6 ms·

With all due respect for your accomplishments, next time you want to generalize that people are xenophobic, please speak for yourself. Nobody made any value ju

by vlad 19y ago

With all due respect for your accomplishments, next time you want to generalize that people are xenophobic, please speak for yourself. Nobody made any value judgements on either word. It's quite clear the word offshoring doesn't make sense for United States companies outsourcing to Canada or Mexico, just like the Germans can't offshore to France. However, Italy can offshore to the United States and vice versa. Maybe I'm wrong about the semantics (people are free to vote the post up or down), but it's not fair to imply that rms, staunch, or I feel there's anything wrong with people who live in other countries.

SwellJoe 19y ago
"Maybe I'm wrong about the semantics (people are free to vote the post up or down), but it's not fair to imply that rms, staunch, or I feel there's anything wrong with people who live in other countries." I didn't intend to imply that any of the other comments were xenophobic in nature. It's just a more sensitive area than anyone here would like to admit, and there are political motivations at work in the use of these terms, and by following the lead of xenophobic folks, we might be working for their political ends despite not having those desires ourselves. I'm actually assuming that the vast majority of people here are educated and lacking in bigotry or xenophobia, and based on the number of startups started by non-US natives in the current web 2.0 economy, more likely to be literally "off-shore" than most English-speaking community website contributors. In short, I was merely wanting to point out that by using the word off-shoring, people might be indicating political positions they don't endorse (which is just what anti-immigration and protectionist supporters want). I don't really care what terms folks use, and I'm wholly non-PC. I just know enough to know that there has been a subtle shift on border issues in the US in a direction I don't like at all, and I know that language is a tool that the reactionary new Right uses extremely well. I'm not saying the word "off-shoring" is the reason immigration or import/export issues are about to become a shitstorm in America, but I can't help but think Fox News would rather I use "off-shoring" than "out-sourcing", because "off-shoring", in some Americans minds equates to "non-white, non-American, workers stealing my job". So I'll use "out-sourcing", thanks. Apologies to rms, staunch, or vlad, for any hurt feelings. Just remember that I'm an insensitive clod, and I'm sure you'll feel better. ;-)
- vlad 19y ago
  Thanks for clarifying!

by vlad 19y ago

SwellJoe 19y ago

"Maybe I'm wrong about the semantics (people are free to vote the post up or down), but it's not fair to imply that rms, staunch, or I feel there's anything wrong with people who live in other countries." I didn't intend to imply that any of the other comments were xenophobic in nature. It's just a more sensitive area than anyone here would like to admit, and there are political motivations at work in the use of these terms, and by following the lead of xenophobic folks, we might be working for their political ends despite not having those desires ourselves. I'm actually assuming that the vast majority of people here are educated and lacking in bigotry or xenophobia, and based on the number of startups started by non-US natives in the current web 2.0 economy, more likely to be literally "off-shore" than most English-speaking community website contributors. In short, I was merely wanting to point out that by using the word off-shoring, people might be indicating political positions they don't endorse (which is just what anti-immigration and protectionist supporters want). I don't really care what terms folks use, and I'm wholly non-PC. I just know enough to know that there has been a subtle shift on border issues in the US in a direction I don't like at all, and I know that language is a tool that the reactionary new Right uses extremely well. I'm not saying the word "off-shoring" is the reason immigration or import/export issues are about to become a shitstorm in America, but I can't help but think Fox News would rather I use "off-shoring" than "out-sourcing", because "off-shoring", in some Americans minds equates to "non-white, non-American, workers stealing my job". So I'll use "out-sourcing", thanks. Apologies to rms, staunch, or vlad, for any hurt feelings. Just remember that I'm an insensitive clod, and I'm sure you'll feel better. ;-)

vlad 19y ago
Thanks for clarifying!