Campus Student Demands Catchall Thread

#1
volinbham

volinbham

VN GURU
Joined
Oct 21, 2004
Messages
67,719
Likes
55,277
#1
Seems we have a couple threads where these items pop up. Maybe lumping them together can allow for focused outrage and turning microaggressions into real ones :)

A log for the fire. Any faculty member that votes for this deserves everything they've got coming.

https://reason.com/blog/2015/11/23/exclusive-occidental-faculty-voting-to-g

In recognition of their complicity in “structural racism and oppression” at Occidental College, the faculty will vote on a resolution that mandates diversity training, requires all academic departments to make racial sensitivity a component of in-class instruction, and allows students to “report microaggressions” between students and professors.
Click to expand...

"Today in chemistry we'll learn that while we call some gases "noble", all elements are important and noble in their own way"
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 7 people
#2
#2
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#5
#5
Pacer92 said:
What the hell is a microaggression? Smh
Click to expand...

It is when a minority is outnumbered by a majority. So in order to thwart a microaggression the minority must be the majority. How this is not a microaggression against the previous majority is never explained.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#7
#7
I don't have a problem with a department of history or sociology being particularly sensitive to issues of race. Makes sense, actually. But expanding that to an institutional level runs the risk of diluting the valid contexts where it should be studied and discussed.

Jmo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#8
#8
Pacer92 said:
What the hell is a microaggression? Smh
Click to expand...

To borrow bham's term, it's a "catchall" for any speech or behavior that is consciously or unconsciously indicative of one's (read, white middle-class, heterosexual Christian males) structural privilege.

For example, it would be like me asking another instructor about her last name and where it comes from (which I have done unabashedly), which admittedly indicates my position and background as the default normative one while hers is the default minority one. It can be casual speech or behavior that wouldn't be considered conventionally racist.

I'll give you another example. When people often speak with one another about some event that occurred to them in public, especially white people (and especially old white people), they will reference the race of a person involved in the event only if that person is a minority. Like your grandmother thinking that knowing that the woman who made her laugh with a funny comment while standing in line at the grocery store was black is some sort of essential bit of information, albeit related casually.

Some of the concern I understand, and some of it I don't. I have tried to limit my own speech that reflects casually assuming others are all like me (like in the grandmother example) but am honestly interested in where people's ancestors come from in order to learn more about them (as in my campus example above). Honestly, you just have to make sound, informed judgment calls. Likewise, those who may be inclined to take offense should also make sound, informed judgment calls regarding whether or not the intent was malicious. Because intent is really the key here, even though the cult of the microaggression seems unconcerned by it.
 
#9
#9
volprof said:
To borrow bham's term, it's a "catchall" for any speech or behavior that is consciously or unconsciously indicative of one's (read, white middle-class, heterosexual Christian males) structural privilege.

For example, it would be like me asking another instructor about her last name and where it comes from (which I have done unabashedly), which admittedly indicates my position and background as the default normative one while hers is the default minority one. It can be casual speech or behavior that wouldn't be considered conventionally racist.

I'll give you another example. When people often speak with one another about some event that occurred to them in public, especially white people (and especially old white people), they will reference the race of a person involved in the event only if that person is a minority. Like your grandmother thinking that knowing that the woman who made her laugh with a funny comment while standing in line at the grocery store was black is some sort of essential bit of information, albeit related casually.

Some of the concern I understand, and some of it I don't. I have tried to limit my own speech that reflects casually assuming others are all like me (like in the grandmother example) but am honestly interested in where people's ancestors come from in order to learn more about them (as in my campus example above). Honestly, you just have to make sound, informed judgment calls. Likewise, those who may be inclined to take offense should also make sound, informed judgment calls regarding whether or not the intent was malicious. Because intent is really the key here, even though the cult of the microaggression seems unconcerned by it.
Click to expand...


Well written.
 
#16
#16
volprof said:
To borrow bham's term, it's a "catchall" for any speech or behavior that is consciously or unconsciously indicative of one's (read, white middle-class, heterosexual Christian males) structural privilege.

For example, it would be like me asking another instructor about her last name and where it comes from (which I have done unabashedly), which admittedly indicates my position and background as the default normative one while hers is the default minority one. It can be casual speech or behavior that wouldn't be considered conventionally racist.

I'll give you another example. When people often speak with one another about some event that occurred to them in public, especially white people (and especially old white people), they will reference the race of a person involved in the event only if that person is a minority. Like your grandmother thinking that knowing that the woman who made her laugh with a funny comment while standing in line at the grocery store was black is some sort of essential bit of information, albeit related casually.

Some of the concern I understand, and some of it I don't. I have tried to limit my own speech that reflects casually assuming others are all like me (like in the grandmother example) but am honestly interested in where people's ancestors come from in order to learn more about them (as in my campus example above). Honestly, you just have to make sound, informed judgment calls. Likewise, those who may be inclined to take offense should also make sound, informed judgment calls regarding whether or not the intent was malicious. Because intent is really the key here, even though the cult of the microaggression seems unconcerned by it.
Click to expand...

I get the gist, but this seems hypocritcal and counterproductive when DEMANDED by black students from black caucuses...
 
#17
#17
volprof said:
To borrow bham's term, it's a "catchall" for any speech or behavior that is consciously or unconsciously indicative of one's (read, white middle-class, heterosexual Christian males) structural privilege.

For example, it would be like me asking another instructor about her last name and where it comes from (which I have done unabashedly), which admittedly indicates my position and background as the default normative one while hers is the default minority one. It can be casual speech or behavior that wouldn't be considered conventionally racist.

I'll give you another example. When people often speak with one another about some event that occurred to them in public, especially white people (and especially old white people), they will reference the race of a person involved in the event only if that person is a minority. Like your grandmother thinking that knowing that the woman who made her laugh with a funny comment while standing in line at the grocery store was black is some sort of essential bit of information, albeit related casually.

Some of the concern I understand, and some of it I don't. I have tried to limit my own speech that reflects casually assuming others are all like me (like in the grandmother example) but am honestly interested in where people's ancestors come from in order to learn more about them (as in my campus example above). Honestly, you just have to make sound, informed judgment calls. Likewise, those who may be inclined to take offense should also make sound, informed judgment calls regarding whether or not the intent was malicious. Because intent is really the key here, even though the cult of the microaggression seems unconcerned by it.
Click to expand...

When a former tenant refers a friend looking for housing to me and they ask if I'm that white dude who owns xyz house, have i been microaggressed?
 
#19
#19
volprof said:
To borrow bham's term, it's a "catchall" for any speech or behavior that is consciously or unconsciously indicative of one's (read, white middle-class, heterosexual Christian males) structural privilege.

For example, it would be like me asking another instructor about her last name and where it comes from (which I have done unabashedly), which admittedly indicates my position and background as the default normative one while hers is the default minority one. It can be casual speech or behavior that wouldn't be considered conventionally racist.

I'll give you another example. When people often speak with one another about some event that occurred to them in public, especially white people (and especially old white people), they will reference the race of a person involved in the event only if that person is a minority. Like your grandmother thinking that knowing that the woman who made her laugh with a funny comment while standing in line at the grocery store was black is some sort of essential bit of information, albeit related casually.

Some of the concern I understand, and some of it I don't. I have tried to limit my own speech that reflects casually assuming others are all like me (like in the grandmother example) but am honestly interested in where people's ancestors come from in order to learn more about them (as in my campus example above). Honestly, you just have to make sound, informed judgment calls. Likewise, those who may be inclined to take offense should also make sound, informed judgment calls regarding whether or not the intent was malicious. Because intent is really the key here, even though the cult of the microaggression seems unconcerned by it.
Click to expand...

1. I agree that intent is the most important issue here.

2. I disagree that items listed as microagressions (eg. asking someone where they are from) are grounded in some sort of structural privilege. I've been asked the question myself by all sorts of people - many of them by definition (I say that facetiously) can't have privilege.

In some ways we have a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy here. See structural privilege; interpret what you hear as indicator of structural privilege; use as evidence of structural privilege.

I saw a study recently that theorized we view minor things as major offenses since so many of the real offenses have been abolished or at least greatly reduced.
 
#21
#21
McDad said:
When a former tenant refers a friend looking for housing to me and they ask if I'm that white dude who owns xyz house, have i been microaggressed?
Click to expand...

No because part of the Social Justice world is based in the idea that you as a part of the oppressing and privileged class cannot be discriminated against or microaggressed against. Aimed at you = innocent, normal comment; Coming from you = sign of your structural privilege and attempt to remind the recipient of your superiority (whether you know it or not)
 
#25
#25
volinbham said:
No because part of the Social Justice world is based in the idea that you as a part of the oppressing and privileged class cannot be discriminated against or microaggressed against. Aimed at you = innocent, normal comment; Coming from you = sign of your structural privilege and attempt to remind the recipient of your superiority (whether you know it or not)
Click to expand...

Well, that sucks.

I wanna participate.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top