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You're missing the point. "American" can be interpreted as racially neutral, but then why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is al

You're missing the point. "American" can be interpreted as racially neutral, but then why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent?. Same as "native-american". The fact is that there already exists a racial default, I didn't make it, it simply exists due to the nuances of our society, its history and/or its media. I didn't invent either term and I am not THE dictionary. This is how these terms are interpreted by the world and also through simple logic. I am not the one who interprets these terms and their usage. American society and culture is still severely segregated due to how crappily it dealt with the consequences of its racist history. White americans are considered american and black americans are considered african americans. It is not a mutually exclusive truth, but it is the norm, and that's what we're talking about. We're not talking about pure logic of meaning, we're talking about social usage of terms.

account42 1y ago
> You're missing the point. "American" can be interpreted as racially neutral, but then why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent? Because in the current ((zeitgeist)) Europeans are not allowed to have a racial identity.
- freehorse 1y ago
  "European" is a racial identity more in the americas than in europe.
- AlexeyBelov 1y ago
  Your comments are becoming really tiring, it's like reading certain parts of Reddit or 4chan.
philipallstar 1y ago
> You're missing the point. "American" can be interpreted as racially neutral, but then why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent?. Same as "native-american". Or Italian American. > White americans are considered american and black americans are considered african americans. It is not a mutually exclusive truth, but it is the norm, and that's what we're talking about. African American is an alternative to "black". It was not invented to make a lesser form of "American". Your simple logic is just wrong, as these things frequently are.
- Atlas667 1y ago
  > African American is an alternative to "black". It was not invented to make a lesser form of "American". Man, I'm not saying its lesser. I'm talking about how its used. I think you want to assign morality to my arguments when im being as neutral as possible. In some widespread contexts "american" is racially defaulted to white. Full stop. Like I said were not talking about the pure logical meaning of words were talking about how society uses them.
  - philwelch 1y ago
    > In some widespread contexts "american" is racially defaulted to white. Full stop. No, this is a personal problem on your part.
    - Atlas667 1y ago
      I'll just copy part of my other comment: As another comment pointed out this is in part due to racial majority being defaulted into the non-specific term "american". As in: most americans are white so "americans" is thought of as refering to the biggest group of americans. And in part due to historical subjugation of those other "americans". As in: less than 80 years ago the term "americans" was used almost exclusively to refer to white americans due to systemic racism. It is still particularly prevalent in media headlines. I don't know why you think I would make this up, lol.
      - philipallstar 1y ago
        > I don't know why you think I would make this up, lol. You're in far less danger of being accused of originality than you are of regurgitating banality.
        Atlas667 1y ago
        Non comment. Disregarded.
      - 1y ago
philwelch 1y ago
> why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent? You’re a couple decades out of date. “African American” isn’t that commonly used anymore; the much more commonly used term is “black”. Or if you want to make a finer distinction, I’ve also seen the term ADOS (American Descendant of Slaves). “Native American” is a neologism white liberals made up in the 1970’s because they didn’t like the term “American Indian”. It turns out almost all of the American Indians at the time preferred “American Indian” to “Native American”, but nobody actually asked them. “European American” isn’t commonly used because at the same time that “African American” was popular, so was the idea that white people shouldn’t have a racial self identity at all so there was zero impetus to try and push a politically correct euphemism for “white”. Even today a common style decision is to always capitalize the term “black” but not the term “white”. Furthermore, whenever we do talk about people in terms of nationality, such as during the Olympic Games, black Americans are consistently referred to as “Americans” rather than “African Americans”. Finally, what do you think was the internal logic of referring to black Americans as African Americans in the first place? It was to remind everyone that they are also Americans. It’s just like whenever people talk about Japanese-American internment during WW2, they add “American” to underscore the injustice of treating US citizens that way. A Japanese national who wasn’t a US citizen could more justifiably be detained, just as Germans and Italians were, but treating Americans that way is beyond the pale. What you’re doing here is taking a phrasing that was intentionally designed to use American patriotism to improve public perception of black people and twisting it around into yet another insidious form of crypto-anti-black racism using insane troll logic. And in that respect, you are the one missing the point.
- Atlas667 1y ago
  And so how does this relate to legos? I was explaining reasonings for lego defaulting yellow into white. The defaulting of "american" into white does happen frequently in news headlines by simple fact of often referring to black people as "african americans" and white people simply as "americans". And like someone else pointed out in the thread there have also been studies who have researched this topic. I think it's a real bias people/media seems to have. You may have a point with your retelling of the history of terms, I dont really know and I wont pretend to know. Though i sense some racial resentment in you with your statement that white people shouldn't, or weren't allowed to, have a racial self identity. But that is beside the point. > Finally, what do you think was the internal logic of referring to black Americans as African Americans in the first place? It was to remind everyone that they are also Americans. I don't think it was to subjugate them I think those are after effects of this country who systemically subdued other races and identified itself as white. In part that will never go away because the majority is still white. But there is a latent bias in there. And that's what I'm pointing out. You're trying to accuse me of "crypto-anti-black racism" when I point out that we come from a racist society. Like I said before: 80 years ago+, 2-3 generations min, "americans" was meant to refer to white americans only. And that was almost 100 years AFTER slavery was abolished. The country was incredibly racist till relatively recently. I am simply pointing out how the bias of a white nation still lives on in some way today and can be seen in the racial defaulting of little plastic figurine colors.

account42 1y ago

freehorse 1y ago
"European" is a racial identity more in the americas than in europe.
AlexeyBelov 1y ago
Your comments are becoming really tiring, it's like reading certain parts of Reddit or 4chan.

philipallstar 1y ago

> You're missing the point. "American" can be interpreted as racially neutral, but then why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent?. Same as "native-american". Or Italian American. > White americans are considered american and black americans are considered african americans. It is not a mutually exclusive truth, but it is the norm, and that's what we're talking about. African American is an alternative to "black". It was not invented to make a lesser form of "American". Your simple logic is just wrong, as these things frequently are.

Atlas667 1y ago
> African American is an alternative to "black". It was not invented to make a lesser form of "American". Man, I'm not saying its lesser. I'm talking about how its used. I think you want to assign morality to my arguments when im being as neutral as possible. In some widespread contexts "american" is racially defaulted to white. Full stop. Like I said were not talking about the pure logical meaning of words were talking about how society uses them.
- philwelch 1y ago
  > In some widespread contexts "american" is racially defaulted to white. Full stop. No, this is a personal problem on your part.
  - Atlas667 1y ago
    I'll just copy part of my other comment: As another comment pointed out this is in part due to racial majority being defaulted into the non-specific term "american". As in: most americans are white so "americans" is thought of as refering to the biggest group of americans. And in part due to historical subjugation of those other "americans". As in: less than 80 years ago the term "americans" was used almost exclusively to refer to white americans due to systemic racism. It is still particularly prevalent in media headlines. I don't know why you think I would make this up, lol.
    - philipallstar 1y ago
      > I don't know why you think I would make this up, lol. You're in far less danger of being accused of originality than you are of regurgitating banality.
      - Atlas667 1y ago
        Non comment. Disregarded.
    - 1y ago

philwelch 1y ago

> why is "african-american" very common, but using "european-american" is almost non existent? You’re a couple decades out of date. “African American” isn’t that commonly used anymore; the much more commonly used term is “black”. Or if you want to make a finer distinction, I’ve also seen the term ADOS (American Descendant of Slaves). “Native American” is a neologism white liberals made up in the 1970’s because they didn’t like the term “American Indian”. It turns out almost all of the American Indians at the time preferred “American Indian” to “Native American”, but nobody actually asked them. “European American” isn’t commonly used because at the same time that “African American” was popular, so was the idea that white people shouldn’t have a racial self identity at all so there was zero impetus to try and push a politically correct euphemism for “white”. Even today a common style decision is to always capitalize the term “black” but not the term “white”. Furthermore, whenever we do talk about people in terms of nationality, such as during the Olympic Games, black Americans are consistently referred to as “Americans” rather than “African Americans”. Finally, what do you think was the internal logic of referring to black Americans as African Americans in the first place? It was to remind everyone that they are also Americans. It’s just like whenever people talk about Japanese-American internment during WW2, they add “American” to underscore the injustice of treating US citizens that way. A Japanese national who wasn’t a US citizen could more justifiably be detained, just as Germans and Italians were, but treating Americans that way is beyond the pale. What you’re doing here is taking a phrasing that was intentionally designed to use American patriotism to improve public perception of black people and twisting it around into yet another insidious form of crypto-anti-black racism using insane troll logic. And in that respect, you are the one missing the point.

Atlas667 1y ago
And so how does this relate to legos? I was explaining reasonings for lego defaulting yellow into white. The defaulting of "american" into white does happen frequently in news headlines by simple fact of often referring to black people as "african americans" and white people simply as "americans". And like someone else pointed out in the thread there have also been studies who have researched this topic. I think it's a real bias people/media seems to have. You may have a point with your retelling of the history of terms, I dont really know and I wont pretend to know. Though i sense some racial resentment in you with your statement that white people shouldn't, or weren't allowed to, have a racial self identity. But that is beside the point. > Finally, what do you think was the internal logic of referring to black Americans as African Americans in the first place? It was to remind everyone that they are also Americans. I don't think it was to subjugate them I think those are after effects of this country who systemically subdued other races and identified itself as white. In part that will never go away because the majority is still white. But there is a latent bias in there. And that's what I'm pointing out. You're trying to accuse me of "crypto-anti-black racism" when I point out that we come from a racist society. Like I said before: 80 years ago+, 2-3 generations min, "americans" was meant to refer to white americans only. And that was almost 100 years AFTER slavery was abolished. The country was incredibly racist till relatively recently. I am simply pointing out how the bias of a white nation still lives on in some way today and can be seen in the racial defaulting of little plastic figurine colors.