NationStates Jolt Archive

I was just thinking....

Doesn't anyone ever question this term?

Minority. How can a human being be a "minority"?

What is this, 1930 with Hitler recruiting? Apparently anyone who isn't a heterosexual caucasian from the U.S. or Canada (though things are changing some in Canada), as far as the U.S. and Canada are concerned, are "minorities".

I'm a caucasian bi-sexual male. So... that means, apparently, that I am a "minority". I think, "well, that's unusual". I never realized until a short while ago that according to the society I live in, I'm not equivalent or up to standards or some such foolish thing.

If you're a legal citizen of a country, and not in prison, how does that work?

Is minority SOLELY about population? It sure doesn't feel like it. I don't care how many blacks and homosexuals and handi-capped and mentally challenged people there are; they're there. I can only interpret this as what I feel it is: just another way for the people who really run a place, to seperate and categorize the people living in their society, and tread around on their rights (whether they want us to think they are or not).

So, then, am I the only one who gets pissed off whenever they hear the word "minority"?

Pretty much...

I really don't care being known as a minority. No one I know cares about being a majority. It's a word thrown around and has grown a common meaning, nothing to be so mad about.

Apparently anyone who isn't a heterosexual caucasian from the U.S. or Canada (though things are changing some in Canada),
Changing more in the US. Hooray Imigration!

I was just thinking....

Doesn't anyone ever question this term?

Minority. How can a human being be a "minority"?

What is this, 1930 with Hitler recruiting? Apparently anyone who isn't a heterosexual caucasian from the U.S. or Canada (though things are changing some in Canada), as far as the U.S. and Canada are concerned, are "minorities".

I'm a caucasian bi-sexual male. So... that means, apparently, that I am a "minority". I think, "well, that's unusual". I never realized until a short while ago that according to the society I live in, I'm not equivalent or up to standards or some such foolish thing.

If you're a legal citizen of a country, and not in prison, how does that work?

Is minority SOLELY about population? It sure doesn't feel like it. I don't care how many blacks and homosexuals and handi-capped and mentally challenged people there are; they're there. I can only interpret this as what I feel it is: just another way for the people who really run a place, to seperate and categorize the people living in their society, and tread around on their rights (whether they want us to think they are or not).

So, then, am I the only one who gets pissed off whenever they hear the word "minority"?
Minority doesn't mean you're "not up to standards or some such foolish thing" it means people with, for example, your sexual orientation are less common than people with the hetero sexual orientation. It is SOLELY about population when used correctly, and can be a useful tool to preserve your rights against the "tyranny of the majority" in a democratic society. Quit with the political correctness.

I'm far from "politically correct" thanks very much, I just think the term "minority" is pointless and stupid.

Well, the individual is always the smallest and weakest of minorities. It's also more important to people than their racial, sexual or otherwise orientation.

I saw this amusing little bit on the web. I hope it won't distract too much from the actual topic, but it's got something to say about one type of minority - today's Bush supporter. :p
http://www.mises.org/story/2173

Neat link actually.

I'm far from "politically correct" thanks very much, I just think the term "minority" is pointless and stupid.

It means less than 50%. Anything else you may be attaching could indeed be pointless and stupid, but that's not the word.

Democrats in the 2004 election were a minority.
Republicans were technically a minority in 2000 but won anyway.
If you want to get really technical, moderates are the political majority, really.
On to the base issue.
In LA, whites are(were?) a minority.
Practically everyone is some minority or other, I'm Jewish, you're bisexual, I'll randomly guess the next poster is either black, swedish, or Lunatic Goofballs, etc.

DCD is correct. Minority just means you are different from the majority, just like being a member of the majority means you're different from the minority. It doesn't mean anything. There are a hundred other words that are actually offensive, minority isn't one of them.

People are a minority in the sense that what they are is a minority of the population.

For example: the majority of the population are not homosexual, the minority of the population are homosexual.

It really is quite simple, do try to keep up.

There are a lot of messy semantic issues involving the world minority. For example, I consider myself a white, heterosexual male. That should put me in the majority, but my mother is from Latin America. Does that mean that I ought to consider myself latino/hispanic (even if her ancestors were German)?

The use of labels are only useful if you're compiling a census or finding reasons to manipulate people.

There are a lot of messy semantic issues involving the world minority. For example, I consider myself a white, heterosexual male. That should put me in the majority, but my mother is from Latin America. Does that mean that I ought to consider myself latino/hispanic (even if her ancestors were German)?

The use of labels are only useful if you're compiling a census or finding reasons to manipulate people.

Okay. I hear it a lot, so I figured I'd say something about it.

So apparently it means, a lesser amount of the overall population that falls under a category that doesn't need to exist because all it does is seperate people into groups based on one certain thing to do with them? (There's no point in calling handi-capped people for example, a minority). That's what I've gathered.

Okay. I hear it a lot, so I figured I'd say something about it.

So apparently it means, a lesser amount of the overall population that falls under a category that doesn't need to exist because all it does is seperate people into groups based on one certain thing to do with them? (There's no point in calling handi-capped people for example, a minority). That's what I've gathered.

*shrug* Well, quit gathering so much. Your troubles aren't with the meaning of the word minority. That's pretty simple.

Like it happened with the expression "white power" I would feel happier if the word "minority" was socially banned from official and public use. I don't think there is a point arguing about the intentions of adopting this word, racism or statistical technicality (whatever), but the word can be directly associated with "minor" and therefore "inferior". It wouldn't hurt a single bit slowly adopting a synonym, like "community", while obviously the ideal would be that those distinctions would never be necessary in a fully integrated multi-cultural society.

Like it happened with the expression "white power" I would feel happier if the word "minority" was socially banned from official and public use. I don't think there is a point arguing about the intentions of adopting this word, racism or statistical technicality (whatever), but the word can be directly associated with "minor" and therefore "inferior". It wouldn't hurt a single bit slowly adopting a synonym, like "community", while obviously the ideal would be that those distinctions would never be necessary in a fully integrated multi-cultural society.

How the heck is "community" a synonym of "minority"? And seriously, banning words? I find that doubleplusungood, personally.

Like it happened with the expression "white power" I would feel happier if the word "minority" was socially banned from official and public use. I don't think there is a point arguing about the intentions of adopting this word, racism or statistical technicality (whatever), but the word can be directly associated with "minor" and therefore "inferior". It wouldn't hurt a single bit slowly adopting a synonym, like "community", while obviously the ideal would be that those distinctions would never be necessary in a fully integrated multi-cultural society.

I'd be happy if the concept of "politically correct" was banned. Worrying about what you say for risk of the possibility of offending someone shouldn't be our worry. When people get upset when you say "stewardess" or "secretary" then I think peoples priorities are seriously misplaced. Same with this supposed issue. A minority is just what the definition says. A minority. What could possibly be offensive about that, unless you are trying to find something to bitch about.

No one is a minority. Much the same way that there is no such thing as a stupid person, just people who do stupid things. However people can be members of minorities. In fact, depending on what type of groupings you use everybody is a member of a great number of minorities. Minorities are often created by majorities. I am in the minority of people with excessive hair on their bodies but since most people don't care about this I never consider myself be be a member of a minority in that sense. However, if I was a member of the minority of people who like to walk around naked in public the majority would soon persecute me and I would be very concious of belonging to a minority.

No one is a minority. Much the same way that there is no such thing as a stupid person, just people who do stupid things. However people can be members of minorities. In fact, depending on what type of groupings you use everybody is a member of a great number of minorities. Minorities are often created by majorities. I am in the minority of people with excessive hair on their bodies but since most people don't care about this I never consider myself be be a member of a minority in that sense. However, if I was a member of the minority of people who like to walk around naked in public the majority would soon persecute me and I would be very concious of belonging to a minority.

Technically if you were the only one in the minority, you coulld be considered as constituting the minority, or being the minority.

I think that the people who want to ban the word minority are seriously in the minority. Minority is a good word and it is a useful word, I don't get how the word is inherently the "racist" meaning because even though different races are minorities and this word can be used negatively against them that is not what the word is for and I have heard it used more often to describe things that need a term like this. latin americans are a minority in africa, so are competent local governments and no I am not saying that there is a correlation.

I'd be happy if the concept of "politically correct" was banned. Worrying about what you say for risk of the possibility of offending someone shouldn't be our worry.

I agree. Politically correct nuts banned me from the pharmacy just because I said, "I'd like some toothpaste, you malodourous, ape-faced bint." Why should I have to worry about offending people?

Wait a minute... maybe that's not what you mean?

I agree. Politically correct nuts banned me from the pharmacy just because I said, "I'd like some toothpaste, you malodourous, ape-faced bint." Why should I have to worry about offending people?

Wait a minute... maybe that's not what you mean?

That is being an asshole, not being politically incorrect.

I agree. Politically correct nuts banned me from the pharmacy just because I said, "I'd like some toothpaste, you malodourous, ape-faced bint." Why should I have to worry about offending people?

Wait a minute... maybe that's not what you mean?

Gasp. Why the pharmacy for toothpaste?

Technically if you were the only one in the minority, you coulld be considered as constituting the minority, or being the minority.

You could say you are a minority, but I don't think you'd be technically correct. If you said, "I am a Baker," that wouldn't really be true. You only work as a baker. It does not compose the entireity of your being. But this is perhaps being excessively picky.

You could say you are a minority, but I don't think you'd be technically correct. If you said, "I am a Baker," that wouldn't really be true. You only work as a baker. It does not compose the entireity of your being. But this is perhaps being excessively picky.

Well, if baker were to become a more defined group that we would capitalize, you could say you were a Baker, as a member of this...baker's...organization...thing. But meh, whatever.

Gasp. Why the pharmacy for toothpaste?

It stuck in my mind because when my father came to Australia he learned English at a building site. Now the language of Australian builders is somewhat colourful. But my father didn't realize this and when he went to buy some toothpaste he said to the shop assistant quite innocently, "I want some fucking toothpaste."

It stuck in my mind because when my father came to Australia he learned English at a building site. Now the language of Australian builders is somewhat colourful. But my father didn't realize this and when he went to buy some toothpaste he said to the shop assistant quite innocently, "I want some fucking toothpaste."

XD! Bwahaha...funny.

You could say you are a minority, but I don't think you'd be technically correct. If you said, "I am a Baker," that wouldn't really be true. You only work as a baker. It does not compose the entireity of your being. But this is perhaps being excessively picky.
Saying that you are a baker would be correct. I mean, many people refer to themselves to some extent by their jobs, like I could say that I am a student or my teachers could say that they are teachers. Heck, being a baker is a minority, the majority of the population are not bakers by profession. Race does not really comprise the entirety of your being either, minority is just a term to define a group that is not the larger group but in terms of professions I really don't know what the majority is.

Saying that you are a baker would be correct. I mean, many people refer to themselves to some extent by their jobs, like I could say that I am a student or my teachers could say that they are teachers. Heck, being a baker is a minority, the majority of the population are not bakers by profession. Race does not really comprise the entirety of your being either, minority is just a term to define a group that is not the larger group but in terms of professions I really don't know what the majority is.

There doesn't have to be a majority for there to be a minority. I'd imagine you're looking for a plurality, which is just the largest group if there's no majority...

There doesn't have to be a majority for there to be a minority. I'd imagine you're looking for a plurality, which is just the largest group if there's no majority...
Yeah, I suppose so, it is just that with a minority it just seems natural to think of a majority.

Some people just find something to bitch about. If the word minority offends you, then for the love of god never go into the outside world.

Some people just find something to bitch about. If the word minority offends you, then for the love of god never go into the outside world.

I'm not allowed to voice my thoughts and very possibly mis-led interpretations of a subject that I think of? I do and it automatically becomes a case of me being offended? Or, as someone else said, "politically correct" (which is utter bullshit considering I'm a bi-sexual pro-abortion pro seperation of church & state Bush-hating atheist that doesn't believe there's any such thing as a bad word). It's "bitching"? Discussing a word (I'm a language nut, and like to question things, I'm not PC) and asking for opinions is "bitching" to you? What the hell are you doing on a forum then? :rolleyes:

I'm not allowed to voice my thoughts and very possibly mis-led interpretations of a subject that I think of? I do and it automatically becomes a case of me being offended? Or, as someone else said, "politically correct" (which is utter bullshit considering I'm a bi-sexual pro-abortion pro seperation of church & state Bush-hating atheist that doesn't believe there's any such thing as a bad word). It's "bitching"? Discussing a word (I'm a language nut, and like to question things, I'm not PC) and asking for opinions is "bitching" to you? What the hell are you doing on a forum then? :rolleyes:
It's "bitching" in as much as you say this word offends you, and considering that it is such an insane thing to be offended by, I consider it bitching. By the way, in real life, when you hear the word minority do you debate the person?


You know what word REALLY offends me? SHORT! I mean, why should the height of the person be discussed or classified? I mean, why say short when we should never emntion height? While we're at it, let's get rid of tall as it can be construed as saying someone is superior in height and is therefore better! Height should never be discussed, and people that use the words short or tall and all related words should be branded as bigots!

You know what also makes me angry? The word stupid! So offensive! We should make sure no one has to go through the horror of being called stupid! In fact, to even the field, the word smart!.......

You get the picture.

Minority just means that whatever it is the topic is about, in the sides discussed, you belong to the lower percentile. Example:
White People/Black People in Odessa:(Random)
93% White.
7% Black.

In this case, the Black population is the MINORITY.

get it?:)

Yeah , I'm sure when you are talking about pure numbers there can be a minority. In my opinion tho.. right now.. no matter what the number.. the White Man is the minority in terms of those that are against him. They are the most hated being on the planet. It is almost a freakin sin to be a white man. I'm a white female and I see it. And just because I'm not asleep, I will be called a racist, a bigot etc etc. If this world doesn't end soon..by GoD, or by man .. or some type of other disaster.. people 100 - 1000 years from now will be reading and debating about What Exactly did cause the western world to fall... just the same as we now talk about the Roman Empire etc. how we sit around and talk about what caused nazi germany to fail at world domination.. what would've happened IF.. etc etc. Russia.. etc etc.. China the sleeping giant .. I am well aware that I am in the monority when it comes to seeing that in this day in age the white man is the numero uno negative. But it's as clear as the day in front of my eyes.

How the heck is "community" a synonym of "minority"?
Well, I was thinking that often the word "minority" is used solely to distinguish a particular "community", when the fact that it is less represented in that society doesn't add any relevant information. The question is, why do you need to say "Chinese Minority in the US" or "Gay Minority in China", instead of saying "Chinese Community in the US" or "Gay Community in China"? Isn't it obvious these communities ARE the minority (in terms of percentage of population) WITHOUT people throwing it in their face words that can be used to hide discrimination or even easily misunderstood?
And seriously, banning words? I find that doubleplusungood, personally.
Also, I never said "legally ban the word". I said "socially banned" which is the same as saying "considered to be politically incorrect". Of course I agree that there are situations where the word can be used without being offensive, like when you say "A minority of the population doesn't own a car". The problem is when you start using words that can be associated to "inferiority" to refer to nationalities, races, sexual orientation, etc., particularly when the use of the word doesn't add any relevant information (most of the cases, in my opinion).
I'd be happy if the concept of "politically correct" was banned. Worrying about what you say for risk of the possibility of offending someone shouldn't be our worry."
I personally think that anyone that argues that we should ban "political correctness" from offical use or "the possibility of offending someone shouldn't be our [personal/official] worry", have little understanding of the significance of "cultural differences" and are either insensitive to the impact of possily discriminating language, ignorant, irresponsible or they are probably the kind of the people who use words, such as "minority", to hide discriminatory connotations.
"I'd like some toothpaste, you malodourous, ape-faced bint."
That is being an asshole, not being politically incorrect.
Well, I would argue that everyone who is regularly politically incorrect is usually labelled as being an asshole or, at best, ignorant. e.g.. Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.

"Minority" is relative. A white guy in Harlem is a minority. A Republican is a minority on most websites, but a majority at the voting booth (at least in 2004). Chinese is a minority on this planet (there are more non-Chinese than Chinese), but China is full of them.