Jargon

[andrewducker]

Several people have said that discriminating against Americans isn't racism. Which seems reasonable in some ways, because Americans aren't a race. But in that case, what is it? Nationalism doesn't seem right, because nationalism is usually being proud of your own country, not against a specific other one. Anyone?

[Poll #161402]

Comments

Re: heh

[catamorphism.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think so. You could say, perhaps, that they were making grossly inaccurate generalizations about Jews, or you could justifiably describe them with other, less polite words, but it wouldn't be accurate to say that they were "discriminating", because they wouldn't be discriminating against anyone.

Re: heh

[allorin.livejournal.com]

Discriminate: - To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice: was accused of discriminating against women; discriminated in favor of his cronies.

I think you can quite easily verbally discriminate against someone, or a group of someones. Your argument seems to be that to discriminate, there has to be an action. I don't think that's factually correct.

Regardless, you're arguing semantics.

Re: heh

[catamorphism.livejournal.com]

I think you can quite easily verbally discriminate against someone, or a group of someones. Your argument seems to be that to discriminate, there has to be an action. I don't think that's factually correct.

The dictionary definition you give (and I hate arguing from dictionaries, because they don't tell you about actual usage, which is always the relevant thing) is a bit ambiguous, I admit. However it still seems like "show preference or prejudice" means "act in a way that reveals ones prejudice," especially given the examples they then give.

Regardless, you're arguing semantics.

I also hate it when people say that. Semantics means "meaning". When someone says "it's pointless to argue semantics," they really mean, "it's pointless to try to come to an agreement on words mean, because a word means whatever I decide it means."

Whereas (yeah, I'm anal-retentive, so what?)

[allorin.livejournal.com]

Generalise: -

1)
a) To reduce to a general form, class, or law.
b) To render indefinite or unspecific.

2)
a) To infer from many particulars.
b) To draw inferences or a general conclusion from.

3)
a) To make generally or universally applicable.
b) To popularize.

Which might fit, but doesn't seem entirely appropriate.

Re: Whereas (yeah, I'm anal-retentive, so what?)

[catamorphism.livejournal.com]

It really depends on the specifics. If someone is saying "really disgusting things about Jews" (josephgrossberg's words), it is likely that they are engaging in 1(a), 2(a), and or 2(b). Racist generalizations are often based on drawing inferences or conclusions from evidence (albeit evidence that doesn't support the conclusions), and/or reducing individuals to a "general form, class or law" (in this case, to someone's idea of what people in said individual's racial group are like).