2 ms·
I’ll say that it’s a lot easier to avoid contentious terms when they don’t affect you personally. For example, if you are a middle-class heterosexual white man
by klodolph 6y ago
I’ll say that it’s a lot easier to avoid contentious terms when they don’t affect you personally. For example, if you are a middle-class heterosexual white man living in the US, then it’s a low-stakes choice to avoid talking about patriarchy, institutional racism, heteronormativity, sexism, etc.
The terms are partly contentious due to their connotations but these are contentious topics to talk about in the first place. If you’re going to dance around the most obvious and natural term for a concept that you’re talking about, it ends up sounding suspicious.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- cgriswald 6y agoThe problem in my mind is that when you use a contentious term to describe a precise concept, people—both those who largely agree and those who largely disagree with you—overload the term with their own assumptions about what the term means. I’ve seen people espouse Xism ideas while lambasting Xists because their view of Xism is a caricature.
- twic 6y ago"I think what this country needs is for the rich to pay more taxes, stronger unions to protect the little guy, and public services run for the public, not profit! Also, i hate socialism."
- Viliam1234 6y agoThat makes a lot of sense, because in socialism the most rich Party members didn't pay more taxes; the unions offered zero protection against the universal employer - state; and the public services... okay, those actually generated loss, you have a point.
- klodolph 6y agoAvoiding controversy is an act that supports the status quo.
- cgriswald 6y agoNon sequitur. Choosing your words to best be heard is not about avoiding controversy. Do you want to spend your time talking about the controversy or constantly arguing about definitions to people who have already decided you’re right or wrong based on an assumed position you don’t even hold?
- coagmano 6y agoAvoiding contentious terms is not the same thing as avoiding contentious topics. The blog clearly says he's keen to talk about these things, but tries to do so in a way that doesn't drag in a bunch of baggage that makes it less likely that the people you're communicating with will listen to your point.