Thread: What's "white" in russia?

Originally Posted by brett

Yes. The people who legislate out such words and products are the very people who never look an ethnic person in the eye. They treat them as political crusades, rather than as people to connect with and learn from on a human level. That's the most offensive thing one can do. Using a racial unrest as a PC badge of honour, yet continuing ones own seperatist view of the peoples. It doesn't bring people together, it seperates them further.

Unnnnngh. My immediately family is racially mixed, so I'm pretty sure I've looked some duskier folks in the eyes lately. (Incidentally, I do so hate the use of the word "ethnic" to describe anyone non-White. Everyone has ethnicity, dur.) And I'm quite a fan of using the correct terms for groups of people, which would be my definition of political correctness. I believe those terms should be chosen by the groups whom they represent, though.

Originally Posted by Pravit

There's also a word that's more innocent, "laowai"(literally "old foreigner

My school is like 30% asian and its not uncommon to hear things like this but I think they say something more like, "weilao" but I know at least that the order is backwards of yours. They say something more derogatory sometimes but I don't remember what it is...

My roommate from last year used to always call me that and speak Chinese to his parents whenever I was in the room until he realized I could understand what he was calling me and I started calling him "big fish" in english to my parents. (His name is Dayu)

I agree that it is offensive that whites seem to think 'being ethnic' is a one-way street. But, I disagree with you if your stance is that the term 'ethnic' should be done away with. eg. A tree is a plant. It would be purposeless to avoid calling it a plant simply because there's a more specific reference out there, ie. a tree. Whether I call a black person 'ethnic' or 'African' is merely a matter of how specific the conversation is. Neither is more or less correct. Contrary to popular belief, it is actually impossible not to generalize. That is the nature of language itself. 'Me' is a generalization, in that it refers to everyone who is not someone else. It is merely consequential that it becomes so unambiguous. Its specific nature is a by-product of extreme generalization.(Yes, an obscure example. But, it is one way of looking at it, despite being a confusing way).

The word ethnic is merely a relative term. To a black person I'm ethnic. I 'd full-heartedly welcome the description of myself as ethnic, in relation to an Aborigine. I don't say to people "I'm ethnic" because they wouldn't understand what the heck I'm talking about. But, inside myself, I do honest to God consider whites in Australia as ethnic. 'Ethnic' is only offensive to me if I'm of the delusion that being ethnic is a negative thing. It's neither negative nor positive, hence it's inoffensive. I'm less ethnic than a Chinese Australian, as Britsih people inhabited earlier. But I'm more ethnic than an Aborigine, as Aborigines inhabited earlier.
So, I agree that the word ethnic has been wrongfully applied as meaning 'non-white'. The only places where white people CAN'T be deemed ethnic in relation to their inhabited land, is Scandinavia, Northern Europe and the Ural Mountains.(I'm actually not sure about the Ural Mountains, but everyone says that's where whites derive from originally). Though, these places are shared with other equally native peoples. So, they'd be fine to consider each other ethnic.
So, rather than rebel against the word 'ethnic', do you not think rebelling against the 'mis-usage of' that term would be more fruitful? There's nothing negative about being ethnic.

It's just a stupid use of the word. Everyone is ethnic, so describing someone as an "ethnic person" or whatever is just...dur. It's like describing someone as a "dna-having person." Well, obviously. It's true, but it's also pointless to say it.

Incidentally, one of the meanings of the word "ethnic" is (according to Miriam-Webster) "Relating to a people not Christian or Jewish; heathen." It's not often used in this manner anymore, but the definition is there, so I generally prefer to use less ambiguous terms.

It's not a wasted word if it's used appropriately. If there are two towns. One has all white people, or all black people. The second town has ten races mixed together. It is useful to say the second town is ethnic. Or, ethnically diverse. Whereas, the first town is British, or Aboriginal.
I wouldn't trust a dictionary to tell me what a morally charged word means. Once upon a time the word 'superior' probably read- white person. It doesn't mean that is what it means. There never was such a defintion, even if the dictionary said there was.
Nowadays even, the word 'heathen' is said to mean 'non-spiritual'. I'm a heathen, and proud of it. I know that the true definition of 'heathen' means a person who lives in the fields (heaths) away from town and church. Since when is living in a field with God's trees and birds and wolves 'unspiritual'. Never. That has always been a false definition made up by church-going extremists. Therfore, I'm entirely comfortable with that word, and would not be offended by it, even if the dictionary says I should be.

Well, I think we should all be friends

Originally Posted by BlackMage

My school is like 30% asian and its not uncommon to hear things like this but I think they say something more like, "weilao" but I know at least that the order is backwards of yours. They say something more derogatory sometimes but I don't remember what it is...

Who speaks Chinese here, you or me? That may be a different word. And it is entirely possible it is some Cantonese/(insert dialect here) slang swear word.

Originally Posted by brett

It's not a wasted word if it's used appropriately. If there are two towns. One has all white people, or all black people. The second town has ten races mixed together. It is useful to say the second town is ethnic. Or, ethnically diverse. Whereas, the first town is British, or Aboriginal..

"Ethnically diverse" would be a proper use of the term. There is diversity of the ethnic variety. "Ethnic," however, is not the same thing as "ethnically diverse." The primary definition of "ethnic" is just "related to cultural heritage" or something of that sort.

Hey I'm easily offended, I don't like it when they call me laowai (laoshi please ) .. but then they like to call the Russians 'hairy ones' ... luckily I've forgotten what the word for that is so if they're calling me that I don't know about it

It's certainly an education from the point of view of racism. But I'm of the opinion that a Westerner's experience in China is easier psychologically than the other way round.
All the same we get a taste of what it's like here. I don't really like being stared at very much but I've been pleased by my resilience. I always know when a "Hello!" is just a friendly greeting, and when it's a bunch of idiots who want the foreign monkey to dance. In the latter case I have the psychological strength not to get annoyed. But like I said it's nothing like what it would have been for a black guy from the West Indies in London in the 1960s.

Interesting to hear from someone in the opposite situation, Waxwing! BTW, are you aware of bands of nationalist Chinese that roam around and attack foreign-looking men? I've always wondered why skinhead types are largely constrained to countries where the population is predominantly white.

Originally Posted by Pravit

Originally Posted by BlackMage

My school is like 30% asian and its not uncommon to hear things like this but I think they say something more like, "weilao" but I know at least that the order is backwards of yours. They say something more derogatory sometimes but I don't remember what it is...

Who speaks Chinese here, you or me? That may be a different word. And it is entirely possible it is some Cantonese/(insert dialect here) slang swear word.

I just talked to him he said it's wailao and that my foreign ears are stupid.
(I thought he was competent)

Then I talked to another chinese dude...

yomommasays (11:31:33 PM): laowai always
yomommasays (11:31:40 PM): its not even old foreinger
yomommasays (11:31:46 PM): its foreigner
yomommasays (11:31:51 PM): jsut part of the expression
blackmage (11:31:57 PM): dude d-liu used to call me wailao all the time
blackmage (11:32:02 PM): he even admits it
yomommasays (11:32:08 PM): HAHAHAAH
yomommasays (11:32:11 PM): n00b

sorry I just post what I hear.

Originally Posted by Pravit

I've always wondered why skinhead types are largely constrained to countries where the population is predominantly white.

Generally white races don't want to all emmigrate to a third world country. For your answer just look at the island country of Vanuatu and it's recent coup and reasons surrounding it. I sure hope I don't have to give a history lesson here.

'Ethnic' is a legitimate word. It's just a matter of knowing when to use it. It's only a superfluous term if one uses it incorrectly.

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by Pravit

I've always wondered why skinhead types are largely constrained to countries where the population is predominantly white.

Generally white races don't want to all emmigrate to a third world country. For your answer just look at the island country of Vanuatu and it's recent coup and reasons surrounding it. I sure hope I don't have to give a history lesson here.

Nothing to do with being white, everything to do with being relatively richer. Astarozhna.

Yeah, I suppose you could attribute it to the amount of non-Asians in Asian countries, which is tiny in comparison to the amount of Asians in non-Asian countries. But still, why, why Russia? Why not Norway or some other country I'm not interested in visiting?

Blackmage: It doesn't mean old foreigner. If you look, I used the word "literal" in my post. I was giving a literal translation. And again, your friend who is using "weilao" probably doesn't speak Mandarin or is using a different word.

Originally Posted by Pravit

Why not Norway or some other country I'm not interested in visiting?

you do not want to visit my home country? You racist!

There was an Asian - American guy from Seattle who posted 270 photo's from his most recent trip across Russia. He spent 6 months there and travelled by train mostly. He met and talked to girls at every opportunutiy he could . He would be sitting at a cafe or some place and take photo's , sometimes of a group of girls and then start "chatting them up". Sometimes they would show him around their town for a few days and then he would catch a train for the next city. With every picture he wrote the story concerning it. The whole thing was really quite funny but interestingly enough , other than being pick-pocketed once he never had any troubles there. I tried to find the link to the site but it is gone. This guy couldn't speak very much Russian at all, either. I wouldn't think you have too much too worry about, Pravitt.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Originally Posted by Pravit

Why not Norway or some other country I'm not interested in visiting?

you do not want to visit my home country? You racist!

Awwwww! I...uh...well, uh, perhaps I've had a change of opinion! I mean...I love fjords!

DDT: Yeah, I know I shouldn't be concerned about it. But it's just a little unsettling. In dark Moscow alleys I shall not tread!