5 ms·
I probably should stop commenting on these forums. I meant Aussie housemates when I wrote white housemates. I didn't have any ill-intentions while writing it. M
by jp0d 6y ago
I probably should stop commenting on these forums. I meant Aussie housemates when I wrote white housemates. I didn't have any ill-intentions while writing it. My only intention was to share the common name of the plant!
- boredumb 6y agoYou're fine dude, unfortunately we're coming up on the US election so a lot of folks have put way to many chips on the table in regards to any reference to ethnicity or race being an outrageous thing to say. The list of unspeakable words and topics seems to have been growing rapidly the last few years so you shouldn't sweat it, most people who go out of their way to take offense actually don't care and just want to clutch pearls in public.
- jp0d 6y agoThanks mate. You've to be too careful these days I reckon. My housemates and I had loads of fun calling each other names. They would call me curry muncher and I called them unseasoned chicken wings and we laughed it off. I don't see any problem there. They've helped me whenever I need anything and I'd do the same for them. I think that matters more than any of these new age safe space thing. But I guess not everyone has thick skin! Cheers, dude.
- alchemism 6y agoGood humor about it is a mark of ‘cosmopolitanism.‘ In a large business building in New York City whenever I’d go down to the mail room there would be couriers and maintainence men hanging around. Each a different ethnicity and shade of color. Most of the conversations I heard there were from them trading insults in friendly fashion. Most of the jokes were ethnic stereotypes. It offered them a chance to connect with each other. Out of this play, tolerance is made over time.
- cgriswald 6y agoThe drama here is not from people asking for clarification. It’s from the people who are somehow bothered by people asking for clarification. You’ve now finally offered some clarification, although honestly I still don’t really have any idea what you meant. But your initial response was to act as if the very act of asking the question somehow victimized you. Your original post lamented “PC culture” but no one actually criticized your post and you didn’t provide the asked for clarification.
- jp0d 6y agoYes, true. I didn't understand it as well. that's why I deleted it.
- voldacar 6y agoWell compared to most, Americans are uniquely afraid about making even innocuous racial references, let alone racial banter or joking around between friends. So expect a lot of that since this forum is mostly populated by Americans.
- colanderman 6y agojp0d, are you non-white? I suspect that many (US) readers may assume that as an immigrant to Australia you are white, having immigrated perhaps from the US or UK, which would make it odd to also name your roommates as such. When in reality most immigrants to Australia are from south- or east-Asian countries (as I'm guessing you may be), making the shorthand "white = natural-born, non-aboriginal Aus citizen" totally natural. Sorry if I'm off-base… just my guess that this is a miscommunication stemming from the US-centricity of these forums. It's natural after all for a reader to put themself in the shoes of the writer (as did I on first reading of your comment), which can occasionally lead to misunderstandings when race, gender, etc. do not match.
- jp0d 6y agoThank you for the explanation. Yes, I'm brown. :) Although I know a little bit about US politics, I don't know much. This was clearly a case of misunderstanding on my part. Cheers.
- dicknuckle 6y agodon't sweat it. over here in the US, we're still paddling in an age where racism and genetic (perceived) superiority are making an ugly comeback to mainstream politics. you'll have to forgive the ones who are on edge about it.
- jp0d 6y agoThanks mate. :)