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Maybe I'm not easily triggered enough but generally speaking when one says "the Chinese" or "the Nigerians' or "the Russians" in a discussion that's about inter
by dsfyu404ed 8y ago
Maybe I'm not easily triggered enough but generally speaking when one says "the Chinese" or "the Nigerians' or "the Russians" in a discussion that's about international relations, geopolitics or similar, I tend to think they're talking about the nation and its government, not the people themselves.
- AYBABTME 8y agoIf that's the case, the distinction was subtle enough for me to miss, and probably a lot of others. It isn't hard to say "the Chinese government" if that's what parent meant. Instead saying "the Chinese" in response to an article about a Chinese company's product is clearly ambiguous. I don't see how it's okay to gratuitously say anything about "the Chinese" as if that was somehow a valid, well defined and understood group that warrants being judged and stereotyped in such a wide manner.
- bllguo 8y agoBut it blurs the distinction and it normalizes thinking about the Chinese people and the Chinese gov't in similar ways. Honestly I think it's irresponsible and naive - let's not pretend there isn't a rising undercurrent of anti-Chinese sentiment in the West.
- JamesBarney 8y agoAll the rising anti-Chinese sentiment I've seen seems mostly geopolitical and not ethnic.