Prema Qadir wrote:
>
>The Internet is a good place for intellectual intercourse. We can waste a
>lot of time organizing words in clever arrangements. We can talk all
>around issues sometimes coming to a resolution and other times never even
>approaching such.
I say old chap, are you having a shot at me?
>
>The only thing that matters to me is how emerging technologies are being
>used to perpetuate racism (white supremacy) in the known universe. I judge
>everything from that perspective.
Can you give me an example of the former? I don't quite understand or
believe your claim that you judge everything from the perspective of
racism. Can you go into more detail on that? I suspect we may be able to
have a good argument as, while I do not approve of racism, or its
accomplice nationalism, the point of my earlier post was to the effect that
these evil philosophies are a product of material circumstances, rather
than the cause.
I am open to argument, perhaps it is too broad a statement to be entirely
accurate, however it will need some convincing argument to get me to
believe that racism is the central issue.
RACISM, n, the belief that human races have distinctive
characteristics which determine their respective cultures
- Macquarie
I don't think I've ever experienced racism personally, not that I noticed
anyway, but perhaps I've led a sheltered life. Perhaps it would be
different if I had, but I don't see it as the prime problem for humanity,
but rather as a symptom of larger issues. I agree with Dave to some extent,
would it be OK if we were all oppresssed and exploited equally, regardless
of race? Not to me it wouldn't.
>Technology is neither correct nor
>incorrect. It is malleable to the needs of those in power, the racists
>(white supremacists) as they impose their global system of oppression on
>their victims (people of color).
Well if you expect me to go along with the implication that the oppressors
are merely white supremists, who only oppress people of colour, think
again. Some of them may be white supremistsbut even then I submit it is a
minority of the ruling class. Fewer still of our masters would be content
to only exploit people of colour, thousands of years of history teach us
that they exploit everyone to the maximum extent they think they can get
away with.
Not that I accept at face value the argument that racism is simply a tool
of capitalism (or other forms of class rule), but it seems self-evident
that racism plays a part. To the extent that different sections of the
subject classes can be conned into thinking that they do not have common
interests, ie. to the extent that they are divided or set against each
other, they strengthen the hand of their oppressor.
>
>I attempt to use technology to counter racism.
Good on you, keep up the good work. The anti-racism cause is for the
benefit of ALL humanity, not just "people of colour".
Bill Bartlett
Bracknell Tasmania
|