General > General Technical Chat
'Master' and 'slave': Tech terms face scrutiny amid anti-racism efforts
Fred Basset:
--- Quote from: langwadt on July 07, 2020, 08:16:40 am ---any idea why it is called "a foreigner"?, here is literally called black work or working black I assume because it is often done after hours like moonshine
--- End quote ---
You know that is a really good question. I had not considered the origin before...
The only things I can think of, is either that it would be because it was "not from here" (the company you normally work for), or because it would be undocumened?
I will update this if I can ever find out a definitive answer. Interesting what you say about black jobs meaning done when it is black outside so no one can see you. It is also called the black economy for the same sort of reason.
donotdespisethesnake:
--- Quote from: bd139 on July 07, 2020, 09:24:55 am ---Most of the population is batshit crazy yes. I said at the start of the whole coronavirus thing that I fear my fellow citizens more than any virus. I stand by that.
--- End quote ---
There is a saying "Individually people are stupid. But when you get a lot of people together, they are stupid and dangerous".
Zero999:
--- Quote from: ejeffrey on July 06, 2020, 10:00:18 pm ---All of those are using black to refer to the color rather than value.
--- End quote ---
But it's not very descriptive, since no one has black or white skin. In reality the darkest skin tone is dark brown and the lightest is pink.
It's quite likely that Europeans were being racist, by referring to Africans as black and themselves as white. We don't normally refer to other races by their skin colour. The word black has negative connotations, blackmail, black magic, black death etc. and the word white is typically associated with purity and lightness. Perhaps if we're going to change any words to reduce offence, we should stop calling people of African decent black and Europeans white?
donotdespisethesnake:
--- Quote from: Zero999 on July 07, 2020, 09:34:19 am ---
--- Quote from: ejeffrey on July 06, 2020, 10:00:18 pm ---All of those are using black to refer to the color rather than value.
--- End quote ---
But it's not very descriptive, since no one has black or white skin. In reality the darkest skin tone is dark brown and the lightest is pink.
It's quite likely that Europeans were being racist, by referring to Africans as black and themselves as white. We don't normally refer to other races by their skin colour. The word black has negative connotations, blackmail, black magic, black death etc. and the word white is typically associated with purity and lightness. Perhaps if we're going to change any words to reduce offence, we should stop calling people of African decent black and Europeans white?
--- End quote ---
The idea that light is good and darkness is bad goes back probably to early hominids gathered round a fire to ward off predators (aka evil). It's deeply ingrained in all cultures:
The first words of the bible
--- Quote ---In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good;
--- End quote ---
The association with skin color is largely accidental, since those early humans were black. Skin color obviously is associated with melanin, nothing to do with evil.
Zero999:
--- Quote from: donotdespisethesnake on July 07, 2020, 09:41:08 am ---
--- Quote from: Zero999 on July 07, 2020, 09:34:19 am ---
--- Quote from: ejeffrey on July 06, 2020, 10:00:18 pm ---All of those are using black to refer to the color rather than value.
--- End quote ---
But it's not very descriptive, since no one has black or white skin. In reality the darkest skin tone is dark brown and the lightest is pink.
It's quite likely that Europeans were being racist, by referring to Africans as black and themselves as white. We don't normally refer to other races by their skin colour. The word black has negative connotations, blackmail, black magic, black death etc. and the word white is typically associated with purity and lightness. Perhaps if we're going to change any words to reduce offence, we should stop calling people of African decent black and Europeans white?
--- End quote ---
The idea that light is good and darkness is bad goes back probably to early hominids gathered round a fire to ward off predators (aka evil). It's deeply ingrained in all cultures:
The first words of the bible
--- Quote ---In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good;
--- End quote ---
The association with skin color is largely accidental, since those early humans were black. Skin color obviously is associated with melanin, nothing to do with evil.
--- End quote ---
I know all of that, but you've missed the point. It's no coincidence the word black, rather than African or even brown, were originally chosen to describe Africans, because it has negative connotations. Black animals are often seen as bad/evil, avoid black cats, the black sheep of the family etc.
It's stupid to talk about black and white people, because the terms aren't even descriptive! No one is black or white, but brown or pink.
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