alan@allegra.UUCP (Alan S. Driscoll) (08/11/84)
Sunny Kirsten writes: > Remember, there is usually some validity to stereotypes, > or they would evolve to more closely reflect the reality of majority cases. > Stereotypes ARE > labels which ignore reality, but the average of reality is usually the basis > of the stereotype, is it not? > Yet if you wish to discuss a > class of individuals you DON'T know personally, stereotypes are your first > basis of trying to relate. Notice that every one of these arguments could be used to defend racism, sexism, religious intolerance, etc. If you're going to accept some forms of bigotry, but reject others, you have to be careful to cover yourself. Lisa Chabot is good at this. The trick is to choose your words carefully. While Lisa would never be caught spouting "minority stereotypes," she's quick to defend "majority stereotypes." They're two entirely different things. They must be, since Lisa uses different words to describe them. See? -- Alan S. Driscoll AT&T Bell Laboratories
chabot@amber.DEC (Lisa S. Chabot) (08/15/84)
[Apologies to those who already read this in net.singles where I originally
incorrectly posted mostly this.]
"Majority stereotypes"
"Minority stereotypes"
Well, gee, as far as I know, this is the first letter in which I have used
these terms. So imagine my surprise this afternoon to find
Alan S. Driscoll == ! { letter entitled "Subject: Re: disgusting!" }
! While Lisa would never be caught spouting "minority stereotypes," she's
! quick to defend "majority stereotypes." They're two entirely different
! things. They must be, since Lisa uses different words to describe them.
I'm not sure, but I *think* that Alan's impression comes from a letter by
Steven Maurer entitled "Subject: Re: comments on Maurer's comments on Chabot's
comments..." which quotes the following passage which I DID NOT write
(and NEITHER did Steven Maurer):
??? == >
> ... A major difference between
> stereotypes of minorities and stereotypes of "majorities". Minority
> stereotypes involve lies and falsehoods told about people to spread
> hatred; some minorities actually adhered to the stereotypes, believing
> that 1) they were supposed to, and 2) that "majorities" would be more
> accepting of them if they behaved according to expectations. Majority
> stereotypes involve behaviors that we have seen more than our share
> of examples of; while *some* minorities actually adhered to their
> stereotypes for the reasons I've described, the funny thing is that
> so many "majorities" do the same thing for the same reasons.
Of course, the ?fact? that I got somebody else to write this :-), which
of course everyone *must* believe I espouse :-?, is just another example of my
smooth-tongued snake-talk. (In _The_Prince_, doesn't Machiavelli say that
the trick of good public image is to get somebody else to do your dirty work?)
(Now, if I could only remember how I did it! And then, how to get it to do the
dirty work I want done, not any more of this self-directed stuff).
! If you're going to accept some forms of bigotry, but reject others, you
! have to be careful to cover yourself. Lisa Chabot is good at this. The
! trick is to choose your words carefully.
Veerrrrryyyy carefully! :-) Other people's words, too.
"Trussssssst in meeee, Jussssssst in meeee,..."
L S Chabot, Accused Ass-Coverer, and Public Snake
UUCP: ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-amber!chabot
ARPA: ...chabot%amber.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
USFlail: DEC, MR03-1/K20, 2 Iron Way, Marlborough, MA 01752alan@allegra.UUCP (Alan S. Driscoll) (08/17/84)
[ > = Lisa Chabot ] > I'm not sure, but I *think* that Alan's impression comes from a letter by > Steven Maurer entitled "Subject: Re: comments on Maurer's comments on Chabot's > comments..." which quotes the following passage which I DID NOT write > (and NEITHER did Steven Maurer): >> ... A major difference between >> stereotypes of minorities and stereotypes of "majorities". Minority >> stereotypes involve lies and falsehoods told about people to spread >> hatred; some minorities actually adhered to the stereotypes, believing >> that 1) they were supposed to, and 2) that "majorities" would be more >> accepting of them if they behaved according to expectations. Majority >> stereotypes involve behaviors that we have seen more than our share >> of examples of; while *some* minorities actually adhered to their >> stereotypes for the reasons I've described, the funny thing is that >> so many "majorities" do the same thing for the same reasons. I've already apologized to Lisa in net.singles, but I guess I should do it here, too. I SCREWED UP. The above quote [ >> ] is *not* from Lisa, as I thought it was, but from Rich Rosen. Sssssorry... [ :-) ] -- Alan S. Driscoll AT&T Bell Laboratories
chabot@amber.DEC (Lisa S. Chabot) (08/20/84)
It's my mud, I worked hard for it ?-), and I'm going to keep it. (Rich will just have to work hard for other mud. :-) ) You see, I just don't feel comfortable without my mud to sort of, well, heighten the healthy color of my scales and to gloss over the scars of missing scales. If I don't wear it, all day long people ask me if I had a bad knight or got run over by an automatic rice-picking machine on the way to work in the morning. No, no, I'm not insecure, I just get nervous when people notice me. Being a legendarily attractive creature, I am reminded of the defensive qualities of mud (pay no attention to that thrush!) in repelling men: who wants a mouthful of mud?! However, there are trade-offs, because sometimes you don't want to be alone, and occasionally it does become annoying in social situations: the stuff will flake off and drop _everywhere_, and I think I don't get invited over as often because of the couch cleaning necessitated after I've been visiting (or maybe it has more to do with the repair bills since most furniture won't bear my weight). My "good name"?! Hrumph. All I have to say to that is: "Sssmile when you sssay that, ssssssstranger," L SssssssChabot UUCP: ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-amber!chabot ARPA: ...chabot%amber.DEC@decwrl.ARPA USScale: DEC, MR03-1/K20, 2 Iron /*, cold iron*/ Way, Marlborough, MA 01752