Microaggressions

[Smallc]

You spend far more time attacking me than defending your positions. It's been pointed out to you before.

[cybercoma]

You spend far more time attacking me than defending your positions. It's been pointed out to you before.

I'm attacking your ignorance. You're the one who made it personal by trying to tell me how I feel. I don't feel guilty. But you are still privileged because you have the luxury of ignoring racism when others don't. Why you refuse to recognize that privilege is beyond me.

[-1=e^ipi]

I'm not concerned with your guilt.

See it's sort of like a religion.

Cybercoma is born with this original sin of being a white male. The only way he can be forgiven for his sin of existing is if he accepts SJWism and attacks those that do not comply with SJWism. Not only that, but the belief system gives him a sense of self-esteem because he is now one of the few 'good' white males.

[Smallc]

I'm attacking your ignorance. You're the one who made it personal by trying to tell me how I feel. I don't feel guilty. But you are still privileged because you have the luxury of ignoring racism when others don't. Why you refuse to recognize that privilege is beyond me.

Hey I'm the racist one because I might ask how someone became so good at math, remember?

Edited July 9, 2015 by Smallc

[cybercoma]

See it's sort of like a religion.

Cybercoma is born with this original sin of being a white male. The only way he can be forgiven for his sin of existing is if he accepts SJWism and attacks those that do not comply with SJWism. Not only that, but the belief system gives him a sense of self-esteem because he is now one of the few 'good' white males.

Don't ever speak for me. I'm sick of you putting words in my mouth and mischaracterizing my arguments all the time. If you can't address the things I actually say, then just sit in the corner and stfu.

[cybercoma]

Hey I'm the racist one because I might ask how someone became so good at math, remember?

You go ahead and just keep saying that and ignore the original point that it's about assuming Asians are good at math because they're Asian.

[Smallc]

You go ahead and just keep saying that and ignore the original point that it's about assuming Asians are good at math because they're Asian.

That's assuming you know what people are thinking.

[Guest]

I get asked where I'm from all the time. Sometimes I get asked to say garage just for the entertainment value.

Edited July 10, 2015 by bcsapper

[Canada_First]

Let's just pretend that words don't have meaning and when you say crap like this it doesn't imply cultural stereotypes. That's the problem with you people who subscribe to "colourblind" theory. You want to pretend that racism and stereotypes don't exist because in your myopic little world they don't. Then, god forbid, anyone ask you to recognize racist things because we wouldn't want you to have to think about others' experiences. If you assume someone is good at math because they're Asian, then you're making a racist assumption. You can sit here and pretend that it's a meaningless innocuous statement all you want, but it demonstrates cultural stereotypes based on racist ideas. "Wow! How did you get so good at math" is no different than saying, "Wow! Why aren't you good at math? I thought all you Asians were math prodigies!" You can ignore the implied racism in the statement all you want, it's still there. You can pretend that racism doesn't exist all you want because you have the privilege not to experience racism if you choose to ignore it. You don't have to see it. Others don't have that privilege. In fact, you're so privileged that it makes you whine like a little baby whenever anyone asks you to be conscious of unintended racism and microaggressions. You can't even be bothered to do that without getting all hurt and whiney about it. Yet people actually have to live with this racist bullshit all the time and all they're asking is that you recognize it.

I simply don't care what left wing overly sensitive people think or try to tell me how and what I should think. I'll do as I please. If that gets some PC type in a twist....oh well...I just don't care. Plain and simple. I'm not going to change my life for someone else. Especially not for a person strike with white guilt. Often times the non white person isn't even complaining about it but it's a white person complaining on behalf of the non white. It's just stupid. Just mind your own business.

[poochy]

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/ashley-csanady-student-politicians-are-practicing-the-same-dark-arts-as-our-federal-leaders

Yes, it's that bad now, the student union needs a 'safe place', I think there is something seriously wrong with this, just like this, everything is a microaggression nonsense, and it's our fault because we are allowing people who clearly aren't operating at peak efficiency to drive the bus because the rest of us are afraid to be called a bigot, or racist, or supporting genocide, or you name it, even when by any reasonable measure, that simply isn't the case.

No matter what your true feelings are or how well reasoned your argument, they will decide for you what your thoughts really are, what your words really mean, and then attack you for it, while running back to a 'safe place' when questioned. That place often being behind a barrage of the aforementioned comments, progressive buzz words straight from the social justice encyclopedia, you can read them here daily. It's a sickness.

[Smallc]

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/ashley-csanady-student-politicians-are-practicing-the-same-dark-arts-as-our-federal-leaders

Yes, it's that bad now, the student union needs a 'safe place', I think there is something seriously wrong with this, just like this, everything is a microaggression nonsense, and it's our fault because we are allowing people who clearly aren't operating at peak efficiency to drive the bus because the rest of us are afraid to be called a bigot, or racist, or supporting genocide, or you name it, even when by any reasonable measure, that simply isn't the case.

No matter what your true feelings are or how well reasoned your argument, they will decide for you what your thoughts really are, what your words really mean, and then attack you for it, while running back to a 'safe place' when questioned. That place often being behind a barrage of the aforementioned comments, progressive buzz words straight from the social justice encyclopedia, you can read them here daily. It's a sickness.

I'm pretty offended by this. I'm going to have to retreat to my safe place.

[Shady]

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/ashley-csanady-student-politicians-are-practicing-the-same-dark-arts-as-our-federal-leaders

Yes, it's that bad now, the student union needs a 'safe place', I think there is something seriously wrong with this, just like this, everything is a microaggression nonsense, and it's our fault because we are allowing people who clearly aren't operating at peak efficiency to drive the bus because the rest of us are afraid to be called a bigot, or racist, or supporting genocide, or you name it, even when by any reasonable measure, that simply isn't the case.

No matter what your true feelings are or how well reasoned your argument, they will decide for you what your thoughts really are, what your words really mean, and then attack you for it, while running back to a 'safe place' when questioned. That place often being behind a barrage of the aforementioned comments, progressive buzz words straight from the social justice encyclopedia, you can read them here daily. It's a sickness.

Yep. It's the reason why comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock don't play colleges or universities anymore.

[cybercoma]

I simply don't care what left wing overly sensitive people think or try to tell me how and what I should think. I'll do as I please. If that gets some PC type in a twist....oh well...I just don't care. Plain and simple. I'm not going to change my life for someone else. Especially not for a person strike with white guilt. Often times the non white person isn't even complaining about it but it's a white person complaining on behalf of the non white. It's just stupid. Just mind your own business.

You're certainly entitled to be a completely asshole to people, but the whining in this thread is evidence enough that people care deeply about others thinking they're assholes.

[TimG]

You're certainly entitled to be a completely asshole to people, but the whining in this thread is evidence enough that people care deeply about others thinking they're assholes.

If you are anyone else wants to be an a--hole that wants to wallow in a cult of victim-hood where you can blame other people for your own short comings then go for it. The trouble is only when you seek to prevent others from living their lives they way they think is reasonable. Edited July 11, 2015 by TimG

[cybercoma]

If you are anyone else wants to be an a--hole that wants to wallow in a cult of victim-hood where you can blame other people for your own short comings then go for it. The trouble is only when you seek to prevent others from living their lives they way they think is reasonable.

Yeah, what assholes asking people to consider others' experiences and feelings.

One day you'll grow up, maybe.

Edited July 11, 2015 by cybercoma

[TimG]

Yeah, what assholes asking people to consider others' experiences and feelings.

Consideration is a two way street. People so obsessed with their own self-identified victim-hood need to grow up and show consideration of others by stop taking offense at everything.

[kimmy]

Most of us, as we are growing up, learn that some things we say make other people feel bad or angry even when we don't intend to. Often it was our parents who taught us these things.

So along comes a university and points out for their staff that there are some other things that make people feel bad or angry without meaning to, things your parents probably didn't tell you about because they probably didn't have a lot of cross-cultural experience. And you guys are acting as if it's some kind of Orwellian brainwashing experiment. It's not. They're helping their staff be more aware of a more diverse student body. It completely baffles me that you guys are reacting as if this is some kind of assault upon white men or something. Good grief. Fortify yourselves, gentlemen.

-k

[TimG]

And you guys are acting as if it's some kind of Orwellian brainwashing experiment. It's not. They're helping their staff be more aware of a more diverse student body.

There are two issues: first some of the so called "insensitive" comments fall into the range of political opinion and by saying these particular comments are unacceptable *is* an attempt to suppress debate on political issues. Universities should NOT be in the position of suppressing political debate. Second, civil behavior in society requires that one not only avoid offensive comments but that one choose to not be offended by comments that were obviously not intended to harmful. The entire concept of "microaggressions" puts the onus on the speaker and suggests that people take offense at everything are not doing anything wrong then they are. Edited July 12, 2015 by TimG

[Shady]

Yep. It's all part of the grievance society/victim society/pc society that the left has created. Almost a constitutional right not to be offended. Unless it's offending white people or men. Than it's perfectly acceptable.

[cybercoma]

For the millionth time, go ahead and offend people. Stop whining when people think you're an asshole because you insist on continuing to be assholes when it's pointed out to you. You're blaming other people for being offended instead of just owning up to your own actions. If you want to be an asshole, be an asshole. Literally no one is stopping you, but you don't get to decide for others what they think of you when you carry on that way. Sorry about that. I know it's tough to consider that you don't literally control the thoughts and opinions of other people as a privileged white men, but you don't.

[kimmy]

There are two issues: first some of the so called "insensitive" comments fall into the range of political opinion and by saying these particular comments are unacceptable *is* an attempt to suppress debate on political issues. Universities should NOT be in the position of suppressing political debate.

I don't see any suggestion that these topics are going to be pulled from the curriculum of classes where they're actually relevant.

On the other hand, if you're a math professor, perhaps launching into a monolog about affirmative action isn't the best use of class time. If you're a professor you probably don't launch into tirades about politics or religion or abortion unless you're teaching a class where these topics are actually relevant. What's the harm in pointing out that there are other topics that might elicit similarly negative responses?

If you're a professor or teaching assistant, wouldn't you *want* to be equipped with information like that?

Second, civil behavior in society requires that one not only avoid offensive comments but that one choose to not be offended by comments that were obviously not intended to harmful. The entire concept of "microaggressions" puts the onus on the speaker and suggests that people take offense at everything are not doing anything wrong then they are.

They're not suggesting for listeners to take offense at these things, they're pointing out to speakers that saying these kinds of things can inadvertently cause offense.

Any time I go shopping for electronics products and interact with a salesman, they talk down to me as if I were a child. They attempt to explain features as if I were a 5 year old. I don't know if they do this because I am blonde or if they talk to all women like this. It's not a question of just choosing to not be insulted. It's insulting, period. I choose not to make a big deal about it because I know it's not intentional. For me, on the listening end of this interaction, what I get out of this is a consistently negative shopping experience, to the point that I no longer shop for electronics in person unless I need something in a hurry. Perhaps if these employees had some training in how to interact with people without insulting them, the retail stores would have more customers.

I would think that if you went to salesmen and said "hey, here's some things that might unintentionally make potential customers feel negatively about you" they would consider that valuable advice.

I would also think that most professors and TAs would appreciate receiving advice about stuff they could be saying to students that could cause unintended negative feelings. Because this isn't stuff where students are going to fly off the handle. It's stuff where the professor isn't going to receive any response until the end of the semester and they do the evaluation forms and he gets a bunch of feedback that says "this guy is a prick" and he's left wondering "what did I do wrong?"

-k

[-1=e^ipi]

So along comes a university and points out for their staff that there are some other things that make people feel bad or angry without meaning to

Unless the target group is white males, in which case it's free rain to insult them, discriminate against them, etc. We even have 'diversity officers' that tweet #killallwhitemen, exclude white men from university events (ex. Bahar Mustafa).

And you guys are acting as if it's some kind of Orwellian brainwashing experiment.

Many aspects of SJWism is Orwellian, but I wouldn't describe microaggressions as an 'Orwellian Brainwashing Experiment'.

They're helping their staff be more aware of a more diverse student body.

For example, by having twice as many women as men in universities, because apparent men are inherently 'undiverse', so having more women increases diversity even when women grossly outnumber men on campuses.

It completely baffles me that you guys are reacting as if this is some kind of assault upon white men or something.

Microaggressions are more of an assault on freedom of speech and thought than white men. They want to make it so that anyone with an incorrect political opinion (such as thinking the most qualified person should get the job) should be fired, not get tenure, be subject to discipline, etc.

On the other hand, if you're a math professor, perhaps launching into a monolog about affirmative action isn't the best use of class time. If you're a professor you probably don't launch into tirades about politics or religion or abortion unless you're teaching a class where these topics are actually relevant. What's the harm in pointing out that there are other topics that might elicit similarly negative responses?

Look this stuff applies outside of class. If you write on facebook something like 'I think the most qualified person should get the job' you can be subject to academic discipline.

[TimG]

On the other hand, if you're a math professor, perhaps launching into a monolog about affirmative action isn't the best use of class time.

I would say that is general rule that would apply to all political topics and not just the ones the ones listed as a "microagression". Putting on the list was an attempt to say that stating such opinions is unacceptable even in contexts where political discussions are appropriate.

They're not suggesting for listeners to take offense at these things, they're pointing out to speakers that saying these kinds of things can inadvertently cause offense.

They are still implying that it is acceptable for people to take offense at such things. They could have framed the advice differently and more clearly stated that some people might unreasonably take offence at innocent comments and it would be better to avoid such comments. i.e. the same advice without making it sound like the person taking offense has a legitimate right to be offended. Edited July 12, 2015 by TimG

[cybercoma]

It's unacceptable for you to be offended! I will tell you what you may or may not find offensive! I know I'm not a member of the minority group that this offends, but I'll be the judge of what's offensive for you people. After all, I'm a cishet white man! What I say goes!

[-1=e^ipi]

It's unacceptable for you to be offended! I will tell you what you may or may not find offensive! I know I'm not a member of the minority group that this offends, but I'll be the judge of what's offensive for you people. After all, I'm a cishet white man! What I say goes!

Do you think that constant dismissals of someone's opinion, concerns or feelings on the basis of their sex, race or sexual orientation is a form of microaggression? Or the continued demonization of a group of people on the basis of their sex and race?