Merriam-Webster to Redefine Racism

[Proctopeo]

The title is slightly hyperbole, as they're updating the definition of racism, potentially (but only potentially) to include the "prejudice plus power" meme. (I'm keeping the title as is for now because it's amusing to read)

Editors have conceded that the entry has not been rewritten in decades. “This entry has not been revised in decades,” Merriam-Webster editor-at-large, Peter Sokolowski, told the Times, adding that the new definition would be an “improvement of the wording”.

Editors added that although the dictionary aims to reflect the real-world usage of a word, rather than a particular viewpoint, “we have concluded that omitting any mention of the systemic aspects of racism promotes a certain viewpoint in itself … It also does a disservice to readers of all races.”

In an email to Merriam-Webster, Mitchum wrote: “Racism is not only prejudice against a certain race due to the color of a person’s skin, as it states in your dictionary,. It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power. It is a system of advantage based on skin color.”

So, NSG, what's your thoughts on this? Quite obviously I think it's rather ridiculous, though if the change is simply adding "prejudice + power" to the list of definitions, then it'd just be a little bit goofy.

[Antibuda]

The title is only minimally hyperbole, as they're apparently changing the definition of "racism" to something along the lines of the "prejudice + power" meme.

In an email to Merriam-Webster, Mitchum wrote: “Racism is not only prejudice against a certain race due to the color of a person’s skin, as it states in your dictionary,. It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power. It is a system of advantage based on skin color.”

So, NSG, what's your thoughts on this? Quite obviously I think it's rather ridiculous, though if the change is simply adding "prejudice + power" to the list of definitions, then it'd just be a little bit goofy.

Oh boy, more companies being forced to change their products because of angry Karens. What a shock.

[Galloism]

The "prejudice + power" thing is largely an attempt to make it bad when person X does it, but not when person Y does it. It's to protect racism (or sexism) the speaker approves of from criticism.

To that end, I don't think we should be protecting racists or sexists via squirrely definitions.

[Proctopeo]

The title is only minimally hyperbole, as they're apparently changing the definition of "racism" to something along the lines of the "prejudice + power" meme.

In an email to Merriam-Webster, Mitchum wrote: “Racism is not only prejudice against a certain race due to the color of a person’s skin, as it states in your dictionary,. It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power. It is a system of advantage based on skin color.”

So, NSG, what's your thoughts on this? Quite obviously I think it's rather ridiculous, though if the change is simply adding "prejudice + power" to the list of definitions, then it'd just be a little bit goofy.

Oh boy, more companies being forced to change their products because of angry Karens. What a shock.

It's less "forced to" here, as they're apparently willing, but a part of me wonders how much of that was avoiding a massive social media campaign against themselves.

[South Odreria 2]

Physics envy

[State of Turelisa]

I do hope Oxford University Press doesn't follow suit and revise the OED to include this lunatic political revision of language. The OED is a British national treasure.

[Galloism]

I do hope Oxford University Press doesn't follow suit and revise the OED to include this lunacy. The OED is a British national treasure.

I mean fortunately, the KKK is instantly redefined as no longer racist, since they have no institutional power.

Aren't you glad we made the KKK not racist?

[Aureumterra]

The ultimate "moving the goalposts"

I can see this being used by people who want to defend the Kentucky Governor’s racist proposals

[Galloism]

The ultimate "moving the goalposts"

I can see this being used by people who want to defend the Kentucky Governor’s racist proposals

Technically, that would still be racist, because the governor has social and institutional power.

[The Islands of Versilia]

How long until we get the societal equivalent of an integer overflow?

[Vetalia]

I mean fortunately, the KKK is instantly redefined as no longer racist, since they have no institutional power.

Aren't you glad we made the KKK not racist?

The former National Party members in South Africa will be glad to hear that too.

[No State Here]

LOL Imagine giving into "socially conscious" Karens

[The Reformed American Republic]

The "prejudice + power" thing is largely an attempt to make it bad when person X does it, but not when person Y does it. It's to protect racism (or sexism) the speaker approves of from criticism.

To that end, I don't think we should be protecting racists or sexists via squirrely definitions.

This.

[No State Here]

The ultimate "moving the goalposts"

I can see this being used by people who want to defend the Kentucky Governor’s racist proposals

Really convenient timing for him I must say

[The Reformed American Republic]

The former National Party members in South Africa will be glad to hear that too.

I'm sure that requirement would be conveniently be removed in other places to make sure it targets whites and only whites.

[Cekoviu]

Proct, you as a linguistics major should know that Merriam-Webster (nor any dictionary) does not dictate widespread usage and is essentially irrelevant except in usage by obnoxious pedants and/or STEMlords.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Complete and utter hogwash. The power + prejudice framework exists solely to excuse racism from minorities and nothing more.

[Rojava Free State]

I think I just threw up in my mouth. Jesus christ we're really changing the definition of racism to make bigotted black and brown people feel better about themselves.

[Cekoviu]

I do hope Oxford University Press doesn't follow suit and revise the OED to include this lunacy. The OED is a British national treasure.

I mean fortunately, the KKK is instantly redefined as no longer racist, since they have no institutional power.

Aren't you glad we made the KKK not racist?

>the KKK has no institutional power
and yet Nancy Pelosi is still in office :thinking:

[No State Here]

Complete and utter hogwash. The power + prejudice framework exists solely to excuse racism from minorities and nothing more.

Pretty sure the same people probably think the ongoing genocide of white people in South Africa and Zimbabwe is "a natural reaction to colonialism" or one of those talking points

[The Reformed American Republic]

I think I just threw up in my mouth. Jesus christ we're really changing the definition of racism to make bigotted black and brown people feel better about themselves.

Yes.

[South Odreria 2]

I mean fortunately, the KKK is instantly redefined as no longer racist, since they have no institutional power.

Aren't you glad we made the KKK not racist?

>the KKK has no institutional power
and yet Nancy Pelosi is still in office :thinking:

You ever lie half asleep on the bed posting and it seems like everyone else on NSG is doing that too

[New haven america]

The "prejudice + power" thing is largely an attempt to make it bad when person X does it, but not when person Y does it. It's to protect racism (or sexism) the speaker approves of from criticism.

To that end, I don't think we should be protecting racists or sexists via squirrely definitions.

Also the fact that that's the definition of institutional racism and can apply to any institution regardless of who's running it.

For example, you could say the current government of Zimbabwe and South Africa are institutionally racist.

[Proctopeo]

Proct, you as a linguistics major should know that Merriam-Webster (nor any dictionary) does not dictate widespread usage and is essentially irrelevant except in usage by obnoxious pedants and/or STEMlords.

I'm well aware of that.

[Repubblica Fascista Sociale Italiana]

There’s a Serb in my neighborhood who spends every breathing second talking about Albanians and creative ways to mass genocide them, but as far as I know, Serbs don’t wield much institutional power in the US, so is he not racist anymore?