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Bigotry???

ianb321red

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It has to be one the most misused and inappropriately used abstract nouns in the English language!

Bigotry : "Intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself"

Firstly, it is almost always used in a negative sense. Tolerance is positive and intolerance is negative.

But life just isn't as simple as that!

Here are some obvious examples:

I am intolerant to those who hold the view that anti-semitism is acceptable. Because I am intolerant towards someone holding a different opinion is this an example of bigotry? Probably not - most people would probably agree that hostility against Jews is a bad thing, and shouldn't be tolerated.

So it seems to me that the term 'bigot' is actually a fluid term, if not arbitrary? The arbitrary-ness is that it is down to the individual to decide morally or ethically which is the worse offence - the prejudice/ hostility OR the (in) tolerance of the prejudice/ hostility?

Seems to me that this term is open to suiting ones own biases and beliefs - to me to label someone as a bigot devoid of any context is largely a meaningless observation!

Any thoughts on this one?
 
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SummerMadness

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Bigot seems to be more in vogue because people consider racist an insult, even if one demonstrates all the qualities of a racist. I don't like having black people in my house or having my children marrying outside their race, but don't call me a racist, that's the worst thing in the world! Not being able to call a racist a racist is nothing more than political correctness run amok. In its stead, bigot fulfills that role.
 
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iluvatar5150

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Bigot seems to be more in vogue because people consider racist an insult, even if one demonstrates all the qualities of a racist. I don't like having black people in my house or having my children marrying outside their race, but don't call me a racist, that's the worst thing in the world! Not being able to call a racist a racist is nothing more than political correctness run amok. In its stead, bigot fulfills that role.

I use bigot because if you say racism, too many people quibble about whether the subject of the bigotry is actually a race. (e.g. islam)
 
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rambot

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I use bigot because if you say racism, too many people quibble about whether the subject of the bigotry is actually a race. (e.g. islam)
Yeah. I feel kinda the same way except I use the word "prejudice". It isn't as punchy and sounds clinical but honestly it IS the best word.

I understand the premise of the first post but I'd say the "use it as a substitute for 'racist'" argument is pretty tight.
 
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rambot

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rturner76

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I think like @iluvatar5150 said, bigot covers more subjects like someone who's racist probably doesn't like immigrants, Jews, or homosexuals. They are probably sexist too. Bigot covers all your bases. People would rather be called a bigot than a racist but in a way a bigot seems more ignorant even than that.
 
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SilverBear

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It has to be one the most misused and inappropriately used abstract nouns in the English language!

Bigotry : "Intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself"

Firstly, it is almost always used in a negative sense. Tolerance is positive and intolerance is negative.

But life just isn't as simple as that!

Here are some obvious examples:

I am intolerant to those who hold the view that anti-semitism is acceptable. Because I am intolerant towards someone holding a different opinion is this an example of bigotry? Probably not - most people would probably agree that hostility against Jews is a bad thing, and shouldn't be tolerated.

So it seems to me that the term 'bigot' is actually a fluid term, if not arbitrary? The arbitrary-ness is that it is down to the individual to decide morally or ethically which is the worse offence - the prejudice/ hostility OR the (in) tolerance of the prejudice/ hostility?

Seems to me that this term is open to suiting ones own biases and beliefs - to me to label someone as a bigot devoid of any context is largely a meaningless observation!

Any thoughts on this one?



Maybe a better definition of the word would help clear the air.

From Marion Webster -

Bigot: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person;especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)
 
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samir

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It has to be one the most misused and inappropriately used abstract nouns in the English language!

Bigotry : "Intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself"

Firstly, it is almost always used in a negative sense. Tolerance is positive and intolerance is negative.

But life just isn't as simple as that!

Here are some obvious examples:

I am intolerant to those who hold the view that anti-semitism is acceptable. Because I am intolerant towards someone holding a different opinion is this an example of bigotry? Probably not - most people would probably agree that hostility against Jews is a bad thing, and shouldn't be tolerated.

So it seems to me that the term 'bigot' is actually a fluid term, if not arbitrary? The arbitrary-ness is that it is down to the individual to decide morally or ethically which is the worse offence - the prejudice/ hostility OR the (in) tolerance of the prejudice/ hostility?

Seems to me that this term is open to suiting ones own biases and beliefs - to me to label someone as a bigot devoid of any context is largely a meaningless observation!

Any thoughts on this one?

Merely being intolerant of some opinions that differ from your own doesn't make someone a bigot as everyone does that. That's why the simple definition you posted isn't very helpful. A full definition of bigot from Merriam-Webster dictionary is:

"a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bigot

Bigots are ignorant (prejudiced) and arrogant. Their general intolerance of others who disagree with them is due to their ignorant prejudice that won't budge because they are swollen with pride. The most common bigots I see are liberals and anti-catholics. Liberals like to boast that they're educated and progressive (showing their arrogance) and are intolerant of those who hold values that nearly every society has held throughout history due to their prejudice. Anti-catholics love to accuse catholics and other Christians of Mary worship, bread worship, and other nonsense and are too arrogant to allow anyone to overcome their prejudice.
 
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iluvatar5150

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Bigots are ignorant (prejudiced) and arrogant. Their general intolerance of others who disagree with them is due to their ignorant prejudice that won't budge because they are swollen with pride. The most common bigots I see are liberals and anti-catholics. Liberals like to boast that they're educated and progressive (showing their arrogance) and are intolerant of those who hold values that nearly every society has held throughout history due to their prejudice. Anti-catholics love to accuse catholics and other Christians of Mary worship, bread worship, and other nonsense and are too arrogant to allow anyone to overcome their prejudice.

Lol, charges of "arrogant ignorance" targeted at liberals from a guys who says stuff like this:
 
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SoldierOfTheKing

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Yeah. I feel kinda the same way except I use the word "prejudice". It isn't as punchy and sounds clinical but honestly it IS the best word.

Strictly speaking, bigotry is an irrational prejudice. An important distinction, because not all prejudices are irrational. I'd venture to guess that most people reading this thread are prejudiced against people who don't wash themselves...
 
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joshua 1 9

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It has to be one the most misused and inappropriately used abstract nouns in the English language!

Bigotry : "Intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself"

Firstly, it is almost always used in a negative sense. Tolerance is positive and intolerance is negative.

But life just isn't as simple as that!

Here are some obvious examples:

I am intolerant to those who hold the view that anti-semitism is acceptable. Because I am intolerant towards someone holding a different opinion is this an example of bigotry? Probably not - most people would probably agree that hostility against Jews is a bad thing, and shouldn't be tolerated.

So it seems to me that the term 'bigot' is actually a fluid term, if not arbitrary? The arbitrary-ness is that it is down to the individual to decide morally or ethically which is the worse offence - the prejudice/ hostility OR the (in) tolerance of the prejudice/ hostility?

Seems to me that this term is open to suiting ones own biases and beliefs - to me to label someone as a bigot devoid of any context is largely a meaningless observation!

Any thoughts on this one?
Bigotry is a French word that goes back to the time of the Normans. People who were civilized felt sanctimonious in comparison to the uncivilized. This is the difference between the food producers in comparison to food gathers or people who would plunder and pillage. This term then became used in the slave master relationship where the owners felt sanctimonious and as if somehow they were better then the slaves subjected to them. Then the house slaves felt more sanctimonious then the field slaves.

"So whenever that house Negro identified himself, he always identified himself in the same sense that his master identified himself. When his master said, "We have good food," the house Negro would say, "Yes, we have plenty of good food." "We" have plenty of good food. When the master said that "we have a fine home here," the house Negro said, "Yes, we have a fine home here." When the master would be sick, the house Negro identified himself so much with his master he'd say, "What's the matter boss, we sick?" His master's pain was his pain. And it hurt him more for his master to be sick than for him to be sick himself. When the house started burning down, that type of Negro would fight harder to put the master's house out than the master himself would.

But then you had another Negro out in the field. The house Negro was in the minority. The masses--the field Negroes were the masses. They were in the majority. When the master got sick, they prayed that he'd die. [Laughter] If his house caught on fire, they'd pray for a wind to come along and fan the breeze." (Malcolm)
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/mmt/mxp/speeches/mxa17.html

Who is the bigot, the house slave or the field slave?
 
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joshua 1 9

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Strictly speaking, bigotry is an irrational prejudice. An important distinction, because not all prejudices are irrational. I'd venture to guess that most people reading this thread are prejudiced against people who don't wash themselves...
If your OCD you maybe prejudiced against people that do not wash themselves 3 times a day.
 
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brinny

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Strictly speaking, bigotry is an irrational prejudice. An important distinction, because not all prejudices are irrational. I'd venture to guess that most people reading this thread are prejudiced against people who don't wash themselves...

This.
 
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samir

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Strictly speaking, bigotry is an irrational prejudice. An important distinction, because not all prejudices are irrational. I'd venture to guess that most people reading this thread are prejudiced against people who don't wash themselves...

You misunderstand the word prejudice. The full definition of prejudice from Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Full Definition of prejudice
  1. 1 : injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one's rights; especially : detriment to one's legal rights or claims

  2. 2 a (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prejudice
 
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rambot

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Strictly speaking, bigotry is an irrational prejudice. An important distinction, because not all prejudices are irrational. I'd venture to guess that most people reading this thread are prejudiced against people who don't wash themselves...
Interesting. Never thought of it that way. Perhaps so....
 
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