860s (or even 1960s) said something like : "Black people are just the same as I am. I used to think different and think that they were below me, but now I realize that skin color isn't everything." Your response would be something like: "That comment is in bad taste. You're just trying to emphasize the fact that you're white and not black!" In other words, that 'whoosh' sound you hear is the point of the whole thing going over your head.
- caffeine 17y ago
  > In other words, that 'whoosh' sound you hear is the point of the whole thing going over your head. That's completely unnecessary and not at all in the spirit of HN. > How is that message in bad taste? What about "I'm a really wise person who has come to understand an important truth in the world, that other people are people too." Is that in bad taste? Or "I'm awesome. Really awesome." ? What about "Hey! Approve of me!" This thread is becoming a bit overly blunt.

by dkarl 17y ago

Tichy 17y ago

"but for an educated liberal young person" I suspect most other liberal young people are not cleaning kitchen sinks in other people's apartments when they have that revelation, though. Bad taste - or maybe it is just being honest? It's not as if those people who are not saying it (supposedly showing better taste) are not thinking it.

pyre 17y ago

> for an educated liberal young person to write about accepting a working-class Spanish-speaking working mother as her peer is not really any different from writing about how pretty, thin, or well-educated she is. That is to say, whether it's true or not, it's in bad taste. Isn't the whole point, "I used to think there was a distinction before and I used it to discriminate, but now I realize that I was wrong?" How is that message in bad taste? {edit} For example, if someone in the 1860s (or even 1960s) said something like : "Black people are just the same as I am. I used to think different and think that they were below me, but now I realize that skin color isn't everything." Your response would be something like: "That comment is in bad taste. You're just trying to emphasize the fact that you're white and not black!" In other words, that 'whoosh' sound you hear is the point of the whole thing going over your head.

caffeine 17y ago
> In other words, that 'whoosh' sound you hear is the point of the whole thing going over your head. That's completely unnecessary and not at all in the spirit of HN. > How is that message in bad taste? What about "I'm a really wise person who has come to understand an important truth in the world, that other people are people too." Is that in bad taste? Or "I'm awesome. Really awesome." ? What about "Hey! Approve of me!" This thread is becoming a bit overly blunt.