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People are entirely capable of articulating what phrasing is racist dog whistle; when I read, say Ta-Nahesi Coates he is able to elaborate his point even to an

People are entirely capable of articulating what phrasing is racist dog whistle; when I read, say Ta-Nahesi Coates he is able to elaborate his point even to an audience with a very different context. It happens all the time. I'm asking for someone to actually explicitly explain to me the classist dog whistle in the article so that I can learn something.

parrellel 7y ago
For the classic classist dog whistle you're looking for a few things. You can't just say "screw the poor" or "screw the bourgeois" you go after behaviors, interests, and appearances. You describe them as rude, ignorant, or criminal. Here, from the article, for example: "...selfie-stick deaths, all-you-can-eat ships docking at historic ports, stag nights that end in property crimes, the live-streaming of the ruination of fragile natural habitats..." - So, selfies / selfie sticks leading to falling off a cliff (rude and dangerous) -All you can eat ships (cruises, gluttony, probably fat people) going to historic ports (stinking up the place) -Stag nights leading to property crimes (fornication and loud partying + criminals) -live-streaming of the ruination of fragile natural habitats (a lack of shame and propriety + ecological damage) So, just from that, I can tell you this is a hit piece against the not-quite-poor, like I could tell you one from decades past would mention tchotchkes, or dancing, or casserole. edit: pardon the borked formatting.
- jsutton 7y ago
  I think any of those examples can just as easily apply to upper class / wealthy travelers.
  - parrellel 7y ago
    Would they do those same sorts of things, yes. Would it be described the same way, no.
coldtea 7y ago
Nuance doesn't begin and end with "dog whistles". You can allude to middle class phenomena without mentioning anything explicitly useful as a signal. There's a "if you have to ask, you will never know" element involved.

parrellel 7y ago

For the classic classist dog whistle you're looking for a few things. You can't just say "screw the poor" or "screw the bourgeois" you go after behaviors, interests, and appearances. You describe them as rude, ignorant, or criminal. Here, from the article, for example: "...selfie-stick deaths, all-you-can-eat ships docking at historic ports, stag nights that end in property crimes, the live-streaming of the ruination of fragile natural habitats..." - So, selfies / selfie sticks leading to falling off a cliff (rude and dangerous) -All you can eat ships (cruises, gluttony, probably fat people) going to historic ports (stinking up the place) -Stag nights leading to property crimes (fornication and loud partying + criminals) -live-streaming of the ruination of fragile natural habitats (a lack of shame and propriety + ecological damage) So, just from that, I can tell you this is a hit piece against the not-quite-poor, like I could tell you one from decades past would mention tchotchkes, or dancing, or casserole. edit: pardon the borked formatting.

jsutton 7y ago
I think any of those examples can just as easily apply to upper class / wealthy travelers.
- parrellel 7y ago
  Would they do those same sorts of things, yes. Would it be described the same way, no.

coldtea 7y ago

Nuance doesn't begin and end with "dog whistles". You can allude to middle class phenomena without mentioning anything explicitly useful as a signal. There's a "if you have to ask, you will never know" element involved.