3 ms·

George Orwell's book 1984 was written in 1949 to warn against totalitarianism. It was modeled on Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. I can think of nothing more

George Orwell's book 1984 was written in 1949 to warn against totalitarianism. It was modeled on Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. I can think of nothing more anti-Nazi than showing a little respect for people of color in our popular fiction.

Brian_K_White 4y ago
The point is that the shoe fits, which exposes that the virtuous intent is actually ignorant, misguided, invalid, counter-productive, and self-defeating.
starkd 4y ago
That might be true if it were just about being more polite. But this is about control by establishing an approved vocabulary. Why else the need to rewrite past literature? It is a very condescending attitude to think you can protect people from "harmful thoughts". Archaic language is a key into deciphering cultures and other historical ideas.
- op00to 4y ago
  Literally none of that is happening. The company thinks they can sell more books if they no longer alienate a large portion of the reading public. Maybe all the white folks bought 007 books, and now they want other races to buy 007. What is distinctly missing from your fantasy is the removal, destruction or burning of the prior editions of the book. You can still get the racist edition if that’s your thing. Hell, they’re on zlib.
nhchris 4y ago
"and Stalinist Russia. I can think of nothing more anti-Nazi" By now I'm used to Soviet union being ignored whenever convenient, but I've never seen it forgotten in the span of seven words. > Censorship in the Soviet Union was pervasive and strictly enforced. [..] For instance, in the 1950 edition of The Ordeal of Sevastopol, censors made over three hundred cuts, screening the book's references to Frenchmen as "a people of very lively imagination", and the chivalrous treatments which the French gave to Russian prisoners—such as eating in the passenger's lounge and being given a hundred francs per month—were extracted from the text. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Soviet_Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Soviet_Union > "Hitler didn't snub me – it was our president who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." [..] In Germany, Owens had been allowed to travel with and stay in the same hotels as whites, at a time when African Americans in many parts of the United States had to stay in segregated hotels that accommodated only blacks. [..] After the parade, Owens was not permitted to enter through the main doors of the Waldorf Astoria New York and instead forced to travel up to the reception honoring him in a freight elevator. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens#1936_Berlin_Summer_Olympics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens#1936_Berlin_Summer... > "An overwhelming majority [74-82%] of the men feel that negro and white soldiers should be separated both during and after training" - pg. 10, Attitudes of White Enlisted Men Towards Sharing Facilities With Negro Troops, US War Dept., 1942 - https://archive.org/details/us-war-department-final-race-wonk-room/page/n9/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/us-war-department-final-race-won...
- DoreenMichele 4y ago
  It's popular fiction. There will be a disclaimer acknowledging the changes. It's not a history book or news report being edited to leave out things people in power find uncomfortable. It's popular fiction being edited to leave out things historically oppressed and abused peoples find hurtful and for whom the past is far from dead.

Brian_K_White 4y ago

The point is that the shoe fits, which exposes that the virtuous intent is actually ignorant, misguided, invalid, counter-productive, and self-defeating.

starkd 4y ago

That might be true if it were just about being more polite. But this is about control by establishing an approved vocabulary. Why else the need to rewrite past literature? It is a very condescending attitude to think you can protect people from "harmful thoughts". Archaic language is a key into deciphering cultures and other historical ideas.

op00to 4y ago
Literally none of that is happening. The company thinks they can sell more books if they no longer alienate a large portion of the reading public. Maybe all the white folks bought 007 books, and now they want other races to buy 007. What is distinctly missing from your fantasy is the removal, destruction or burning of the prior editions of the book. You can still get the racist edition if that’s your thing. Hell, they’re on zlib.

nhchris 4y ago

"and Stalinist Russia. I can think of nothing more anti-Nazi" By now I'm used to Soviet union being ignored whenever convenient, but I've never seen it forgotten in the span of seven words. > Censorship in the Soviet Union was pervasive and strictly enforced. [..] For instance, in the 1950 edition of The Ordeal of Sevastopol, censors made over three hundred cuts, screening the book's references to Frenchmen as "a people of very lively imagination", and the chivalrous treatments which the French gave to Russian prisoners—such as eating in the passenger's lounge and being given a hundred francs per month—were extracted from the text. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Soviet_Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Soviet_Union > "Hitler didn't snub me – it was our president who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." [..] In Germany, Owens had been allowed to travel with and stay in the same hotels as whites, at a time when African Americans in many parts of the United States had to stay in segregated hotels that accommodated only blacks. [..] After the parade, Owens was not permitted to enter through the main doors of the Waldorf Astoria New York and instead forced to travel up to the reception honoring him in a freight elevator. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens#1936_Berlin_Summer_Olympics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens#1936_Berlin_Summer... > "An overwhelming majority [74-82%] of the men feel that negro and white soldiers should be separated both during and after training" - pg. 10, Attitudes of White Enlisted Men Towards Sharing Facilities With Negro Troops, US War Dept., 1942 - https://archive.org/details/us-war-department-final-race-wonk-room/page/n9/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/us-war-department-final-race-won...

DoreenMichele 4y ago
It's popular fiction. There will be a disclaimer acknowledging the changes. It's not a history book or news report being edited to leave out things people in power find uncomfortable. It's popular fiction being edited to leave out things historically oppressed and abused peoples find hurtful and for whom the past is far from dead.