What the Fuck is Going On with Perceptions of Racism by the Left These Days?

[Valmy]

Checking your privilege doesn't mean anyone is asking you to say "I only have things because I am part of privileged groups". It does mean someone is asking you to say "By position of a characteristic I was born with, I have been helped, or at least not hurt, more than others without this characteristic". It does not mean anyone wants you to apologize for it; it does mean someone is asking for an acknowledgement of the implications of it, either for how it is impacted where you are now, how it might be skewing your perspective or level of knowledge in discussing a subject, or for how the lack of that same privilege may have made things different for someone else.

I just want to say, this is perfectly reasonable.  And perfectly obvious.  I mean sure one is helped by having functioning eyeballs and not being born paralyzed, or having mental problems. One is aided by not having to put up with the crap certain other groups have to put up with.  One's family and economic circumstances are probably better than somebody elses'.  I mean sure I think everybody could agree with that. 

So it is puzzling to me why this idea always seems to go to weird and counterproductive directions.  Or at least seems that way to me.

"Like most entitled white guys, upon finding himself on the opposite end of the entire world's fawning approval, he started crying about it," he continues.

O'Neil says that many of the privileged class, if they go back far enough, can find an ancestor who didn't have it so good. Does everyone with a grandparent who faced adversity get a free pass?

I mean complete ad hominem attack, and making presumptions about his life entirely based on his race.  And then follow that up by claiming he does not get a free pass.  A free pass on what?  How do we get to weird places like this?

[Razgovory]

Sorry.  After the whole fracas on my FB I am pretty paranoid about any kind of perceived accusations of racism.

You don't have to worry about that here.  You can attend a couple of Aryan nation rallies and Derspeiss will be okay with it.

[derspiess]

[Valmy]

Sorry.  After the whole fracas on my FB I am pretty paranoid about any kind of perceived accusations of racism.

You don't have to worry about that here.  You can attend a couple of Aryan nation rallies and Derspeiss will be okay with it.

Spicey rages against all who engage in inter-racial marriages.

[Sheilbh]

"The phrase," he writes, "handed down by my moral superiors, descends recklessly, like an Obama-sanctioned drone, and aims laser-like at my pinkish-peach complexion, my maleness and the nerve I displayed in offering an opinion rooted in a personal Weltanschauung."

Okay I've switched sides

[Ideologue]

It makes you want to punch him in the face, right?  Who writes like that?

[Razgovory]

Randy Weaver.  And you not buying that he really is a racist.

[derspiess]

Randy Weaver.  And you not buying that he really is a racist.

So when did I say I was a fan of his?  I believe I've stated on multiple occasions that he's a kook.

[Sheilbh]

It makes you want to punch him in the face, right?  Who writes like that?

I'm not sure even Germans should use the word weltanschauung

But you're right. Do sanctioned and aimed drones really descend recklessly?

[Valmy]

"The phrase," he writes, "handed down by my moral superiors, descends recklessly, like an Obama-sanctioned drone, and aims laser-like at my pinkish-peach complexion, my maleness and the nerve I displayed in offering an opinion rooted in a personal Weltanschauung."

Okay I've switched sides

His opponents at Princeton are equally pretentious.  It is Princeton.

[derspiess]

But you're right. Do sanctioned and aimed drones really descend recklessly?

I suppose that depends on the style of the operator.

[KRonn]

"Like most entitled white guys, upon finding himself on the opposite end of the entire world's fawning approval, he started crying about it," he continues.

O'Neil says that many of the privileged class, if they go back far enough, can find an ancestor who didn't have it so good. Does everyone with a grandparent who faced adversity get a free pass?

I mean complete ad hominem attack, and making presumptions about his life entirely based on his race.  And then follow that up by claiming he does not get a free pass.  A free pass on what?  How do we get to weird places like this?

Agreed. Weird places indeed.   

[Jacob]

It makes you want to punch him in the face, right?  Who writes like that?

I'm not sure even Germans should use the word weltanschauung

But you're right. Do sanctioned and aimed drones really descend recklessly?

The guy sounds like a total prat.

[Valmy]

The guy sounds like a total prat.

Right.  As I said that is almost axiomatic.

[Jacob]

It makes you want to punch him in the face, right?  Who writes like that?

Smarmy rich kids who've done little so far, but who nonetheless expect people to pay rapt attention to their pronouncements.

You know... people who were raised to believe that their insights are profound and their expressions brilliant and have not, as of yet, had any significant experiences to counter that belief.

... I think there may be a more concise way to express that concept, but you get the picture.