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"White people problems." Is it racist?

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Don't be silly, you can't be racist against white people. You are being racist for assuming he was being racist when he said that though. For shame.
 
A little racist, but generally harmless because the implication is that "the white majority are oftentimes better off than minorities in identical situations", which isn't really an insult. It's more like jealousy and bitterness.

The hell?
 
I rather have white people problems then other peoples problems

it's always much worse when it's the latter.

oh I have to have sex with 8 women of color tonight but I can only fit 5 of them in my very busy schedule oh noes,oh woe is me...

I kid of course

I kid because I love

I love you GAF please don't kill me... :3
 
really?

A little racist, but generally harmless because the implication is that "the white majority are oftentimes better off than minorities in identical situations", which isn't really an insult. It's more like jealousy and bitterness.

And wtf?
 
This is actually probably a better term. While I think WPP can work for some things, like your Polo shirt got ruined or whatever, FWP is a lot broader and more on-point in most cases.

That said, FWP does make me uncomfortable after a while like all self-effacing humor that identifies a flaw but instead of actually doing anything about it, seems to think that mere acknowledgement is sufficient. It's like all those OMG WE'RE SO RACIST RIGHT? shows and movies. Self-effacing humor has gotten really gross and distorted the past ten years or so.

The difference is, without those inherent problems there'd be no first world. Acknowledgment is all you can do. I've come to terms with the fact that I can be cozy and comfortable in the first world because my slaves toil away in the third. It sucks, but I'd be lying out my ass if I said I wanted it any other way. People need to accept that they're part of the problem, and that it's never going away.
 
I would tend to agree that it's slightly racist and plays into the us vs. them attitude. However ... I don't find it the least bit offensive.
 
More like stereotyping than racism. There's a line there somewhere.

But the base "first world problems" has gotten on my nerves as people have used it for more ridiculous things. I mean, calling out 'first world problems' to someone bitching about a persistent bubble in their screen protector is one thing. Saying it to someone who is complaining about their AC going out when it's 95F or when they have a flat tire is just stupid.
 
Threads like this really make me think that I'll never know what it feels like to be offended. Also, It really devalues actual racism when the word is thrown around so easily. When I picture a racist I picture the KKK or Hitler, not someone that makes a dumb comment offhand.
 
A little racist, but generally harmless because the implication is that "the white majority are oftentimes better off than minorities in identical situations", which isn't really an insult. It's more like jealousy and bitterness.

How is that jealousy or bitterness?
 
The sentence is a little out of context.

The entire story involves him getting "too much money" and not being able to handle it.. complaining about things like having to pay a large tax bill (which he might get back anyways.)

Other than that, it's just a joke based on the disparity between socioeconomic conditions of "whites" and other races, on average, in most Western powers.

Not racist at all IMO. Racism is when you actually discuss how people are superior or inferior based on race, jokes like that are more of a joke about the current state of CULTURE and SOCIETY than race.

However some white people tend to get angry when minorities say stuff like that.. it becomes this "Hey, how come I can't say something stereotypical about black people!!"

Which isn't really true.

White people joke about the "black people have huge dicks" stereotype ALL THE TIME.

And do you see black people get offended at the stereotype?

I never personally have.

So it's not REALLY some double standard.. if the joke was meant to disparage white people, then maybe it would be.

It's not.

If anything, as I stated in the other thread.. minorities might take offense to it, not whites.. but again, it's not really saying "white people make more money because white people are superior".. it's just joking about a very real statistical representation of society.

IMO, it's unhealthy to not be able to express such jokes.. or to take too much offense. Same with jokes about other STATISTICS.. they often are meant to shed light on, while COPING with why these statistics exist. It's not a STEREOTYPE if there is real statistical backing.

I've been banned for telling jokes involving other races on this forum.. despite the fact my INTENT was to simply bring up horrible disparities between where people end up in our country, and to poke fun at "racists" really.. who make racists statements without taking into account WHY the disparity exists.

Actually I do get offended by the huge dick stereotype. It's pretty dehumanizing for some reason. I also hate being generalized. Like if you think the huge dick thing is funny or there's some universal truth behind it what about the can't swim, loves chicken, poor student, loves rap, has rims, sags pants, talks jive, can't do a proper handshake generalizations? You (the general "you") think those are harmless as well?
 
It isn't, and anyone who says it is is just looking for an argument. Stereotyping can be racist, but not necessarily.


Umm...


rac·ism [rey-siz-uhm]

noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.


Insinuating that white people's problems are all trivial and meaningless isn't a belief that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural achievement? White people are shallow and spoilt, Mexicans are lazy, Asians are great at math, black people are good at sports. Racial stereotypes are always racist, even if they're ostensibly flattering.

White people are supposed to be big enough to laugh this stuff off. As a privileged white male living in an affluent western country, I accept that. But that doesn't mean ethnic stereotypes are less racist merely because they're deemed culturally acceptable. Just because some racism is culturally acceptable - stand-up comedy, flattering generalizations, or gently mocking memes - that doesn't make it any less racist. But since racism equates to evil, and a harmless joke could never be evil, this fact is something people often refuse to acknowledge.
 
White+People+Problems.+Just+happened+to+me+now+it+s+all_cb3f5e_3213004.jpg


white-people-problems._1.png


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Words aren't racist unless there's some sort of actions to go along with them.

Actions like slavery, segregation, police abuse etc.
 
I rather have white people problems then other peoples problems

it's always much worse when it's the latter.

oh I have to have sex with 8 women of color tonight but I can only fit 5 of them in my very busy schedule oh noes,oh woe is me...

I kid of course

I kid because I love

I love you GAF please don't kill me... :3

Que?
 
It's a statement that reflects a positive stereotype about a particular group of people.

e.g. "model minority" Asians.

It just depends on whether you think positive stereotype usage is acceptable, or if all stereotypes contribute to a culture of racial ignorance.
 
Umm...





Insinuating that white people's problems are all trivial and meaningless isn't a belief that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural achievement? White people are shallow and spoilt, Mexicans are lazy, Asians are great at math, black people are good at sports. Racial stereotypes are always racist, even if they're ostensibly flattering.

White people are supposed to be big enough to laugh this stuff off. As a privileged white male living in an affluent western country, I accept that. But that doesn't mean ethnic stereotypes are less racist merely because they're deemed culturally acceptable. Just because something is culturally acceptable, like stand-up comedy, flattering generalizations, or gently mocking memes, that doesn't make them any less racist.

The comment wasn't racist. I'm sorry. The only real topic of discussion here are the various derailments.
 
They need to make race threads a bannable offence on GAF. I swear, every fucking time it turns into feeding time at the zoo.
 
This is actually probably a better term. While I think WPP can work for some things, like your Polo shirt got ruined or whatever, FWP is a lot broader and more on-point in most cases.

That said, FWP does make me uncomfortable after a while like all self-effacing humor that identifies a flaw but instead of actually doing anything about it, seems to think that mere acknowledgement is sufficient. It's like all those OMG WE'RE SO RACIST RIGHT? shows and movies. Self-effacing humor has gotten really gross and distorted the past ten years or so.

http://whitewhine.com/ is a good start for FWP.
 
Actually I do get offended by the huge dick stereotype. It's pretty dehumanizing for some reason. I also hate being generalized. Like if you think the huge dick thing is funny or there's some universal truth behind it what about the can't swim, loves chicken, poor student, loves rap, has rims, sags pants, talks jive, can't do a proper handshake generalizations? You (the general "you") think those are harmless as well?

The big dick thing is whatever, as it's not really negative, however depending on the context it's used it can be made negative.(ala that jenny Hyung's statement equating big dicks to being like animals) It can be annoying, but I don't find a comment like that offensive.(at least to me) I consider the same to be said for white people problems, or Asians being good at math. They're not inherently negative, but I do understand how people could be annoyed by it or even take it as offensive, especially if hearing it all the time.

Based on context though, white people problems is the least potentially offensive of the three as it reflects a general socio-economic problem that we have in the west regarding minorities and the majority.
 
Actually I do get offended by the huge dick stereotype. It's pretty dehumanizing for some reason. I also hate being generalized. Like if you think the huge dick thing is funny or there's some universal truth behind it what about the can't swim, loves chicken, poor student, loves rap, has rims, sags pants, talks jive, can't do a proper handshake generalizations? You (the general "you") think those are harmless as well?

Understood.

It wasn't the best example. But my thoughts were based on experience.. you are the first black person I've seen express offense to it. I can understand your offense though.

THAT type of joke or statement IS clearly stereotyping.

Considering "white people problems" though is based on this:

GCdIl.png


It's hard to call it stereotyping, or at least.. be "offended" by it.

Not all white people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth.. so it might be obnoxious to some.. but it is a "joke" based on unfortunate statistics that are quite real.

I still think it's unhealthy to take too much offense. I will conseed my example wasn't that great, but it's main point was: plenty of white people get away with stating what appear to be positive sterotypes of other races. It's not really a double standard, which is a common complaint.
 
Creating a thread for the massive derail on the Wired thread, stemming from this quote:



Is that racist? Why? Why not? Discuss.

Of course it is. Or offensive, anyway. Rich People Problems would be a lot better suited to what speakers of that phrase really mean.
 
Yeah but your problems don't stem from your race and how others see it neither. Last I checked we don't get killed because "crackers deserve it."

The hell is this. You're saying a white person can never be the victim of a hate crime?

Sadly, I'm sure there's plenty of black people who would hate me for being white.
 
Threads like this really make me think that I'll never know what it feels like to be offended. Also, It really devalues actual racism when the word is thrown around so easily. When I picture a racist I picture the KKK or Hitler, not someone that makes a dumb comment offhand.

Big difference between race hate (animosity towards people due to their ancestry) and racism (making assumptions about people based on their ancestry).
 
No.

Why, because it reminds White people that they have 16x (or something like that) the wealth at poverty levels than black or brown people at poverty levels?

The only reason it's an issue is because White people feel like they should have something to be offended by. I, as a White man, can tell you that it doesn't even touch my feelings. Seriously.

/THREAD.
 
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