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Dec. 11th, 2002 08:40 pmHello. I've been taking a break from livejournal because I've been both extremely busy and spending most of my time online ::ahem:: at Lord of the Rings fansites
However, I was working on my social studies essays. We're up to the chapter that talks about slavery, so in writing the essays I've been talking about white people as a group a lot, and black people as a group a lot (I actually tend to say "slave" more often, because it is more specific and doesn't create a false bond, even though it might seem to demean. In my mind it doesn't, really, though). It's been rather difficult for me, because one thing I really loathe is generalizations. [augh! I keep hitting "command-save" because I'm so used to typing my essays and I'm a frenetic saver] I noticed that I was quite unhappy writing "blacks" and "whites", and changed it to "black people" and "white people". However, I was still getting pangs and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I used one of these phrases. So I started thinking about why, and ending up writing a whole extra page at the end of my essays. It was quite helpful, I think. I also think it's maybe a little bit idealized. Rather in that I left some things out than that what I said is itself untrue. Anyway, here is what I wrote (somewhat added to as I write the entry):
( rant-ish thing on race )
so there you have it. ::coughs:: i'm afraid that that's going to sound very stupid, or that there are gaping logical flaws in there somewhere. If there is a similarity between a group of people who have the same skin color, it is not because they are of the same race but because they are of the same culture: they have been raised a certain way, and society views them a certain way.
I believe this was brought on not only by the essays, but by bits of conversation that I heard from Friedman on the bus ride back from the Academons trip. I'm fairly certain he was talking about "blacks" as a voting body. At the time, I felt that this was bad, but couldn't exactly put my finger on it, both because I had not thought everything through clearly, and also because I could not think of a different term. And now can't really either, but I'm fairly certain that's due to my lack of knowledge of the situation than because there isn't one. and if there isn't, one should be created, I suppose. Actually, thinking about it, I can think of a replacement term. People in this situation can really only be defined as people who would tend to vote one way, or support certain programs or candidates. When you support a candidate, it is not because you have a biological trait that forces you to vote for people of the same race as you. Race may have something to do with things, but not because of the skin color but because of the huge cultural baggages that we seem to attach to different races. (wow. well, there I go.)
Anyway. I'm sure I'm not saying anything new, but it was good to think about and put into my own words. I kinda like it. Even though I'm afraid that I've made some gaping mistake or forgotten something that will ruin my logic. >.> But. Yeah.
So. . . that used up a lot of my time. fug. I still have quite a bit left to write.
However, I was working on my social studies essays. We're up to the chapter that talks about slavery, so in writing the essays I've been talking about white people as a group a lot, and black people as a group a lot (I actually tend to say "slave" more often, because it is more specific and doesn't create a false bond, even though it might seem to demean. In my mind it doesn't, really, though). It's been rather difficult for me, because one thing I really loathe is generalizations. [augh! I keep hitting "command-save" because I'm so used to typing my essays and I'm a frenetic saver] I noticed that I was quite unhappy writing "blacks" and "whites", and changed it to "black people" and "white people". However, I was still getting pangs and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I used one of these phrases. So I started thinking about why, and ending up writing a whole extra page at the end of my essays. It was quite helpful, I think. I also think it's maybe a little bit idealized. Rather in that I left some things out than that what I said is itself untrue. Anyway, here is what I wrote (somewhat added to as I write the entry):
( rant-ish thing on race )
so there you have it. ::coughs:: i'm afraid that that's going to sound very stupid, or that there are gaping logical flaws in there somewhere. If there is a similarity between a group of people who have the same skin color, it is not because they are of the same race but because they are of the same culture: they have been raised a certain way, and society views them a certain way.
I believe this was brought on not only by the essays, but by bits of conversation that I heard from Friedman on the bus ride back from the Academons trip. I'm fairly certain he was talking about "blacks" as a voting body. At the time, I felt that this was bad, but couldn't exactly put my finger on it, both because I had not thought everything through clearly, and also because I could not think of a different term. And now can't really either, but I'm fairly certain that's due to my lack of knowledge of the situation than because there isn't one. and if there isn't, one should be created, I suppose. Actually, thinking about it, I can think of a replacement term. People in this situation can really only be defined as people who would tend to vote one way, or support certain programs or candidates. When you support a candidate, it is not because you have a biological trait that forces you to vote for people of the same race as you. Race may have something to do with things, but not because of the skin color but because of the huge cultural baggages that we seem to attach to different races. (wow. well, there I go.)
Anyway. I'm sure I'm not saying anything new, but it was good to think about and put into my own words. I kinda like it. Even though I'm afraid that I've made some gaping mistake or forgotten something that will ruin my logic. >.> But. Yeah.
So. . . that used up a lot of my time. fug. I still have quite a bit left to write.
