3 ms·

I’m not talking about personal use? I do use the neutral colors, I just think inserting identity into something is a worse outcome. Generality would be better.

I’m not talking about personal use? I do use the neutral colors, I just think inserting identity into something is a worse outcome. Generality would be better. See this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27049269 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27049269 Or this one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27049517 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27049517

teachingassist 5y ago
Generality is not, in general, better - we all communicate with different symbols (including different letters and words, different languages and dialects and subtexts and slang) to evoke different aspects of language and communication. Identity is extremely important to communication - I, personally, am communicating my opinion to you, personally. If you want to stick to [what you consider] neutral or impersonal language in whatever aspect, you can. That option hasn't been removed from you. If you want to impose your preference on others, that is to prevent other people from communicating effectively. I don't respect that.
- fossuser 5y ago
  I'm not dogmatic about it and obviously my position is a lost cause, but I don't think inserting race into everything is better. Race is socially constructed, lines between 'races' dissolve and change over time. Reinforcing our differences in software and communication unnecessarily over arbitrary categorizations and physical characteristics is worse for society (imo). I think people should generally have the freedom to do what they want, but defaults and incentives matter - it's better to choose ones that lead to a better outcome when possible. That's all I'm getting at.
  - teachingassist 5y ago
    Race is socially constructed, but skin colour is not - it's a physical attribute. Emojis literally offer people the choice to use "Light Skin Tone", "Medium-Light Skin Tone", "Medium Skin Tone", "Medium-Dark Skin Tone" and "Dark Skin Tone". Those are not racial differentiators.
    - fossuser 5y ago
      Yeah you're right of course - and that's the strongest argument in favor of them, but given how modern society operates today where people use skin tone as a (the main?) racial differentiator, the emoji's imply more than that. If it was just hair color or something it would be different. It shouldn't be different (imo) and hopefully we eventually get to a world where they're just physical attributes. I just don't see this kind of thing helping in the mean time.

teachingassist 5y ago

Generality is not, in general, better - we all communicate with different symbols (including different letters and words, different languages and dialects and subtexts and slang) to evoke different aspects of language and communication. Identity is extremely important to communication - I, personally, am communicating my opinion to you, personally. If you want to stick to [what you consider] neutral or impersonal language in whatever aspect, you can. That option hasn't been removed from you. If you want to impose your preference on others, that is to prevent other people from communicating effectively. I don't respect that.

fossuser 5y ago
I'm not dogmatic about it and obviously my position is a lost cause, but I don't think inserting race into everything is better. Race is socially constructed, lines between 'races' dissolve and change over time. Reinforcing our differences in software and communication unnecessarily over arbitrary categorizations and physical characteristics is worse for society (imo). I think people should generally have the freedom to do what they want, but defaults and incentives matter - it's better to choose ones that lead to a better outcome when possible. That's all I'm getting at.
- teachingassist 5y ago
  Race is socially constructed, but skin colour is not - it's a physical attribute. Emojis literally offer people the choice to use "Light Skin Tone", "Medium-Light Skin Tone", "Medium Skin Tone", "Medium-Dark Skin Tone" and "Dark Skin Tone". Those are not racial differentiators.
  - fossuser 5y ago
    Yeah you're right of course - and that's the strongest argument in favor of them, but given how modern society operates today where people use skin tone as a (the main?) racial differentiator, the emoji's imply more than that. If it was just hair color or something it would be different. It shouldn't be different (imo) and hopefully we eventually get to a world where they're just physical attributes. I just don't see this kind of thing helping in the mean time.