It is a word like "ginger", "pelosi", "hater", "snowflake" and "redneck". In fact, if you look closely, "ginger" uses the same letters as "nigger", just slightly rearranged.
Men are social animals. We communicate. Sometimes we are effective in our communication, often times we are ineffective.
An effective communicator is able to anticipate all of his listener's reactions and adjust his message until the expected reactions match his intentions.
The problem with the word "nigger" is that it refracts the message rather than focuses it. Twenty different people hearing or reading a message with the word "nigger" in it will hear about a dozen different messages.
It is doubly damning that every listener will be absolutely sure that their interpretation is the ONLY valid interpretation. It is a four-blind-men-and-an-elephant word.
Dominance
"nigger" is a flashpoint because of its association with dominance.
It cuts both ways.
For every White and Asian person who uses the word "nigger" there are twenty Black people who use it. When a Black person uses it in front of a White person, the Black is perceived as rubbing the White person's nose in the fact that Whites must submit to Black feelings but Blacks don't.
Even Blacks sense the aggression of being called "nigger" by other Blacks. It is a way of telling the listener that they are of so little consequence the speaker does not deign to remember their name.
As an aside, rap-artists are the group that most visibly uses the word "nigger" for dominance and they also have an extremely short life-expectancy. Coincidence?
Historically, Blacks were made submissive to Whites, by violence if necessary. The word "nigger", when used by a White person, triggers those memories.
That makes "nigger" an incendiary word. Like matches and bottles of kerosene, those kinds of words have their narrow utility. However, walking around with a Molotov Cocktail identifies you as an enemy combatant to somebody (and a hero to others). Using the word "nigger" in mixed company has the same effect.
Consequences
While I have a strong preference to not use the word "nigger" and do not allow it in comments, I don't think people should lose their jobs if they uttered it at some point in the past. Certainly, it pales in comparison to pedophilia, graft, treason and murder.
That is an exercise in dominance. Ditto for the Confederate flag. And I certainly don't believe that the State should remove your child from your home because you have a rock painted like the Confederate flag.
Using the word "nigger" or flying the "Confederate flag" send messages that are interpreted differently by different people. The message it sends to me is that you are an ineffective communicator or, in the case of the flag, you refuse to blindly submit to authority.
Your mileage will DEFINITELY vary.
now you've done it.
ReplyDeleteYou used teh N word in writing and you are definitely on
Every.
Single.
List.
Might as well go full Patrick Henry + George Wallace + Genghis Khan on the world....
Well written. Thank you.
I backed up the blog before hitting the "Publish" button.
DeleteThanks for the compliment.
To my knowledge, I have never uttered that word. But I don't support cancelling others for using it. I might, however, choose not to associate with such people, which I view differently than trying to destroy someone's life over the issue.
ReplyDeleteAs for the confederate battle flag, I view that as a different issue. While slavery was a big issue in the war, most southerners who fought for the confederacy did NOT do so for slavery. They did so because they didn't like the North telling them what to do. In general, I view the confederate battle flag as a statement that "I don't like big brother telling me what to do" rather than "I support enslavement of persons of African descent."
Heh heh heh...
ReplyDeleteWords have meanings. Effective communication requires that all conversation participants share common definitions for the words used.
When one party believes that only they can use a particular word or define that word then misunderstanding/miscommunication is being perpetuated. It might be unintentional. But it can also be a deliberate attempt to inflame divisions...
At this point in history, it's the most powerful word to be spoken in public. No other even comes close. Don't believe? Try using it today at the grocery store, people will notice you more than usual.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the flag on the rock, the article i read indicated the people weren't aware the rock was there. Whether they did or not, the judge(in my opinion) overstepped his authority.
ReplyDelete"Historically, Blacks were made submissive to Whites, by violence if necessary." True, but incomplete. Whites were also made slaves by Africans, almost exclusively through violence.
ReplyDeleteThe sole historical feature that distinguishes Black slavery is that it was the most recent than White slavery, in terms of our country's collective memory.
I'm told that there is still significant amounts of slavery, predominantly in Africa and the Middle East (though I think arguably one can state that the Communist Chinese are also big practitioners, that is more a form of state-controlled collective slavery of certain ethnic groups, rather than individuals owning slaves).
Why is it protected "free speech" to say to "kill the police" but not to use THAT word ? Why is it all right to say "Black Lives Matter" but not to display the rebel flag ? I do not choose to follow that "logic". However, '?: <(kitty typing) I will not say offensive words in your house or on your blog. That is just good manners.
ReplyDelete... and you didn't say "N-word". How all grown up of you ERJ :-)
ReplyDeleteAs always, it's a matter of 'perspective' and agendas. Nothing is said when a white is called cracker, honkey, or any other derogatory term. Re the 'Confederate' flag, I'm betting it's not even the correct flag, but the battle flag of Northern Virginia. Sigh... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_Northern_Virginia#:~:text=Beauregard%20is%20noted%20for%20creating,flag%20of%20the%20United%20States.
ReplyDeleteThey all look alike. Flags, I mean.
DeleteWell NFO, accuracy hasn't mattered in a very long time.
DeleteBut for those of us who still believe in accuracy... you're correct.
I remember very clearly the moment when I was told by my mother that it was unacceptable to use that word.
ReplyDeleteShe had overheard a friend of mine choosing up sides.
Not sure I've ever used it.
Every race has their niggers. It's not a color. It's an attitude. And yes, that's MY interpretation, Aaand it's obviously the only way to see it.
ReplyDeleteIn the FWIW column, I've always talked to people, enjoyed the good ones, avoided the bad ones and color isn't a consideration. BUT, the constant accusations and the hate whitey shit is definitely rubbing me the wrong way. The end result is I'm developing a different attitude and I don't like it..