[quote=“FrankInTaipei”]He just does, ok? Cuz he’s in taiwan, and if people, white or non white, don’t agree w/ him, he’s gonna have his frikkin pound of flesh already
No, I know, it’s sad right? It would be ok if he was one of those "back in USA, eatin’ krispy kremes’ forumosans. but he aint. No offense to them; but i wish he’d follow’em.
I am sure that the mods are now looking at moi with a critical eye. In that light, I’d like to add that the reason I’m so mad is the “Arm locking” of the locals that that dude done proposed.[/quote]
haha ya i agree that if one cant change the situation, the best way is to change ones attitude to the situation and learn how to NOT let something bother one ??
and hey?? whats wrong with krispy kreme eating in usa forumosans?? (puts away that donut)
theposter is a person that likes to fire up an old engine now and then thats all. IM sure hes better sorted then he appears to be. Otherwise he wouldve been in the looney bin already.
[quote=“jdsmith”]If racism is rooted in humanity(I’d say “in human civilisation” though), what is its purpose?
I’m thinking economics.[/quote]
Agreed. That’s drove American economics during slavery. And IMO still drives it today. But it would be considered to be a ‘target group’ not racism. Supported by market statistics based upon America’s love of those little boxes. :s
People in the modern era like to think very generally of racism, but the world almost certainly wasn’t so “black and white” for much of its history. Even in this modern era, people are willing to split hairs to find differences despite the nearly infinitely minor DNA differences between pygmies and Maasai, sumo wrestlers and fashion models, etc. Look at the Hutu/Tutsi massacre in Rwanda, look at the way Japanese pull down on the corner of their eye to insult each other by hinting that the other “looks Korean” – most of this effort to differentiate is tribal in nature. Maybe the fear of others comes from the same place where fear of spiders and snakes gave people an ancient advantage – by being wary of one’s slightly different neighbors one could avoid being sucker-clubbed and thus perpetuate one’s own line.
That might reverse itself over time. Take billionaire Larry Hillblom (the “H” in DHL) as an interesting example of a guy not afraid to interact closely with locals around the world. Perhaps his numerous now-wealthy children will carry on his wild ways to spread their DNA even further.
arm locking somebody is not the answer. on a personal GROWTH scale, ignoring them IS the answer. on a social improvement scale, letting them say shit like they do on TV is NOT the answer. i’m asking this:
if ran the man runs a petition,asking that the words “lao wai, ah do gah” on TV and radio be replaced with “wai ji ren shr” or “taiwan wai ji ren srh” will you guys sign?
sand is right about ignoring them on a daily basis. but this should not be allowed in the media. if i show up at HH with the petition, will you guys sign? i would present the petition to all the TV stations.
Yes, to some degree, but in comparison to other animals, what stands out is how well our distant ancestors co-operated (as shown by evidence of ancient trade networks)…[/quote]
Until civilization we could probably have been classified as pack animals. That means that whilst we support each other within our own groups (necessary for survival), behavior towards other groups / outsiders was often hostile and wary at best. This can be seen with Chimpanzee groups now, and scientists consider the precursors to murder / genocide arose within “human” populations very early on.
[quote=“almas john”]
No, language came much earlier than civilization.[/quote]
I wasn’t talking about language I was talking about a common tongue… the ability for different groups to communicate with each other effectively.
[quote=“almas john”]
Well, they give some window to the past but PNG is hardly stone age; most tribal groups rely on farming,not hunting and gathering.[/quote]
PNG for the most part was stone age until this century, with new tribes still being exposed to other humans even as late as 1915 (can get the exact date later for you). Being a farmer doesn’t mean you’re not considered stone age, many early farming groups relied on flint tools, and until recently PNG were not considered farmers, because although they did plant bananas and some other food crops, they didn’t remain fixed and the majority of their food intake was still found through hunting and gathering activities. The significance of this lies in the fact that “civilization” can’t occur without it.[/quote]
[quote=“almas john”]
Not having a go at you tyc00n, but I couldn’t let these mistakes pass.[/quote]
I suggest you read “Guns, Germs and Steel”, and “The 3rd Chimpanzee” both by Jared Diamond as they’ll give you and excellent overview to early civilizations, why some failed and the reasons as to why some became successful. Much of the knowledge obtained about stone age peoples was obtained from studies conducted in PNG.
I know what you mean. When I’m on the MRT, and they start announcing the next station where I’m getting off, I can just feel all the Taiwanese people staring at me, expecting me to respond to the English-language all secure in their assumption that I’m an ignorant big-nosed Western Person. But I show them! I get up BEFORE the English announcement, when the Mandarin version is on, or, if I’m feeling particularly cruel, during the Hakka announcement, and thusly tear asunder their entire world view. Take that, you judging bastards!
[quote=“theposter”]arm locking somebody is not the answer. on a personal GROWTH scale, ignoring them IS the answer. on a social improvement scale, letting them say shit like they do on TV is NOT the answer. i’m asking this:
if ran the man runs a petition,asking that the words “lao wai, ah do gah” on TV and radio be replaced with “wai ji ren shr” or “taiwan wai ji ren srh” will you guys sign?
sand is right about ignoring them on a daily basis. but this should not be allowed in the media. if i show up at HH with the petition, will you guys sign? i would present the petition to all the TV stations.[/quote]
Haha. This reminds me of Margarete. She has been bitching on her shows (In a VERY friendly, fun manner) about them making waiguoren comments. She keeps asking “WoShiWaiGuoRenYoShenMaGuanXi?”
I used to not love her. Now I do.
[quote=“theposter”] on a personal GROWTH scale, ignoring them IS the answer. on a social improvement scale, letting them say shit like they do on TV is NOT the answer. i’m asking this:
[/quote]
I actually agree with theposter about this. Think back on history, if black people had just ignored white people and nodded & grinned whenever they were racially insulted, no progress would have been made. The blacks in America had to start militantly standing up for their rights. Maybe ignoring racists is the proper Zen way to enlightment for your own personal growth, but what about the impact on society if assholes think that they can get away with it?
[quote=“Quentin”][quote=“theposter”] on a personal GROWTH scale, ignoring them IS the answer. on a social improvement scale, letting them say shit like they do on TV is NOT the answer. i’m asking this:
[/quote]
I actually agree with theposter about this. Think back on history, if black people had just ignored white people and nodded & grinned whenever they were racially insulted, no progress would have been made. The blacks in America had to start militantly standing up for their rights. Maybe ignoring racists is the proper Zen way to enlightment for your own personal growth, but what about the impact on society if assholes think that they can get away with it?[/quote]
Well, when I see it as problem that requires a change in society I’ll begin “standing up for my rights.” Right now, I dont feel my “rights” are being trampled and while I continue to earn four or five times the national average and get free lighters from the convenience store guy and smiles and greetings from my neighbours, I’ll continue to ignore the plebs who haven’t been educated, just like I ignore the chavs back home. What the little people do or say is of no concern to me. They’re of no more consequence to me than flying ants or mouse droppings.
Or church ladies? That there really should be the end of this chat. A classic that should be repasted ad infinitum - Christ! Latin! I sound like one of those Oxford wankers, or possibly Fred Smith.
I want to agree w/ Quentin, above, but pardon me, I just can’t.
The reason is:
You can say the word “cracker” on american TV, to refer to white people. Or “white trash.”
You can’t say the word “n*****”, to refer to black people. Unless you are a black person.
Some people say this is a double standard. Yes, it is.
But it’s because there has traditionally been a discrimination against black people in the US, and now, we’re trying to move away from that. All I’m doing here is restating what you already know.
But where do we stand in Taiwan? The taiwanese may use words to describe foriegners on TV that foreigners don’t like. But foreigners are not in the exact same position in Taiwan today that black people are in in America, I.e. we weren’t brought here to serve as slaves decades ago, and no civil war was fought over slavery, no MLK, etc.
So the issue just plain isn’t clear. And no examples borrowed from the N. American experience are gonna clear it up.
It seems to me that sometimes racial slurs reach a ‘breaking point’ — after which public approval is overwhelmingly on the side of those terms being abolished. “N*****” was ok to use for Mark Twain, but not for people today. Maybe “a do gah” or “lao wai” will be abolished in that way in the future… but I suggest you refrain from holding your breath.
No answers here, only more questions.
Hey at least we got Forumosa where we can get this tsai off our chests.
I don’t get why people assume everything serves a function. Maybe in the past, but not present. We have evolved, thus we should be able to act beyond our biology. When I have had a bad day and feel like screaming, I don’t. When I am angry, I don’t hit people. When I see a hotty, I don’t hump a leg simply because my SO isn’t there to stop me. We are supposed to be civilized and evolved. And there is no room for ignorance in that. And thinking someone is a certain way because it is their race is ignorance.
[quote=“FrankInTaipei”]I want to agree w/ Quentin, above, but pardon me, I just can’t.
The reason is:
You can say the word “cracker” on american TV, to refer to white people. Or “white trash.”
You can’t say the word “n*****”, to refer to black people. Unless you are a black person.
Some people say this is a double standard. Yes, it is.
But it’s because there has traditionally been a discrimination against black people in the US, and now, we’re trying to move away from that. .[/quote]
Yeah, whites are so weak minded we have to consider what we say whilst being vilified by the people who are just as racist as our red neck brothers. Of course saying there are red necked people who aint white aint too polite but it is true.
Us whites are bein marginalized and we are letting others project their racism on us cause after all we alls gotta be in the PC brigade and make up for those who suffered misfortune for bein born not of the right color.
Soon we’ll be having our own White Panther movements.
Dammit life was fun for my Pappy and grandpa back in Alabama in the good ol’ days.
We should of us just say what we feel instead of wrappin up our cotton candy comments in modern PC politeness.
Thank god being white in Taiwan is far better than bein a white back home. Back home I was just white trash but here I’m a white stud with a firm physique and blond hair. Can’t help it if I’m short and look like James Dean.
I’d say most Taiwanese are not racist. They just don’t understand white USA culture is all.
Expertly done, and hilarious. Thank you.