4 ms·

Why are you censoring yourself? I don't remember HN having a rule about self-censoring "bad" words.

Frondo 8y ago
Very good explanation of why, now, white people should refrain from using that word: https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/9/16627900/ta-nehisi-coates-n-word https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/9/16627900/ta-nehisi-...
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- nicky0 8y ago
  The summary of it is "So that you have something you are not allowed to do, which will give you a better idea of what it is like to be black." I'm not convinced this is the best reason.
  - Frondo 8y ago
    Why not? What would be a better reason? Or, do you think white people should feel free to use that word? Because there was a time when white people felt free to use that word, and there are still pockets of white society where people feel free to use that word, and if you think those times or those people are good ones to emulate, I'd be quite interested to know why you think that.
    - nicky0 8y ago
      A better reason would be, so as not to say hurtful things. I think all people should feel free to use whatever words they want to use as long as they are speaking truth.
      - Frondo 8y ago
        Why is "don't say hurtful things" better than "gain empathy and insight into the lives of a group of people who are generally very badly off, in very large part because our country allowed them to be enslaved for hundreds of years"? Because it seems like "don't say hurtful things" covers a lot of stuff, but you miss out on the specific empathy this specific situation gives you by reflecting on why this one word should be taken off the table for white people.
        nicky0 8y ago
        Because the "gain empathy" argument is condescending and insulting.
        Frondo 8y ago
        What makes it condescending or insulting? I'm not seeing either one.
        deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
        nicky0 8y ago
        You're not seeing it because you are trapped in a class guilt, social justice seeking, identity politics bubble.
        Frondo 8y ago
        You don't know whether I'm trapped in anything, and I certainly feel no particular guilt at all about being a white dude; none at all. Now, what's condescending or insulting?
- comesee 8y ago
  This is a bad explanation. No one is saying that context doesn't matter. The entire argument for using the n word is precisely that context matters. If you use the word referentially, or otherwise not in a malicious way, it's not reasonable to be regarded as a racist. This is the difference between a strange woman calling you honey in a compassionate personal way, and someone saying "does your wife call you 'honey'?" Or sarcastically "you're a real honey, aren't you?"
alasdair_ 8y ago
> Why are you censoring yourself? Personal choice. I really hate those two particular words.

Very good explanation of why, now, white people should refrain from using that word: https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/9/16627900/ta-nehisi-coates-n-word https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/9/16627900/ta-nehisi-...

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
nicky0 8y ago
The summary of it is "So that you have something you are not allowed to do, which will give you a better idea of what it is like to be black." I'm not convinced this is the best reason.
- Frondo 8y ago
  Why not? What would be a better reason? Or, do you think white people should feel free to use that word? Because there was a time when white people felt free to use that word, and there are still pockets of white society where people feel free to use that word, and if you think those times or those people are good ones to emulate, I'd be quite interested to know why you think that.
  - nicky0 8y ago
    A better reason would be, so as not to say hurtful things. I think all people should feel free to use whatever words they want to use as long as they are speaking truth.
    - Frondo 8y ago
      Why is "don't say hurtful things" better than "gain empathy and insight into the lives of a group of people who are generally very badly off, in very large part because our country allowed them to be enslaved for hundreds of years"? Because it seems like "don't say hurtful things" covers a lot of stuff, but you miss out on the specific empathy this specific situation gives you by reflecting on why this one word should be taken off the table for white people.
      - nicky0 8y ago
        Because the "gain empathy" argument is condescending and insulting.
        Frondo 8y ago
        What makes it condescending or insulting? I'm not seeing either one.
        deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
        nicky0 8y ago
        You're not seeing it because you are trapped in a class guilt, social justice seeking, identity politics bubble.
        Frondo 8y ago
        You don't know whether I'm trapped in anything, and I certainly feel no particular guilt at all about being a white dude; none at all. Now, what's condescending or insulting?
comesee 8y ago
This is a bad explanation. No one is saying that context doesn't matter. The entire argument for using the n word is precisely that context matters. If you use the word referentially, or otherwise not in a malicious way, it's not reasonable to be regarded as a racist. This is the difference between a strange woman calling you honey in a compassionate personal way, and someone saying "does your wife call you 'honey'?" Or sarcastically "you're a real honey, aren't you?"

alasdair_ 8y ago

> Why are you censoring yourself? Personal choice. I really hate those two particular words.