4 ms·
The term diaspora is not exclusive to Jews. Just ask the Irish diaspora, the African diaspora, the Greek diaspora, etc.
by RK 16y ago
The term diaspora is not exclusive to Jews. Just ask the Irish diaspora, the African diaspora, the Greek diaspora, etc.
- jacquesm 16y agoTrue enough, but the Jewish connection really is a fairly strong one, and a large number of people would recognize the word as to be intricately related to the story about the Jewish people being 'scattered to the four winds' after leaving Israel. I think their Jewish background is what caused them to pick it, not because they relate it to African, Greek or Irish events.
- mnemonicsloth 16y agoA "Diaspora" -- breaking up a monolithic gathering and scattering the people into lots of little enclaves here, there and everywhere -- is a pretty apt description of what they want to accomplish. Also, the allusion is more recognizable in the niche of early adopters they need to court for traction. That's a signal that they'll be less mass-market (connotations: more hip, less tacky) than FB has become recently.
- enneff 16y agoFWIW when I read the project name I didn't connect it at all with the Jewish faith, and I have personal ties to Judaism so it's not that far from my mind. Maybe you've got Jews on the brain? ;-)
- jacquesm 16y agoNo, just lots of Jewish friends around here. You can't help but pick up a lot of history, then there's the huge exposure in school to WW2 and the aftermath.
- jacoblyles 16y agoTechnically the word "diaspora" can apply to any disperse part of a group. However, it does have a Jewish connotation since the Jewish people lived completely as a diaspora with no central nation for more than a millenium. Moreover, the word is most commonly used when referring to the Jewish Diaspora.