> you shouldn't discount the power of words and symbols
Words are not static entities. Language evolves in unpredictable ways. Master/slave became jargon based on a truly despicable thing, unfortunately, but the original meaning is an irrelevant detail in our technical context.
One can attack the idea of "context", but I think it is not very effective, or even honest. It is a leap of logic to imply that a single expression used in very specific moments is somehow related to atrocities happening right now. The words (and symbols and culture and ideas) argument is a killer abstraction and anything can be said with it.
I am black and I live in an extremely racist society. The habit of discussing this kind of thing can have a negative impact on what really matters. Even empathetic people could become tired.
Words are not static entities. Language evolves in unpredictable ways. Master/slave became jargon based on a truly despicable thing, unfortunately, but the original meaning is an irrelevant detail in our technical context.
One can attack the idea of "context", but I think it is not very effective, or even honest. It is a leap of logic to imply that a single expression used in very specific moments is somehow related to atrocities happening right now. The words (and symbols and culture and ideas) argument is a killer abstraction and anything can be said with it.
I am black and I live in an extremely racist society. The habit of discussing this kind of thing can have a negative impact on what really matters. Even empathetic people could become tired.
Ps: my english is not that great.