As we have often observed in our exchanges here: our understanding of words (signifiers) is rooted in experience and association - therefore, racism is transmitted not only via language but also psychologically as well as culturally - inversely it is fought against via cultural and rational means - and at times as with all prejudices more aggressively by violent means
On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 12:02 PM, William Conger <[email protected]>wrote: > Re Saul and Cheerskep on Sapir's statements, This is precisely the > argument used > to justify racism and other cultural abuses. Nevertheless, that languge > habits > shape values is no big discovery. See Montaigne who in turn quote the > ancients. > wc > > > > ________________________________ > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Sat, January 26, 2013 9:09:52 AM > Subject: Re: "We see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we > do > because the language habits of our community predispose certain choices of > interpretation." > > In a message dated 1/26/13 3:09:40 AM, [email protected] writes: > > > > Any reactions to what Edward Sapir said? > > > Here's Sapir's complete sentence: > > "We see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we do because the > language habits of our community predispose certain choices of > interpretation." > > And vice versa. I wonder if Sapir ever analyzed his own attitude toward > women to see how his language habits kept him antideluvian. He made moves > on > both Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead, and they both rejected him largely > because of his conservative views about the position of women. > > The insight behind the Sapir sentence above is not profound. > > -- S a u l O s t r o w *Critical Voices* 21STREETPROJECTS La Table Ronde 162 West 21 Street NYC, NY 10011 [email protected] www.21stprojects.org
