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>I bring up the Wumao tactics because they apply almost verbatim here: the common "criticism of criticism" in Asian countries is to assert that you can't critic

>I bring up the Wumao tactics because they apply almost verbatim here: the common "criticism of criticism" in Asian countries is to assert that you can't criticize unless you somehow are perfect. Since perfection doesn't exist, all criticism is therefore unwarranted. This is some pretty heavy racial stereotyping. Most of the "defenders" of Singapore here are probably white immigrants. Like me. I'm not saying you can't criticize unless you're perfect. It just sounds like that because I'm unfavorably comparing what you (probably) assume to be a Democracy - the United States with Singapore. Not because I think that Singapore isn't often authoritarian, or that it should be free from criticism, but rather because your claims that it's a dictatorship are pure, unadulterated (and probably racist) bullshit.

seanmcdirmid 13y ago
You know we can't have any intelligent debate once you accuse someone of being a racist [1]. Since when does a geographic distinction become an ethnic one? > Most of the "defenders" of Singapore here are probably white immigrants. Like me. Ah..the old expat pissing contest. I didn't accuse anyone of being a wumao, only that they were using the same "relevance fallacy" techniques. If that hurts, then "ouch," but calling me a racist is just immature. > It just sounds like that because I'm unfavorably comparing what you (probably) assume to be a Democracy - the United States with Singapore. No, it sounds like that because you love to eat red herrings. If we are talking about Singapore, keep it there, otherwise you are just committing one fallacy after the other. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law
- crdoconnor 13y ago
  >Ah..the old expat pissing contest. I didn't accuse anyone of being a wumao You accused this guy (an immigrant, probably white), of using "wumao tactics": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5817271 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5817271 Later on, you elaborated on this: "I bring up the Wumao tactics because they apply almost verbatim here: the common "criticism of criticism" in Asian countries is to assert that you can't criticize unless you somehow are perfect." >but calling me a racist is just immature. If you hadn't first mentioned that these "argumentative tactics" were being used because the person voicing them was from an Asian country, I wouldn't be raising the possibility. But yea, you did that.
  - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
    Hey, its your reputation if you want to drag out the racist whip. Asia is definitely a place, not a race; many of us who live here are even Caucasians believe it or not. You could start calling me racist if I said "Han people like to argue this way" or "Malay people like to argue this way", but I merely stated that "Criticism in Asian countries is generally handled this way." I didn't specify the race or color of anyone's skin, and (white or otherwise) expat apologists are not uncommon where I live.
    - crdoconnor 13y ago
      Don't worry. You wouldn't be the first white American expat in China to make sweeping prejudicial generalizations about the locals. It's depressingly common.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]

seanmcdirmid 13y ago

You know we can't have any intelligent debate once you accuse someone of being a racist [1]. Since when does a geographic distinction become an ethnic one? > Most of the "defenders" of Singapore here are probably white immigrants. Like me. Ah..the old expat pissing contest. I didn't accuse anyone of being a wumao, only that they were using the same "relevance fallacy" techniques. If that hurts, then "ouch," but calling me a racist is just immature. > It just sounds like that because I'm unfavorably comparing what you (probably) assume to be a Democracy - the United States with Singapore. No, it sounds like that because you love to eat red herrings. If we are talking about Singapore, keep it there, otherwise you are just committing one fallacy after the other. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law

crdoconnor 13y ago
>Ah..the old expat pissing contest. I didn't accuse anyone of being a wumao You accused this guy (an immigrant, probably white), of using "wumao tactics": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5817271 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5817271 Later on, you elaborated on this: "I bring up the Wumao tactics because they apply almost verbatim here: the common "criticism of criticism" in Asian countries is to assert that you can't criticize unless you somehow are perfect." >but calling me a racist is just immature. If you hadn't first mentioned that these "argumentative tactics" were being used because the person voicing them was from an Asian country, I wouldn't be raising the possibility. But yea, you did that.
- seanmcdirmid 13y ago
  Hey, its your reputation if you want to drag out the racist whip. Asia is definitely a place, not a race; many of us who live here are even Caucasians believe it or not. You could start calling me racist if I said "Han people like to argue this way" or "Malay people like to argue this way", but I merely stated that "Criticism in Asian countries is generally handled this way." I didn't specify the race or color of anyone's skin, and (white or otherwise) expat apologists are not uncommon where I live.
  - crdoconnor 13y ago
    Don't worry. You wouldn't be the first white American expat in China to make sweeping prejudicial generalizations about the locals. It's depressingly common.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]