From: Olga Bourlin (fauxever@sprynet.com)
Date: Tue Jun 11 2002 - 13:05:24 MDT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin@tsoft.com>
> > Colin Hales wrote:
> >
> > > Should any extropians be judging these people to be
> > > proles? The use of the word is probably a little
> > > less kind than need be. J. Public would have done
> > > just as well.
> >
> > The term prole is not pejorative. A prole is anyone
> > who works for a living. I am proud to be a hapless
> > prole: freedom is good, and proles are free, therefor
> > it is good to be a prole.
Maybe so. But the "professionals" I know who word for a living do NOT call
themselves proles - they think of workers such as the janitors and window
washers "proles" (and I've noticed how, when confronted with a "prole-type
worker," say, in an elevator, the professionals ignore them or move to the
other side of the elevator pronto; talking to the "proles" at an office
party, as you may well surmise, is pretty much out of the question).
Perception - while it may not be everything - is important to consider here.
I try not to use terms that may SEEM pejorative (i.e., could hurt some
people's feelings) if I can think of something else (and I'm probably not
100% successful). I don't use terms like "trailer trash." Calling any kind
of people trash - even in jest? - seems unnecessary and unkind. Even
"redneck" seems a bit harsh.
There are "people" behind those terms - some good people, some obnoxious
people - some with children who may be hurt to hear of their family being
described in those terms - human beings with complicated, sometimes troubled
lives.
"Prole" is not such a harsh term as "white trash," or "trailer trash" IMO.
And I realize "white trash" is bandied about on cook books (observe: "White
Trash Cooking") and the like, becoming almost a term of endearment. But I
think about a young boy or girl growing up in a trailer park, and how
difficult it must be for them to hear terms like that about their home and
family.
Olga
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