Actually he does. In fact to me, his sense of humour often comes across as very "British" (read subtle) and I've wondered where, as an American, he gets that from.
The word "Oriental" clangs to my ears (or eyes) too. Regardless of the whys and wherefores as to why Asians prefer not to be referred to by the term, it's no skin off my nose to avoid it. When I was a kid, to call Australians of Greek or Italian background a "wog" was highly offensive. Then they reclaimed the word and now often use it to describe themselves and, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't have much of a problem if an Anglo-Saxon Australian called them a wog. Is the change hypocritical? No. It actually reflects the breakdown of stereotypes of Greek and Italian Australians over time.
I would have once been offended by the word "chick" but I'm not now because men aren't such stupid chauvinistic bastards as they were 20 years ago.
On the other hand, I find murbot's "jokes" in this thread off because, to me, they're tired and about as funny as a 3 day old dog turd. There is a certain nastiness to my reading of them. Would I bother to try and point this out to him? No because I know it would be a waste of time, that it's his style and I concluded long ago he has certain "issues" as regards women. On the other hand, if say, addabox or tonton or yourself made a similar joke, I wouldn't read it in the same negative light because you're not constantly commenting on women in a sexually derogatory way and fantisizing about about your own sexual prowess (oh OK tonton fantisizes about his own sexual prowess but in a way that's not particularly offensive ).
Having said all that, do I think addabox should be worrying about the whole "oriental" thing that much? No because it's not worth expending that much energy on if people don't get it. Some using the term may have a negative view of Asians but I don't think most do. They just lack understanding of the issue.
But don't label addabox as a humourless stick-in-the-mud either. I just think that, for whatever reason, at the moment he's not as chipper as usual.
Actually he does. In fact to me, his sense of humour often comes across as very "British" (read subtle) and I've wondered where, as an American, he gets that from.
The word "Oriental" clangs to my ears (or eyes) too. Regardless of the whys and wherefores as to why Asians prefer not to be referred to by the term, it's no skin off my nose to avoid it. When I was a kid, to call Australians of Greek or Italian background a "wog" was highly offensive. Then they reclaimed the word and now often use it to describe themselves and, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't have much of a problem if an Anglo-Saxon Australian called them a wog. Is the change hypocritical? No. It actually reflects the breakdown of stereotypes of Greek and Italian Australians over time.
I would have once been offended by the word "chick" but I'm not now because men aren't such stupid chauvinistic bastards as they were 20 years ago.
On the other hand, I find murbot's "jokes" in this thread off because, to me, they're tired and about as funny as a 3 day old dog turd. There is a certain nastiness to my reading of them. Would I bother to try and point this out to him? No because I know it would be a waste of time, that it's his style and I concluded long ago he has certain "issues" as regards women. On the other hand, if say, addabox or tonton or yourself made a similar joke, I wouldn't read it in the same negative light because you're not constantly commenting on women in a sexually derogatory way and fantisizing about about your own sexual prowess (oh OK tonton fantisizes about his own sexual prowess but in a way that's not particularly offensive ).
Having said all that, do I think addabox should be worrying about the whole "oriental" thing that much? No because it's not worth expending that much energy on if people don't get it. Some using the term may have a negative view of Asians but I don't think most do. They just lack understanding of the issue.
But don't label addabox as a humourless stick-in-the-mud either. I just think that, for whatever reason, at the moment he's not as chipper as usual.
Why, thank you kindly, ma'am.
You're right of course, I don't imagine anyone here really has "issues" with asian-americans, and I know I'm being a bit of a prig (recently out of work, hungry, inner demons, take your pick).
Still, everybody else is wrong and I'm right.
(By the way, I come by my sense of humor from my father, who is highly literate and fairly reserved while having a keen sense of the absurd-- hence, I guess, somewhat "british").
Comments
Originally posted by BuonRotto
You have no sense of humor.
Actually he does. In fact to me, his sense of humour often comes across as very "British" (read subtle) and I've wondered where, as an American, he gets that from.
The word "Oriental" clangs to my ears (or eyes) too. Regardless of the whys and wherefores as to why Asians prefer not to be referred to by the term, it's no skin off my nose to avoid it. When I was a kid, to call Australians of Greek or Italian background a "wog" was highly offensive. Then they reclaimed the word and now often use it to describe themselves and, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't have much of a problem if an Anglo-Saxon Australian called them a wog. Is the change hypocritical? No. It actually reflects the breakdown of stereotypes of Greek and Italian Australians over time.
I would have once been offended by the word "chick" but I'm not now because men aren't such stupid chauvinistic bastards as they were 20 years ago.
On the other hand, I find murbot's "jokes" in this thread off because, to me, they're tired and about as funny as a 3 day old dog turd. There is a certain nastiness to my reading of them. Would I bother to try and point this out to him? No because I know it would be a waste of time, that it's his style and I concluded long ago he has certain "issues" as regards women. On the other hand, if say, addabox or tonton or yourself made a similar joke, I wouldn't read it in the same negative light because you're not constantly commenting on women in a sexually derogatory way and fantisizing about about your own sexual prowess (oh OK tonton fantisizes about his own sexual prowess but in a way that's not particularly offensive
Having said all that, do I think addabox should be worrying about the whole "oriental" thing that much? No because it's not worth expending that much energy on if people don't get it. Some using the term may have a negative view of Asians but I don't think most do. They just lack understanding of the issue.
But don't label addabox as a humourless stick-in-the-mud either. I just think that, for whatever reason, at the moment he's not as chipper as usual.
Originally posted by crazychester
Actually he does. In fact to me, his sense of humour often comes across as very "British" (read subtle) and I've wondered where, as an American, he gets that from.
The word "Oriental" clangs to my ears (or eyes) too. Regardless of the whys and wherefores as to why Asians prefer not to be referred to by the term, it's no skin off my nose to avoid it. When I was a kid, to call Australians of Greek or Italian background a "wog" was highly offensive. Then they reclaimed the word and now often use it to describe themselves and, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't have much of a problem if an Anglo-Saxon Australian called them a wog. Is the change hypocritical? No. It actually reflects the breakdown of stereotypes of Greek and Italian Australians over time.
I would have once been offended by the word "chick" but I'm not now because men aren't such stupid chauvinistic bastards as they were 20 years ago.
On the other hand, I find murbot's "jokes" in this thread off because, to me, they're tired and about as funny as a 3 day old dog turd. There is a certain nastiness to my reading of them. Would I bother to try and point this out to him? No because I know it would be a waste of time, that it's his style and I concluded long ago he has certain "issues" as regards women. On the other hand, if say, addabox or tonton or yourself made a similar joke, I wouldn't read it in the same negative light because you're not constantly commenting on women in a sexually derogatory way and fantisizing about about your own sexual prowess (oh OK tonton fantisizes about his own sexual prowess but in a way that's not particularly offensive
Having said all that, do I think addabox should be worrying about the whole "oriental" thing that much? No because it's not worth expending that much energy on if people don't get it. Some using the term may have a negative view of Asians but I don't think most do. They just lack understanding of the issue.
But don't label addabox as a humourless stick-in-the-mud either. I just think that, for whatever reason, at the moment he's not as chipper as usual.
Why, thank you kindly, ma'am.
You're right of course, I don't imagine anyone here really has "issues" with asian-americans, and I know I'm being a bit of a prig (recently out of work, hungry, inner demons, take your pick).
Still, everybody else is wrong and I'm right.
(By the way, I come by my sense of humor from my father, who is highly literate and fairly reserved while having a keen sense of the absurd-- hence, I guess, somewhat "british").
We?re giving away nine business professional action figures. If you win, yours will be designed to look like you.
This is Biblical...
...created in (my) image...and (I) said 'It was good'...then on the seventh day (I) rested...
sortof gives you a God complex...well...now nine lucky people can feel like Bill Gates...if only for a breif moment...