Blaming Bluetooth For Racism?
from the misplaced-anger dept
We've seen way too many stories lately where it seems like the press is blaming technology for stupidity. That is, rather than focusing on the actual actions of individuals, they focus on the technology used for stupid actions. David Goldenberg from Gelf Magazine writes in with the latest example. There was a story making the rounds yesterday about a racist ringtone making the rounds in South Africa. However, many in the press had to point out that the ringtone was passed around using Bluetooth technology -- which seems entirely besides the point.
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Bluetooth
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Who knew?
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Of Course!!
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You Racists
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Has anyone ever mistakenly killed anyone with bluetooth?
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Although if we could get the gang bangers to carry bluetooth instead of guns the world would be a lot safer, just a little more racist!
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TRUTH.
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John, Are you serious?
Go back through history and see how death and destruction have been caused by ALL races. Rapes, murders, tortures, you name it, every race has done it.
If your analysis is based on how things are in the world today, it has more to do with money, power, and religion than it has to do with culture. Your comment was horribly misinformed. Either that, or you actually believe it- in which case, I am saddened.
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Seriously.
God damn we all know colour doesn't mean shit, people just need a reason to pick on other people cause they feel small and insignificant.
As for Bluetooth == Racisct... that's crap. Journalists have devolved into sensational celebutants.
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bluetooth
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Imagine
If you claim not to be racist, you are lying to yourself for one. For two, you only claim to be anti-racist, because you were told to be one, by television and media, (not your thoughts). It is based on a feeling, that life is a balanced devine place and humans by virtue of being human are devine or devinely created. That is an immature opinion without foundation except that it feels good. The cold hard unbiased statistics suggest otherwise. Life is wierd, anything is possible.
Without hate or biased, I only choose to have my own independant thoughts. In my experience there is a statistical difference, that cannot be excused by environmental influences consistantly undefeatable over hundreds of years and millions of people.
Basically everything you have ever heard has to be evaluated, critically. Is it your thought or are you trumpeting what you have been told is the "good" thought. What if it's wrong? Is it possible? Then you better think about it, otherwise what changes.
Have you not watched the Chappelle Show? Didn't you hear what Bill Cosby said at the Naacp? http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/billcosbypoundcakespeech.htm
Okay, I'm going to go run out and get a hobby.
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Do you listen to yourself speak? Stop making generalizations, people come in a gradient of colors and behave a variety of ways regardless of what color their skin is. Your assumptions completely rule out any socio-economic factors. You've turned a blind eye to the corruption in countries you've deemed to be civilized. I find it sad that your ideas have led you to jump to so many ill conclusions.
Take your own advice.
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I am not a racist although someof you may think so. I get angry when color is pointed out. The first "black" quarterback to win a superbowl. The first "Black" swimmer to win a gold medal. I am past that already. People are people, skin color means nothing to me. Race means nothing to me. We ARE the same. Culture is the problem. Asian culture is more academically oriented. Black culture is anti-society and is harmful to it's own people. Whites have NO culture, they mimic other cultures.
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Re: "Skin color does not [determine]..."
I don't think you are racist at all, Mr. Anonyomous Coward. I think that you are a lover of all humankind regardless of race ultimately. If everyone could see it so clearly, people would be able to communicate as humans and empathize with each other...and there would be less hatred in the R&R section of Craigslist.
At times life is so difficult that it is so easy to hate people and alienate other humans who also are going through their own BS. Even potential "enemies" feel similar heartaches, disappointments, and love for family...
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wtf
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The weapon is only the medium. It cares not what color, race, creed the operator is nor does it care how/when/why it's used. It's purpose is to simply function as designed.
Bluetooth is no different.
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bluetooth
When the telcomunication companies developed bluetooth, then they took the name from a Vikings leader to name it...
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Wow, that stings. I know asians with gangster friends and poor grades, I know blacks that band together and protect one another, and I know white people that always have family reunions & vacations.
This is not so cut and dry. But i'm sorry your life is.
"Popular" culture is where the problem is based, and you my anonymous friend bought into it. Your diatribe was a list of stereotypes from a person self-proclaimed to be 'past that already'. If you were past that you'd realize that we all share the same american culture here. There are people of every color that fear people of their 'own kind', and altruism is not color exclusive. Yes, black culture has some growing to do, but don't point fingers and act like they're the only ones just because you got called an oreo way back when. We all go through something similar, and eventually you have to realize that those using the words are only looking for a bastion to hide their weak souls in.
Race-specific culture isn't the root of the problem, it's the ideals that pervade all cultures in america. If the television says certain people are evil for decades, people have trouble trusting them and the so-called evil people internalize society's rejection of them. Perhaps if people didn't universally apply characteristics to specific skintones, this wouldn't be a problem.
Don't tell me you've never seen a dim-witted asian, a scholarly black, a funky white, or a christian arab. You're only confessing that you haven't lived enough. People are what they are, unique. BTW, economic factors influence culture. You think soul food is popular only because it tastes good? Granted, taste is a factor, but blindly agreeing ignores price and education.
Really, all of this is too complex for a techdirt comment but honestly, stop jumping to conclusions and go marry someone that looks different from you so we can put this behind us.
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Skin color does not decide who is evil or good, great athelete or scientist. It never has. That said, culture does and the black American culture is harmful. You can blame economic factors but the truth is it IS the culture. If you succeed without representing you are a sell out or an oreo.
Even when that culture was devestated by another? I wonder just how different things would be if Africans invaded Europe, tore the people from their homeland, leaving it in shambles, and enslved them in a foreign country for about 400 years.
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Re: Coward
Even when that culture was devestated by another? I wonder just how different things would be if Africans invaded Europe, tore the people from their homeland, leaving it in shambles, and enslaved them in a foreign country for about 400 years.
Black Culture, Affirmative Action, Racism? Tools of the government agenda to turn America back against other races.
Affirmative Action is a form of control. If minority business owners get government jobs, they are resented for this. The governments agenda is to make minorities dependent on these plans because so many "Whites" will start to dislike them and the only jobs they'll be able to get are government jobs. Dependency, Control, Subjugation
Hispanic Workers in fields now have the right to pay taxes, but now they cannot return home as they have defected from thier country, and our government denies them the right to have thier families live here. They are virtually, indentured servants, the new age slaves.
Black culture is another corporate attempt at keeping minorities in the dark. Go ahead kill eachother, beat your women, and if your girl gets pregnant tell em it aint yours. Also, could you speak in Ebonics so no one understands you and we now have an excuse for not hearing your demands for equal rights. All this leads to is a weaker race, keeping them uneducated and out of control.
A controversial ringtone is not going to change the face of the earth, or even how one person regards another race. If you have a racist ringtone, I assume you've been a racist for sometime, not merely with the introduction of this ringtone. This is just another distraction to take your minds off the real issues regarding racism.
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hispanic 'indentured servants' are in the position they are in because of the decisions they have made. there is a legal route for them to begin legitimate lives in the US.
black culture is hardly something that corporations have devised to keep the black american down. most corporations don't have any real influence in black culture whatsoever (a generalization, i know, but meant to represent the majority of corporations) the real culprit of the black american's plight is the leadership within that community. they should be encouraging the black community at large to stop the reciprocal hate toward those that unjustly hate them. and they should also encourage those that are deviants from the law to uphold it instead.
it is the leadership's ineffectiveness at understanding and solving the problems of their people that has led to the decay of their culture. this is true with every group, whether by race, creed or ideal.
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wow
I think a healthy approach is to back up from the racism front and examine what is actually happening.
Humans are communal creatures. We like to exist in community. We develop friendships and relationships that we build and keep over decades. Because of this nature, we naturally gather into groups that we identify with. Any number of things can be criteria for these groups, whether it is geographic, language, race, religion, propensity toward a certain vice, or even political ideals.
Unfortunately, a poor side effect of this system is that whenever someone identified with a certain group acts in a certain way, that action is attributed to the entire group. When a few republicans face charges on corruption, the entire party is suddenly corrupt. Or when one group of muslims decide to wage war on the entire world, all Islamic people are seen as ruthless and violent. When a few christian leaders commit adultrey, the christian community loses credibility. And when a white person is killed by a black person, all black people take the wrap.
It is unfortunate, but it is true. Education and reform is the only answer. If the leadership in each sector of society would teach their respective followers to represent their group well amongst others, many stereotypes would eventually die. And even if they didn't, properly responding to ignorant stereotypes would only help to distance yourself from that misrepresentation.
That is how i see it. I have been wronged by both white and black, christian and muslim, democrat and republican. I have been treated kindly by each as well. So, stop acting like ignorant fools and giving a bad name to those who look/believe like you do. And stop assuming that when one person betrays his own by speaking rashly or acting violently that his actions are representative of the whole.
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You know...
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Although I have to ask...
BTW I'm the one that made comment #28, forgot to put in my name.
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Re: Although I have to ask...
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ringtone
BUT
Has anyone actually heard this ringtone and knows what about it makes it racist?
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I would guess that dragging blacks behind something and siccing dogs on them would fall into the racist realm.
Continue calling eachother racist now :D
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I predict...
you saw the press go after gun owners with a vengence in the last 30 years because, of course, if all those LAW-ABIDING people who owned guns didn't have them, why gun violence would just disappear (...and those same gun-toting folks wouldn't have a weapon to defend themselves or help take back this country from its greedy politicians and other assorted fascist, rights abusing slobs).
now that same group of twits are going after technology because, we the people, can turn it against those Powers That Be who those people in the press happen to be in bed with. The very fact that INDIVIDUALS have access to the tech and can use it to make those Powers That Be uncomfortable is UNACCEPTABLE to those who wish to oppress.
Tech is being singled out because it is part of the plan -- Keep blaming the tech so that "they" can stir up misinformed people to "demand action" to REGULATE IT. which means that all of us who use the web or bluetooth or whatever will probably become OUTLAWS.
and as far as the ringotone goes, i hope those S. Africans who have it tell the Thought Police to shove it where the sun don't shine.
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Oh Goodness
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Great Comment
STUPID BULL SHITS!!!!!!!!!!!!
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