5 ms·

> but rather are the genetic conglomerate of their ancestors (which is hard to argue against) and thus links in a chain But that's exactly it. It's not like th

by Tor3 7y ago

> but rather are the genetic conglomerate of their ancestors (which is hard to argue against) and thus links in a chain But that's exactly it. It's not like that. Or shouldn't be. That's not what makes a person a part of a group (town, city, region, country, etc). It's a constraining, and wrong way of looking at things. It's something to grow out of. Heck, in my hometown we consider someone as 'from' this town (to translate the term we use, approximately) even if they're not born here, maybe they even moved here in their twenties, and maybe from another continent, maybe looking totally different; if they just 'fit in' and find their comfortable place here. If they bring on something new (combining culture/music from their background with something existing), even better. They are 100% part of what's us. Except for those of the never non-existent, but still tiny minority of the "you're not one of us" group. Those telling young girls (as did an old woman the other day, not in this town but out in the countryside) "you can't wear that traditional costume, you're not one of us" (the girl's grandfather was adopted from some place, or some such).

hh3k0 7y ago
It is revolting how terribly arrogant your comment is, really. They don't have a "wrong way of looking at things" simply because it is not your way. And your way is by no means the way.
- Tor3 7y ago
  I should maybe add 'in my opinion'. But in truth, I really believe it's wrong. It does not lead to anything positive, quite the contrary. And I've never seen a community become worse by moving into a more modern, open view on diversity and acceptance. And to focus: I really, truly mean that the idea that what "makes" you (and that's what I was commenting on) is your ancestors, is just wrong. Genetic chain? Well, so what, we're all a part of a genetic chain, and the same one at that, which goes back nearly four billion years. Take one step back to get the overview and it matters nothing (nor should it) who your father was.
  - zlakb 7y ago
    It leads to something positive to them, it seems. "more modern, open view on diversity and acceptance" is not positive by itself. Unless you're looking from the point of view of those entering the country, which are people that nationals don't have to care about.
    - Tor3 7y ago
      I'm actually taking the point of view from the nationals, as you call it. With people coming from other places on earth the area I'm currently living in became a good place to live. I got the nicest next-door neighbours it's possible to imagine, for example. My wife cried when they moved to another place (to get more space). The city center is also a vastly more dynamic and interesting place to be than it used to be back when everything was monotone. Back when the only non-native language you could hear was a little bit of English, and the occasional tourists from nearby countries. Now there are more than a hundred languages spoken here. It works fantastically well, but it demands that you avoid creating ghettos for immigrants, as has been the unfortunate expericence of some cities elsewhere in Europe.
- umadon 7y ago
  Genetic determinism is an essential tenet of eugenics.
blub 7y ago
It seems to me that disturbingly many people (predominantly western white men, I'd hazard, but women aren't spared either) are afflicted by a syndrome which makes them truly believe that race, ethnicity or nationality don't matter and that we're all the same. Not that we should have the same rights and obligations, but that we're the same with some cute, "enriching" but irrelevant exceptions such as music, food, etc. Unfortunately for them, they're also the only ones believing that, ending up in the unenviable situation of sacrificing their individuality, grovelling for unity and making up excuses for the inevitable cultural friction. Meanwhile everyone else is damn proud of their heritage and they stick together.
- hh3k0 7y ago
  > It seems to me that disturbingly many people (predominantly western white men, I'd hazard, but women aren't spared either) are afflicted by a syndrome which makes them truly believe that race, ethnicity or nationality don't matter and that we're all the same. I believe that the Chinese call such individuals "Baizuo".
  - gmanley 7y ago
    I really don't think you should be perpetuating derogatory and racially charged terms like this on HN.
- Tor3 7y ago
  On the contrary - we're not all the same, we are each of us individuals. And that's the point, I think. We're individuals, and all of us different. We're not just a sample of some stereotype of where our ancestors came from.
  - blub 7y ago
    That's not true either. Depending on how closely one looks, individuals start to melt into groups, regions, nations, etc.
- dang 7y ago
  Please don't post race war comments to HN. We don't want this here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

by Tor3 7y ago

hh3k0 7y ago

It is revolting how terribly arrogant your comment is, really. They don't have a "wrong way of looking at things" simply because it is not your way. And your way is by no means the way.

Tor3 7y ago
I should maybe add 'in my opinion'. But in truth, I really believe it's wrong. It does not lead to anything positive, quite the contrary. And I've never seen a community become worse by moving into a more modern, open view on diversity and acceptance. And to focus: I really, truly mean that the idea that what "makes" you (and that's what I was commenting on) is your ancestors, is just wrong. Genetic chain? Well, so what, we're all a part of a genetic chain, and the same one at that, which goes back nearly four billion years. Take one step back to get the overview and it matters nothing (nor should it) who your father was.
- zlakb 7y ago
  It leads to something positive to them, it seems. "more modern, open view on diversity and acceptance" is not positive by itself. Unless you're looking from the point of view of those entering the country, which are people that nationals don't have to care about.
  - Tor3 7y ago
    I'm actually taking the point of view from the nationals, as you call it. With people coming from other places on earth the area I'm currently living in became a good place to live. I got the nicest next-door neighbours it's possible to imagine, for example. My wife cried when they moved to another place (to get more space). The city center is also a vastly more dynamic and interesting place to be than it used to be back when everything was monotone. Back when the only non-native language you could hear was a little bit of English, and the occasional tourists from nearby countries. Now there are more than a hundred languages spoken here. It works fantastically well, but it demands that you avoid creating ghettos for immigrants, as has been the unfortunate expericence of some cities elsewhere in Europe.
umadon 7y ago
Genetic determinism is an essential tenet of eugenics.

blub 7y ago

It seems to me that disturbingly many people (predominantly western white men, I'd hazard, but women aren't spared either) are afflicted by a syndrome which makes them truly believe that race, ethnicity or nationality don't matter and that we're all the same. Not that we should have the same rights and obligations, but that we're the same with some cute, "enriching" but irrelevant exceptions such as music, food, etc. Unfortunately for them, they're also the only ones believing that, ending up in the unenviable situation of sacrificing their individuality, grovelling for unity and making up excuses for the inevitable cultural friction. Meanwhile everyone else is damn proud of their heritage and they stick together.

hh3k0 7y ago
> It seems to me that disturbingly many people (predominantly western white men, I'd hazard, but women aren't spared either) are afflicted by a syndrome which makes them truly believe that race, ethnicity or nationality don't matter and that we're all the same. I believe that the Chinese call such individuals "Baizuo".
- gmanley 7y ago
  I really don't think you should be perpetuating derogatory and racially charged terms like this on HN.
Tor3 7y ago
On the contrary - we're not all the same, we are each of us individuals. And that's the point, I think. We're individuals, and all of us different. We're not just a sample of some stereotype of where our ancestors came from.
- blub 7y ago
  That's not true either. Depending on how closely one looks, individuals start to melt into groups, regions, nations, etc.
dang 7y ago
Please don't post race war comments to HN. We don't want this here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html