I have gone back and read your post and and still don't see where you outline exactly how the concept of race is meaningful in any way.
Firstly, I don't need to belong to a racial category in order to have an understanding of history. I can read a fucking book. And race and heritage are different words for a reason. They are not synonyms, they are in fact two different things.
Somebody without a race/ethinicity/background (one might say) has no heritage. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Merriam Webster defines heritage as,
Main Entry:
her·i·tage Listen to the pronunciation of heritage
Pronunciation:
\ˈher-ə-tij, ˈhe-rə-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from heriter to inherit, from Late Latin hereditare, from Latin hered-, heres heir — more at heir
Date:
13th century
1: property that descends to an heir2 a: something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy , inheritance b: tradition3: something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth : birthright <the nation's heritage of tolerance>
2 a: something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy , inheritance b: tradition3: something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth : birthright <the nation's heritage of tolerance>That means you INHERITED who you are, in a cultural/racial sense, from somebody else. This is why I have no problem with those of European descent taking pride in their background. So long as their not doing it because they think it's BETTER than somebody else's background. *taps her temple* S'called thinkin'.
Secondly, just because it's valued by someone doesn't mean it should be valuable to everyone. If you identified yourself as one of the racial categories you mentioned you would probably think it was meaningful, because that's the way that you would have been conditioned to think about it by society. And because fights for social rights are organised under group identities. In which each individual always has a completely different set of goals. But all people think they want the same thing. It is therefore an arbitrary and meaningless construct in my opinion. This is the same phenomenon that Bob Dylan identified in the liberal movement of the 1960s in case you were really stupid enough to misunderstand the quote in my second post. The whole 'it's important because people think it's important' argument is just rediculous.
One, yes, it is your opinion. It is not your tried and true fact. If you identified yourself with a group, doesn't mean (get this) that's the only group you will EVER identify with. You can be in a circle for one thing, and in several different circles, while understanding, acknowledging, and identifying with each other. The ability doesn't make it meaningless. Actually, it makes you a person open to interpretation. Understand this, Andy, there will always be different cultures, races, and ethnicities. They aren't going anywhere, as those things have lasted for centuries. No, you don't have to perfectly be that which you were born into, but you also don't have to abandon it all together as if it's completely irrelevant. Literally, history is made up of different cultures interacting, and causing either change or art. You can consider race a social construct, and that's fine. You can also take from your race what you like, not force yourself into the rest, and (get this) not force that down other people's throat.
Honestly, the whole reason nobody is agreeing with you right now? You're aggressively trying to force your opinions on others, and calling them stupid for not agreeing with you. Ugh, nobody is going to even look at you twice that way.
I generally value individual identity over group identity. And no, group identity is not a facet of individual identity. Only the individual ideas that people falsely associate with those groups are. I also think the only group identities that that are true and therefore worth acknowledging are those with established ideaologies. Or at least those that acknowledge parameters for diversion from established ideaologies. This is why race is flawed as a social categorisation and therefore irrelevant in all circumstances in which individuals in the supposed group do not share a common goal. And usually in these circumstances the particular people sharing the goal do not fit into common understandings of racial categorisations. And they demand re-evaluation by those with preconceived notions of race. So I don't see viewing race as meaningless social construct as a particularly flawed starting point. In fact I think it's the better of those two alternatives.
Once again, stop trying to sell people the products of your own opinion. People don't take kindly to being told their identity with their race is a flawed belief or idea. What's flawed is how you manifest your identity that's the problem. And yes, group identity is, in fact, a facet of individual identity. Where you come from does, to a certain extent, make you who you are. That's just the way social beings are. Actually, I found more articles about this whole "personal and social identity" theory, than your own.
I'm starting to realize something. *laughs* I'm starting to realize that Andy Pants may or may not hate something about himself.
Thirdly, I never said I expected anything of anyone. I just sated a personal opinion. Which everyone is getting pissy about. I don't care what meaningless masks you choose to adopt. Whatever gives you something to pass the time. You seem to admit yourself that its only meaningful because people believe it is. That is my only point.
People as opposed to...? I'm people, and I myself admit it is meaningful. Also, what fools we mere mortals be, amirite, Andy?
As for your last paragraph I have never heard anyone be so retarded. Try to read this nice and slowly. The concept which people fail to understand is the one I am talking about. Race is subjective. It is a social construct.
This is what it must feel like to be a primary school teacher.
Really, you should learn when to shut the fuck up while you're still on topic, and ahead. Seriously, I'm calling you childish in your ranting, quite personally, because you are. Childish =/= retarded or stupid. So stop with the put downs.
Lastly I'd just like to point out that your disagreement is welcome but your disrepect and disapproval is completely unwelcome and unecessary.
You get what you give, Andy.
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Topic: The inauguration of Barack Obama. (Read 21259 times)