3 ms·
PC issues never look like a "big deal" to most of us. Changing terminology is a "hassle" and why can't people just "get over it?" Aren't there bigger things to
by gizmo 13y ago
PC issues never look like a "big deal" to most of us. Changing terminology is a "hassle" and why can't people just "get over it?" Aren't there bigger things to worry about? Political correctness is just another form of oppression!
That's essentially how every discussion goes. But this is of course because we're mostly highly educated white males from the richest parts of the world, and it's hard to emphasize with something you don't directly relate to. We don't face much (if any) oppression so things that may not look like a big deal to us can be a big deal to other people.
Master/Slave may one day turn into completely neutral words but today for many people they're not. We don't lose anything by switching to less objectionable terminology -- the right to refer to things as slaves is not a right I mind losing -- so why not make the switch?
- donw 13y agoNo. What this is, is a chance to pick a fight. A chance to feel powerful, without actually accomplishing anything. Nothing more.
- teddyh 13y ago> the right to refer to things as slaves is not a right I mind losing Actually, I see this as an opportunity to change the word “slave” to always refer to a thing, not a person.
- RivieraKid 13y agoWhy would you do that and how would you call a slave person then?
- teddyh 13y agoAn abhorrent anachronism? Much like the word “computer”. What would you call a person who computes?
- RivieraKid 13y agoFirst, slavery exists today and second, even if it didn't, the word would still be useful when talking about history or when talking figuratively.
- colanderman 13y agoThe Czech don't seem to have a problem with the word robot: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/robota http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/robota
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- 001sky 13y agoAbstractions are not per-se "completely neutral". Nor is slavery racist per-se. Historically, it predates the Atlantic (sub-saharan) era slave trade by millenia. As for technology, its quite common in the field of Hydraulics. That's probably where (electrical) egineers picked up the term. See, eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_cylinder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_cylinder