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Inclusive or Alienating? The Language Wars Go On

4 points by ryzvonusef 4y ago

ryzvonusef 4y ago
> Representative Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat who identifies as Afro-Latino, noted that a Pew survey found that only 3 percent of Hispanics themselves use the term Latinx. > “I have no personal objection to the term ‘Latinx’ and will use the term myself before an audience that prefers it,” Torres told me. “But it’s worth asking if the widespread use of the term ‘Latinx’ in both government and corporate America reflects the agenda-setting power of white leftists rather than the actual preferences of working-class Latinos.” > Similarly, terms like BIPOC — for Black, Indigenous and People of Color — seem to be employed primarily by white liberals. A national poll for The Times found that white Democrats were more than twice as likely to feel “very favorable” toward the term as nonwhite people. > Dr. Irwin Redlener, president emeritus of the Children’s Health Fund and a lifelong champion of vulnerable children, told me that the linguistic efforts reflect “liberals going overboard to create definitions and divisions” — and he, like me, is a liberal. > “It actually exacerbates divisions rather than accomplishing something useful,” Redlener said, and I think he’s right. > First, much of this effort seems to me performative rather than substantive. Instead of a spur to action, it seems a substitute for it. > Second, problems are easier to solve when we use clear, incisive language. The A.M.A. style guide’s recommendations for discussing health are instead a wordy model of obfuscation, cant and sloppy analysis. > Third, while this new terminology is meant to be inclusive, it bewilders and alienates millions of Americans. It creates an in-group of educated elites fluent in terms like BIPOC and A.A.P.I. and a larger out-group of baffled and offended voters, expanding the gulf between well-educated liberals and the 62 percent majority of Americans who lack a bachelor’s degree.
bell-cot 4y ago
WOW. A regular NYT opinion columnist, suggesting that the Language Wars are an in-group ideological war, between well-to-do white liberals, who don't actually give a crap about the various disadvantaged groups that they're claiming to be speaking up for? I hope the guy can keep his job.
- gnicholas 4y ago
  It is surprising to see this from Mr. Kristof. Perhaps his recent foray into politics has motivated him to go out on this limb?

4 points by ryzvonusef 4y ago

> Representative Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat who identifies as Afro-Latino, noted that a Pew survey found that only 3 percent of Hispanics themselves use the term Latinx. > “I have no personal objection to the term ‘Latinx’ and will use the term myself before an audience that prefers it,” Torres told me. “But it’s worth asking if the widespread use of the term ‘Latinx’ in both government and corporate America reflects the agenda-setting power of white leftists rather than the actual preferences of working-class Latinos.” > Similarly, terms like BIPOC — for Black, Indigenous and People of Color — seem to be employed primarily by white liberals. A national poll for The Times found that white Democrats were more than twice as likely to feel “very favorable” toward the term as nonwhite people. > Dr. Irwin Redlener, president emeritus of the Children’s Health Fund and a lifelong champion of vulnerable children, told me that the linguistic efforts reflect “liberals going overboard to create definitions and divisions” — and he, like me, is a liberal. > “It actually exacerbates divisions rather than accomplishing something useful,” Redlener said, and I think he’s right. > First, much of this effort seems to me performative rather than substantive. Instead of a spur to action, it seems a substitute for it. > Second, problems are easier to solve when we use clear, incisive language. The A.M.A. style guide’s recommendations for discussing health are instead a wordy model of obfuscation, cant and sloppy analysis. > Third, while this new terminology is meant to be inclusive, it bewilders and alienates millions of Americans. It creates an in-group of educated elites fluent in terms like BIPOC and A.A.P.I. and a larger out-group of baffled and offended voters, expanding the gulf between well-educated liberals and the 62 percent majority of Americans who lack a bachelor’s degree.

bell-cot 4y ago

WOW. A regular NYT opinion columnist, suggesting that the Language Wars are an in-group ideological war, between well-to-do white liberals, who don't actually give a crap about the various disadvantaged groups that they're claiming to be speaking up for? I hope the guy can keep his job.

gnicholas 4y ago
It is surprising to see this from Mr. Kristof. Perhaps his recent foray into politics has motivated him to go out on this limb?