The Value of Racial Hyper-Sensitivity

[Rob's House]

What value do we as a society reap from this hyper-sensitive attitude so many (particularly on the west coast & NE) seem to display any time racial distinctions are mentioned? Obviously we don't want to Categorize & divide people along racial & ethnic lines, nor do we want to overly generalize people & place negative stereotypes on individuals based on superficial criteria, but what value is there in being so uptight about having an honest discussion about general differences in the various sub-cultures in America, many of which are significantly defined by ethnicity. Or what about innocuous jokes or satirical humor targeting societal attitudes about race? Are we somehow better served by living in an antiseptic society where open & honest dialogue, not intended to hurt anyone, should be stiffly suppressed to protect the perceived feelings of some?

Edited July 1, 2012 by Rob's House

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

What value do we as a society reap from this hyper-sensitive attitude so many (particularly on the west coast & NE) seem to display any time racial distinctions are mentioned? Obviously we don't want to Categorize & divide people along racial & ethnic lines, nor do we want to overly generalize people & place negative stereotypes on individuals based on superficial criteria, but what value is there in being so uptight about having an honest discussion about general differences in the various sub-cultures in America, many of which are significantly defined by ethnicity. Or what about innocuous jokes or satirical humor targeting societal attitudes about race? Are we somehow better served by living in an antiseptic society where open & honest dialogue, not intended to hurt anyone, should be stiffly suppressed to protect the perceived feelings of some?

 

I view it as a dialectic, in other words a pendulum swinging back and forth through long stretches of time, but gradually slowing. Hyper-sensitivity among the collective consciousness is a response to the Hypo-sensitivity that preceded it.

 

In time, maybe a few decades, the distaste for political correctness will probably lead to a society that's more tolerant of racially motivated ire, but to a lesser extent than the pre-Civil Rights America. And then a few decades from there, the pendulum will swing again to a lesser extreme than we see today.

 

Theoretically, it would all reach a happy medium, but odds are that some terrible crisis will through a wrench into the machine before that can happen.

Edited June 30, 2012 by SageAgainstTheMachine

[Rob's House]

I view it as a dialectic, in other words a pendulum swinging back and forth through long stretches of time, but gradually slowing. Hyper-sensitivity among the collective consciousness is a response to the Hypo-sensitivity that preceded it.

 

In time, maybe a few decades, the distaste for political correctness will probably lead to a society that's more tolerant of racially motivated ire, but to a lesser extent than the pre-Civil Rights America. And then a few decades from there, the pendulum will swing again to a lesser extreme than we see today.

 

Theoretically, it would all reach a happy medium, but odds are that some terrible crisis will through a wrench into the machine before that can happen.

I like this answer and I hope it's true, I just don't see the pendulum swinging back anytime soon. I was first aware of how extremely sensitive we'd become as a nation in the early 90s and over the last 20 years it's just gotten crazier. The McNabb thread on the main board is a perfect example.

[John Adams]

I like racial humor. Tropic Thunder, funny... but Meathead missed the humor part.

[MARCELL DAREUS POWER]

pc culture makes it difficult... i think deniro made a very innocent joke about michelle obama and got attacked by the left- leaning media. i hate pc culture. it's all over the place at school...

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I like this answer and I hope it's true, I just don't see the pendulum swinging back anytime soon. I was first aware of how extremely sensitive we'd become as a nation in the early 90s and over the last 20 years it's just gotten crazier. The McNabb thread on the main board is a perfect example.

 

I just read it. Pretty entertaining how Meathead was jumped upon. I wonder what my visceral reaction would have been if I had no frame of reference from your above comment.

 

There's no doubt that many people are too sensitive...but wouldn't you also agree that more and more people are on board with the notion that political correctness has become a negative force?

Edited June 30, 2012 by SageAgainstTheMachine

[KD in CA]

Obviously we don't want to Categorize & divide people along racial & ethnic lines

No see, actually we do. Or at least the federal government does; we have an entire federal institution whose role is to categorize and segregate people among racial and ethical lines and then pass certain judgements on people based on those categorizations. It's called the EEOC.

 

 

I view it as a dialectic, in other words a pendulum swinging back and forth through long stretches of time, but gradually slowing. Hyper-sensitivity among the collective consciousness is a response to the Hypo-sensitivity that preceded it.

 

In time, maybe a few decades, the distaste for political correctness will probably lead to a society that's more tolerant of racially motivated ire, but to a lesser extent than the pre-Civil Rights America. And then a few decades from there, the pendulum will swing again to a lesser extreme than we see today.

 

Theoretically, it would all reach a happy medium, but odds are that some terrible crisis will through a wrench into the machine before that can happen.

That's reasonable, other than the idea that we have another "few decades" of becoming even more hyper-sensitive on this first pendulum swing -- but you're probably right. I guess by then we'll be putting people like Meathead in jail for perceived racial slights.

[/dev/null]

I view it as a dialectic, in other words a pendulum swinging back and forth through long stretches of time, but gradually slowing. Hyper-sensitivity among the collective consciousness is a response to the Hypo-sensitivity that preceded it.

 

In time, maybe a few decades, the distaste for political correctness will probably lead to a society that's more tolerant of racially motivated ire, but to a lesser extent than the pre-Civil Rights America. And then a few decades from there, the pendulum will swing again to a lesser extreme than we see today.

 

Theoretically, it would all reach a happy medium, but odds are that some terrible crisis will through a wrench into the machine before that can happen.

 

Unfortunately I don't think the pendulum has finished it's swing to the extreme.

 

Too many race baiters and demagogues out there and a growing dumbed down population that buys into it. The pendulum won't start swinging back til blacks start to realize they are becoming exactly what the demagogues accuse Whitey of.

[Rob's House]

I just read it. Pretty entertaining how Meathead was jumped upon. I wonder what my visceral reaction would have been if I had no frame of reference from your above comment.

 

There's no doubt that many people are too sensitive...but wouldn't you also agree that more and more people are on board with the notion that political correctness has become a negative force?

I do agree that people look at PC as a negative in the abstract, I just hope that continues til we reach a level of sanity.

 

What's ironic about Meathead's deal is that I think he was satirically poking fun at Rush Limbaugh. I didn't really appreciate it b/c I personally like Rush & remember that his commentary about media treatment of black QBs was falsely interpreted to mean blacks suck at QB, but regardless, Meathead's comments could hardly be considered overtly racist, yet we see the reaction.

 

I understand it's important to err on the side of non-racism; I just don't see any value in taking it to this extreme.

[uncle flap]

 

I understand it's important to err on the side of non-racism; I just don't see any value in taking it to this extreme.

 

Two good points.

 

In regard to Meathead's post, I think if he were able to make it more obvious that he was joking (i.e. erring on the side of non-racism), we wouldn't have seen such a reaction.

 

You may be right about ingrained perceptions and hyper-sensitivity, but to use that to defend Meathead's lame attempt at humor doesn't jive. (I'm not saying that you are defending him or excusing him.)

 

It sounds lame, but instances like these are why there are emoticons. Why not put a winky face? Or sign the post "-Rush Limbaugh"?

 

As far as the hyper-sensitivity and -as stated above- the swiftness in some to cry foul as a mechanism to declare their "non-racism," much of this is due to the public nature of the message board. Not everyone is familiar with one another to know when someone is joking based on the bulk of their posts or their personality/actions IRL.

 

As a counter-example, I have friends of all types of backgrounds (not pulling that card), and I am comfortable making racist/ethnic jokes with them, because they know I don't actually think those things. And yet I don't go around public places and say the same sort of things. Not because I don't want people to think I'm not PC or racist or whatever, but because it is in fact offensive to some people, kidding or not. Obviously, I don't want people to think I'm racist, but I also don't put a lot of stock in to strangers' opinions of me.

 

Lastly, I think the pendulum is in fact swinging back. As a not so old guy, I have white friends in college who are comfortable dropping the n-word in public- as a "term of endearment" of course, but you wouldn't catch me doing that. Same goes for my junior high students. All ethnicities use the n-word and it drives me nuts. I imagine it would drive most people my age and older nuts too. But these kids are going to be adults soon. I wonder if they will continue to be so hypo-sensitive (as it was earlier described) or if they will mature.

 

PS yeah I'm the guy who called out somebody on TSW for saying "what about us white people?"

[Rob's House]

Two good points.

 

In regard to Meathead's post, I think if he were able to make it more obvious that he was joking (i.e. erring on the side of non-racism), we wouldn't have seen such a reaction.

 

You may be right about ingrained perceptions and hyper-sensitivity, but to use that to defend Meathead's lame attempt at humor doesn't jive. (I'm not saying that you are defending him or excusing him.)

 

It sounds lame, but instances like these are why there are emoticons. Why not put a winky face? Or sign the post "-Rush Limbaugh"?

 

As far as the hyper-sensitivity and -as stated above- the swiftness in some to cry foul as a mechanism to declare their "non-racism," much of this is due to the public nature of the message board. Not everyone is familiar with one another to know when someone is joking based on the bulk of their posts or their personality/actions IRL.

 

As a counter-example, I have friends of all types of backgrounds (not pulling that card), and I am comfortable making racist/ethnic jokes with them, because they know I don't actually think those things. And yet I don't go around public places and say the same sort of things. Not because I don't want people to think I'm not PC or racist or whatever, but because it is in fact offensive to some people, kidding or not. Obviously, I don't want people to think I'm racist, but I also don't put a lot of stock in to strangers' opinions of me.

 

Lastly, I think the pendulum is in fact swinging back. As a not so old guy, I have white friends in college who are comfortable dropping the n-word in public- as a "term of endearment" of course, but you wouldn't catch me doing that. Same goes for my junior high students. All ethnicities use the n-word and it drives me nuts. I imagine it would drive most people my age and older nuts too. But these kids are going to be adults soon. I wonder if they will continue to be so hypo-sensitive (as it was earlier described) or if they will mature.

 

PS yeah I'm the guy who called out somebody on TSW for saying "what about us white people?"

I agree with most of what you said. And I'm just using Meathead as an example. It's really something thar pervades our whole society.

 

I assume it's a product of emotional association. You hear all the stories of slavery/Jim Crow as a child, have a negative visceral reaction, and anytime you hear anything remotely racist the instinctive association with the memory of that feeling produces a strong reflexive reaction.

 

It also seems a substantial portion of just about any group of people that can subdivide itself from society as a whole is trying to find victim status. Whether it's gays, Jews, women, southern straight white males, etc., there is a significant contingency begging for grievances.

 

When TO made some comment about whites being less inclined to get in the end zone I wasn't remotely offended. The evidence suggests he might be right. And I get that out of courtesy we should probably try to avoid saying potentially offensive things that don't need to be said. I also think when someone does say something that could be construed as mildly offensive we should all chill the !@#$ out.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Rob's House

[CosmicBills]

Fu*k all ya'll honkey crackers!

[/dev/null]

Fu*k all ya'll honkey crackers!

What's the one word that you never want to call black people that begins with the letter N and ends with the letter R?

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Neighbor

[....lybob]

I agree with most of what you said. And I'm just using Meathead as an example. It's really something thar pervades our whole society.

 

I assume it's a product of emotional association. You hear all the stories of slavery/Jim Crow as a child, have a negative visceral reaction, and anytime you hear anything remotely racist the instinctive association with the memory of that feeling produces a strong reflexive reaction.

 

It also seems a substantial portion of just about any group of people that can subdivide itself from society as a whole is trying to find victim status. Whether it's gays, Jews, women, southern straight white males, etc., there is a significant contingency begging for grievances.

 

When TO made some comment about whites being less inclined to get in the end zone I wasn't remotely offended. The evidence suggests he might be right. And I get that out of courtesy we should probably try to avoid saying potentially offensive things that don't need to be said. I also think when someone does say something that could be construed as mildly offensive we should all chill the !@#$ out.

Rob you seem a little overly sensitive to how insensitive society is to the insensitive

[DC Tom]

A woman I work with thinks the American attitude towards race is ridiculous, and in particular the African-American attitude is completely retarded, and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are !@#$s.

 

She's originally from Ghana. I find the attitudes towards race of actual Africans very telling vis-a-vis "African-"Americans.

[Jim in Anchorage]

They really seem obsessed about calling racism on the football forum. When Vick was on the market you could give 100 reason's why you didn't want him on the Bill's and someone would boil it down to "you're just racist." "Oh and Wilson's a racist to for not getting him."

 

It's a feel good, look how enlightened I am thing. And really they just come across as mindless parrots.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I like this answer and I hope it's true, I just don't see the pendulum swinging back anytime soon. I was first aware of how extremely sensitive we'd become as a nation in the early 90s and over the last 20 years it's just gotten crazier. The McNabb thread on the main board is a perfect example.

 

I see it swinging back the last twenty years... Then again I live in an area that is very diverse... 50-50 split in and around my area... Some areas it is more like 90-10% where I (white, male) am in the minority...

 

You do see the pendulum swing back more in these areas... Open and frank talk about race is more tolerated.

[ExiledInIllinois]

They really seem obsessed about calling racism on the football forum. When Vick was on the market you could give 100 reason's why you didn't want him on the Bill's and someone would boil it down to "you're just racist." "Oh and Wilson's a racist to for not getting him."

 

It's a feel good, look how enlightened I am thing. And really they just come across as mindless parrots.

 

Really? I will do a search and see if I can find those comments. What I caught about the whole Vick thing was more judged on his character. If race did come into the argument... It was brought in after judging his character.

 

We were more PC before... We are less PC now. Don't get me wrong... We still live in a PC environment in many ways, not just about race... And rightly so.

 

What is equillibrium? Can it be attained?

[ExiledInIllinois]

Is this thread my cue to start ranting about Mormons? How long before the PC (Patriotically Correct) police come riding in to the rescue of the cult that hides behind the American Dream.

[Nanker]

Is this thread my cue to start ranting about Mormons? How long before the PC (Patriotically Correct) police come riding in to the rescue of the cult that hides behind the American Dream.

 

Just what the !@#$ is your problem with Mormons? Got a problem with any other religious group? There are lots to choose from. Or is it only because Romney's got a good shot of becoming your President? Something about them makes your skin crawl in a weird way. Most of them that I ever met with pretty decent people.