Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And another problem is the fact that these were private diaries and letters to family members. He was just writing down his honest observations, never intending for the Chinese to hear about them.
As someone of Chinese heritage, I am not offended by his observations. Even if he had published them in a scientific paper or publicly in a newspaper, I would not be offended. It was a different time.
But if we give Einstein a pass on being considered a racist, then we must do the same for all the slaveholders of previous centuries, instead of trying to erase them from history. And I would be fine with that.
As someone of Chinese heritage, I am not offended by his observations. Even if he had published them in a scientific paper or publicly in a newspaper, I would not be offended. It was a different time.
But if we give Einstein a pass on being considered a racist, then we must do the same for all the slaveholders of previous centuries, instead of trying to erase them from history. And I would be fine with that.
Based upon your post history, I'd say that you're a strong advocate for racism...
These are Einstein's reflections from what he observed. It's the same thing anyone would do all about any place he goes. The people are neat, messy, clean, dirty, dull, bright, etc. These aren't racist, unless it's racist to talk about what one sees.
But this is only Einstein. How much credence do his observations deserve?
Everyone observes, attaches value and makes judgements based on their own base of knowledge. That is how we make sense of the world. But we surely make less sense of it when we are overly concerned about facing penalties for crimethink.
"Crimethink"...That's a curious word to use in the wreckless, mindless, and irresponsible dispensation of guilt. Nations ruthlessly and unconscionably harm one another almost instinctively. People routinely cause mass suffering of others throughout the planet, seemingly just because they can.
IMO
Guilt is a necessary emotion required to serve as a governor humans need to monitor their behavior. Without the emotion of guilt, true civilization with its necessary concomitant higher order of thought would quickly erode into lawless mayhem and social debauchery.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment
He didn't even move to America until 10 years after his travels in Asia. His perspective was that of a highly cultured German from a non-observant but ethnically Jewish family.
Albert Einstein died a white American male. His so-called "highly cultured German" perspective utilized parallel standards of judgement used in the annhilation of many of his own Jewish people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment
That was my impression travelling in mainland China in the '90s after having lived in Japan. But I also noticed that Chinese Hong Kong and Singapore were as civilized and decorous as Tokyo.
From what I've read, both London and Paris were very filthy cities back in the early 1900's...
I'm most certain that a neutral observer would have made similar observations, but would have commented quite differently...
Based upon your post history, I'd say that you're a strong advocate for racism...
And based on your comment, I'd say that you lack reading comprehension skills!!!
I am NOT a racist, but... what I do see is that there are serious CULTURE classes within our society and the rest of the world.
I have good relationships with people of all RACES, but it's NOT racist for me to want to avoid people who value a machismo lifestyle with an emphasis on sex appeal over one in which both partners respect each other as best friends and equals.
It's not RACIST to prefer to be at a workplace where everyone speaks English not Spanish.
It's not RACIST to want ones son or daughter to speak good business standard English, and not pick up the speech pattern of urban ebonics and use a lot of expletives.
And it's not RACIST to reject people who take the easy way out of life by creating baby mommas, living on welfare in Section 8 housing, and using food stamps. I prefer to be with people with a strong work ethic who seek academic knowledge or desirable blue collar skills.
And it's not RACIST to prefer to live in neighbourhoods where the residents don't litter the sidewalks and streets with trash and cigarette butts, where out of respect to all their neighbours, they don't hold loud house parties that spill out into the streets. And to that, what's wrong with having neighbourhoods where there are quiet sections and also noisy sections? Everyone should be able to pick where they live and not bother anyone else.
It's all about culture clashes, and not the colour of anyone's skin.
For those of you screaming racism, let's go over this once again.
Racism is the belief that a person's intelligence, character, and competency are a function of his/her "race".
So long as Einstein did not believe that the intelligence, character, and competency of people he observed were a function of their "race", his observations are not an example of racism.
I am confident that Einstein was aware of the Japanese desire to be clean, and I am equally certain that Einstein was aware that the Japanese and Chinese people are the same "race".
Thus, it is highly unlikely that Einstein believed that the filthiness he noted in his observation of Chinese people was a function of the Chinese people's "race".
As such, Einstein's remarks are almost certainly not an example of "racism".
And based on your comment, I'd say that you lack reading comprehension skills!!!
I am NOT a racist, but... what I do see is that there are serious CULTURE classes within our society and the rest of the world.
It's all about culture clashes, and not the colour of anyone's skin.
You know, it might be worth noting that when I write or talk about "low lifes", I am always thinking of a couple of women I have known who were white and were the picture of what you described in a large part of your post. (I am white, btw.)
However, I will admit that I do dislike it when I feel that I am being bombarded with SJW liberality just as much as I dislike it when I am confronted with truly racist "alt-right" B.S. In fact, I dislike it when I am confronted with any kind of intolerance with very few exceptions (for example, child rapists) -- although I readily admit that I do become annoyed when forced to listen to loud rap or Spanish music, for example, even though I would not dispute the other person's right to listen to it (except for in the middle of the night within 30 feet or so of my home).
Sometimes our lens are clouded by biased minds....
That's true, and sometimes we over analyse things.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
