Is black hole a racially insensitive term?

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers around the term "black hole" and its potential racial insensitivity, sparked by a comment from Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield during a Dallas County meeting. Commissioner John Wiley Price challenged Mayfield's analogy, suggesting it was racially charged, while Mayfield defended it as a scientific term. The conversation expanded to include various scientific terms and their interpretations, such as "white hole" and "black body radiation," raising questions about context and intent in language. Participants debated the implications of language in both scientific and social contexts, emphasizing the evolving nature of word meanings.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of astrophysics terminology, specifically "black hole" and "white hole."
  • Familiarity with the concept of language evolution and context in communication.
  • Knowledge of racial sensitivity in language and its implications in public discourse.
  • Awareness of the impact of political correctness on scientific terminology.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the scientific definitions and implications of "black holes" and "white holes" in astrophysics.
  • Explore the history and evolution of language regarding racial sensitivity and political correctness.
  • Investigate the role of context in interpreting scientific terminology and its social implications.
  • Read "The Black Hole War" by Leonard Susskind for insights into modern physics and its public perception.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for linguists, social scientists, educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of language, race, and science, particularly in the context of public discourse and communication strategies.

  • #61


rootX said:
You are acting like a child.
You don't yell out everything that comes in your mind :smile:
I also discriminate a lot and once made a mistake of yelling that out:
"I hate all humanities/arts people".
It's natural to discriminate but you cannot optimize your life if you let it get in your ways ... What if you get a black boss who can pay you far more than any other person.

I must say that your words might be offensive to many people.

You are misunderstanding. I have nothing against skin color. I simply discriminate against people that self-consciously describe themselves as member of "X race" as if they were different from you.

The second you hear someone saying that they are offended by the words "black hole" you can figure out how their world is structured and how they interact with others. This self-identity of "black" tells me that they consider themselves different from the rest of us Humans and I consider them inferior to Humans.

People that identify themselves as black, white, yellow, etc. are inferior to me. Call me racist all you want.



Jordan.
 
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  • #62


Evo said:
You have to understand the Dominican Republic. I understand what Jordan is saying. Learn about where he's from and the hispanic/black culture there.

I'm not saying that I condone racism of any kind, I spent two years here fighting daily to get racist threads stopped. But we also need to know something about the world. Do you know that the Dominican Republic and Haiti are the same island culturally split in two?

You have to understand before you can hope to change.

Wow, someone that knows! If people in the U.S. are shocked when they hear Don Imus say something "racist" on radio I wonder what they would do if they lived 1yr in the Dom. Rep. where racism is culturally and socially "accepted."

I grew up in an environment where I was strictly forbidden to go out with any girl with a dark skin color. That's pure garbage right there.



Jordan.
 
  • #63


Jordan Joab said:
The second you hear someone saying that they are offended by the words "black hole" you can figure out how their world is structured and how they interact with others.
Independently of the fact that I have no idea on your background, that was indeed my first thought when I saw this discussion.

I have been aware of Haiti and Dominican Republic from my childhood. A close friend of my family has devoted his life to helping them. He raises founds locally in France. Strange christian guilt, but he his a great man.

Long deep stories
 
  • #64


Jordan Joab said:
You are misunderstanding. I have nothing against skin color. I simply discriminate against people that self-consciously describe themselves as member of "X race" as if they were different from you.

The second you hear someone saying that they are offended by the words "black hole" you can figure out how their world is structured and how they interact with others. This self-identity of "black" tells me that they consider themselves different from the rest of us Humans and I consider them inferior to Humans.

People that identify themselves as black, white, yellow, etc. are inferior to me. Call me racist all you want.



Jordan.

Yep, I agree with you :). I was posting it when you posted that previous one so I didn't see that.

I am also a racists but it sucks because misunderstandings and rumors grow faster than anything else (I blame this to people whom I hate). So, I always think thrice before I say anything before those people.
 
  • #65


George bush and Humanino hates black people.


kanye-west-400a071107.jpg
 
  • #66


rootX said:
Yep, I agree with you :). I was posting it when you posted that previous one so I didn't see that.

I am also a racists but it sucks because misunderstandings and rumors grow faster than anything else (I blame this to people whom I hate). So, I always think thrice before I say anything before those people.

Now hold on buddy, you still need to be careful. Being racist is not something anyone should be proud of since you are still dealing with people. However, I don't hold my thoughts in front of people that know me like a co-worker of mine who claims everything bad that happens to him is because he is "black."

Man, that gets old quick.



Jordan.
 
  • #67


How can the term "black hole" ever be considered racist?

Doesn't everyone have one?
 
  • #68


Jordan Joab said:
Now hold on buddy, you still need to be careful. Being racist is not something anyone should be proud of since you are still dealing with people.

oops, I wasn't precise in my language. I wonder if I ever will be so I quit!
I was referring to those artsies for people whom I hate.
 
  • #69


He should have referred to it as an "African-American hole".
 
  • #70


Borek said:
That's in a way close to the story I heard about a politician visiting sewage treatment facility. Person showing the facility told the politician that they are able to get pH of the leaving water down to 7. "Why don't you get it down to zero?" was the answer.

It is also not far from the Aliso Viejo case, where city came close to banning styrofoam cups because dihydrogen monoxide was used in their production.

Stupidity and lack of knowledge are eternal. Racial connotations are new.

Is the term "black body radiation" racist as well?

That reminds me of the petition to end women's suffrage:
 
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  • #71


Jordan Joab said:
People that identify themselves as black, white, yellow, etc. are inferior to me. Call me racist all you want.
Given that you've now changed what you are saying, I think we can only really call you inconsistent, and walk away deciding to ignore any Jordan Joabs that we come across.
 
  • #72


Gokul43201 said:
Given that you've now changed what you are saying, I think we can only really call you inconsistent, and walk away deciding to ignore any Jordan Joabs that we come across.

Who? Never mind; not worth my time.
 
  • #73


Gokul43201 said:
Given that you've now changed what you are saying, I think we can only really call you inconsistent, and walk away deciding to ignore any Jordan Joabs that we come across.

I'll agree with that--

--(and, paraphrase Dorothy upon landing in Oz, "Jordan, you should have a feeling you're not in the Dominican Republic anymore")
 
  • #74


Math Is Hard said:
That reminds me of the petition to end women's suffrage:


Now that's funny.:smile:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #75


B. Elliott said:
Now that's funny.:smile:

funny?--that's NOT funny!


-I don't want to see ANYONE go through any more suffragation!


(did I just quote something that Bush said already?)
 
  • #76


I dislike and avoid or ignore white people who are proud of their skin colour and feel they are culturally superior. I don't like white people who shun people based on the colour of their skin and demean and blame them for all of their problems.

I think most of us would agree with the above statement even though it is exlcusionary and seemingly racist.
The funny thing is that you can switch out the word 'white' for any other colour or race and it is no worse yet people will view it as worse. For every iteration added to the first the more logical and fair the position becomes. But for some strange reason many people will only take a dimmer and dimmer view of it as if somehow people who are not white are exempt from the disgust associated with racism and showing disgust for their racism somehow becomes racist in and of itself.

The only thing I disagree with Jordan on is dislike for persons who take on a cultural identity. Perhaps though in his experience it goes hand in hand with racism.
 
  • #77


Gokul43201 said:
Given that you've now changed what you are saying, I think we can only really call you inconsistent, and walk away deciding to ignore any Jordan Joabs that we come across.

Ah thank you! Much easier to pay attention to people that classify humans into sub-groups that make no sense.

Edit: I wonder who's more racist, the guy that supports a caste system or the guy that hates the castes and wants to do away with them?

~J
 
  • #78


Jordan Joab said:
Edit: I wonder who's more racist, the guy that supports a caste system or the guy that hates the castes and wants to do away with them?

~J

The white guy.
 
  • #79


WarPhalange said:
The white guy.

The irony.


~J
 
  • #80


Ok, I think this is just going to continue to go downhill. Closed.
 

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