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Nationalism wrapped in sentimentality.. "A lot of Libyans today are still surprised to discover there were Amazigh, Tuareg and Tabu peoples in Libya before 201

Nationalism wrapped in sentimentality.. "A lot of Libyans today are still surprised to discover there were Amazigh, Tuareg and Tabu peoples in Libya before 2011." I'm not sure knowing about Tuaregs is inherently more important than Bruce Lee if they're so marginal to your local life that you don't even know they exist. Okay, you and them have a common government.. but that's some artificial construct that's distant and abstract - there are more important things in life. Enjoy the culture you want to enjoy and find stimulating/enriching. I'm Californian. I don't know anything about the people and life in say.. South Dakota. I have no idea what their capital is. I have zero conception of the people there. And I have zero interest. I rather learn about life in Korea or Uzbekistan. I'm pretty confident I'm going to find it more interesting and stimulating. I don't think it's some giant cultural shame the US doesn't present compelling representations of South Dakotans.

modo_mario 1y ago
>And I have zero interest. That's you. >I'm Californian. I don't know anything about the people and life in say.. South Dakota. I have no idea what their capital is. I have zero conception of the people there. I'd argue it's like you not knowing there's native americans in your state and why they might be there.
- cobbzilla 1y ago
  To link back to TFA, if the explanation was that he didn’t know because the government made all the movies and never showed anything about the indigenous peoples, that ignorance is somewhat understandable.
- contrarian1234 1y ago
  This reminds me of a situation over a decade ago. Where we had some proposition that we had to vote on - concerning allowing some native american tribe near Sacramento to open a casino on their reservation. I spend a considerable amount of time trying to understand the issue and never really ended up having an opinion on it. I don't live near Sacramento, I don't know any of the people involved or affected. It was a giant waste of my time and honestly exemplifies my point. I don't think I should have any say in this matter. I left that part of the ballot empty
alephnerd 1y ago
> I'm not sure knowing about Tuaregs is inherently more important than Bruce Lee if they're so marginal to your local life that you don't even know they exist It does when the Tuareg de facto control much of the Libyan Sahara, and became a major faction of the Civil War first backing Gaddafi and then becoming their own thing, and when Gaddafi spent decades marginalizing and attempting to eliminate Amazigh/Berber culture and language, and even reducing a significant number to statelessness. Both Tuareg and Amazigh make up around 20% of Libya's population. > in say.. South Dakota. I have no idea what their capital is. I have zero conception of the people there. And I have zero interest. I rather learn about life in Korea or Uzbekistan A Korean or Uzbek doesn't decide our president. South Dakotan voters do. Ignoring to learn about major portions and communities in the US further incentivizes partisanism, and regional alienation. The US has significant cultural and ethnic diversity, and assuming the culture in all 50 states is the same "American" culture is dumb if you travel across the country and especially outside of the white collar tech bro bubble of Tier 1 metros like SF, NYC, and Seattle. Even California itself is easily at least 5 different cultural zones.
- contrarian1234 1y ago
  > became a major faction of the Civil War This is a weird edge case. You don't need to know proximal cultures b/c one day they might come to rape and pillage you. That's not a sane way to structure your priorities. > A Korean or Uzbek doesn't decide our president. South Dakotan voters do You see how arbitrary that is? And.. I just don't care...? They have their own choice I have my own. I just respect they probably have different interesting and priorities and they can do their own thing. I don't structure what I spend my time on around presidents. Maybe the president isn't to my liking.. whatever. It has incredibly little impact on my daily life tbh. (the only time I've felt otherwise was during COVID) I have more important things to think about. > further incentivizes partisanism, and regional alienation. Again.. I don't care. I don't want to have a cultural convergence with people that are far away, who I never interact with and who have a near-zero impact on my life. People don't have obligations towards their nation-state. > The US has significant cultural and ethnic diversity, and assuming the culture in all 50 states is the same "American" culture is dumb I don't assume that. I just have zero interest in them. They do their own stuff, I do my own. I don't feel it's a good use of my time for me to know about them I get your overall point - but I just think in one's personal life, one has much much much more important things to focus on than some abstract duty to the unity of one's nation. If you like Bruce Lee and Bob Marley and don't give a shit about people in the next province over then there isn't anything wrong with that. It's not something to get all sad about and write blogs about. There in part the author is arguing that people never had the choice to learn about their neighbors - but the subtext seems to suggest people just wanted to enjoy Reggae

modo_mario 1y ago

>And I have zero interest. That's you. >I'm Californian. I don't know anything about the people and life in say.. South Dakota. I have no idea what their capital is. I have zero conception of the people there. I'd argue it's like you not knowing there's native americans in your state and why they might be there.

cobbzilla 1y ago
To link back to TFA, if the explanation was that he didn’t know because the government made all the movies and never showed anything about the indigenous peoples, that ignorance is somewhat understandable.
contrarian1234 1y ago
This reminds me of a situation over a decade ago. Where we had some proposition that we had to vote on - concerning allowing some native american tribe near Sacramento to open a casino on their reservation. I spend a considerable amount of time trying to understand the issue and never really ended up having an opinion on it. I don't live near Sacramento, I don't know any of the people involved or affected. It was a giant waste of my time and honestly exemplifies my point. I don't think I should have any say in this matter. I left that part of the ballot empty

alephnerd 1y ago

> I'm not sure knowing about Tuaregs is inherently more important than Bruce Lee if they're so marginal to your local life that you don't even know they exist It does when the Tuareg de facto control much of the Libyan Sahara, and became a major faction of the Civil War first backing Gaddafi and then becoming their own thing, and when Gaddafi spent decades marginalizing and attempting to eliminate Amazigh/Berber culture and language, and even reducing a significant number to statelessness. Both Tuareg and Amazigh make up around 20% of Libya's population. > in say.. South Dakota. I have no idea what their capital is. I have zero conception of the people there. And I have zero interest. I rather learn about life in Korea or Uzbekistan A Korean or Uzbek doesn't decide our president. South Dakotan voters do. Ignoring to learn about major portions and communities in the US further incentivizes partisanism, and regional alienation. The US has significant cultural and ethnic diversity, and assuming the culture in all 50 states is the same "American" culture is dumb if you travel across the country and especially outside of the white collar tech bro bubble of Tier 1 metros like SF, NYC, and Seattle. Even California itself is easily at least 5 different cultural zones.

contrarian1234 1y ago
> became a major faction of the Civil War This is a weird edge case. You don't need to know proximal cultures b/c one day they might come to rape and pillage you. That's not a sane way to structure your priorities. > A Korean or Uzbek doesn't decide our president. South Dakotan voters do You see how arbitrary that is? And.. I just don't care...? They have their own choice I have my own. I just respect they probably have different interesting and priorities and they can do their own thing. I don't structure what I spend my time on around presidents. Maybe the president isn't to my liking.. whatever. It has incredibly little impact on my daily life tbh. (the only time I've felt otherwise was during COVID) I have more important things to think about. > further incentivizes partisanism, and regional alienation. Again.. I don't care. I don't want to have a cultural convergence with people that are far away, who I never interact with and who have a near-zero impact on my life. People don't have obligations towards their nation-state. > The US has significant cultural and ethnic diversity, and assuming the culture in all 50 states is the same "American" culture is dumb I don't assume that. I just have zero interest in them. They do their own stuff, I do my own. I don't feel it's a good use of my time for me to know about them I get your overall point - but I just think in one's personal life, one has much much much more important things to focus on than some abstract duty to the unity of one's nation. If you like Bruce Lee and Bob Marley and don't give a shit about people in the next province over then there isn't anything wrong with that. It's not something to get all sad about and write blogs about. There in part the author is arguing that people never had the choice to learn about their neighbors - but the subtext seems to suggest people just wanted to enjoy Reggae