Can’t believe I had to have this conversation again today, with someone who should know better. You can’t just un-racist a word because it makes you feel bad man.
Edit to add more context:
Rice burner is a pejorative term originally applied to Japanese motorcycles and which later expanded to include Japanese cars or any East Asian-made vehicles. Variations include rice rocket, referring most often to Japanese superbikes, rice machine, rice grinder or simply ricer.
Riced out is an adjective denigrating a badly customized sports car, “usually with oversized or ill-matched exterior appointments”. Rice boy is a US derogatory term for the driver or builder of an import-car hot rod. The terms may disparage cars or car enthusiasts as imposters or wanna-bes, using cheap modifications to imitate the appearance of high performance.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
I’d like you to read this from a guy who’s father is from the Philippines. His mother is American. Then have a good think about it. Actually think about it for a day or so.
Palting: (reenlist forums)
*When you call a car a “ricer”, you are saying that it is not a nice car, possibly even an atrocious car. I don’t believe you will ever hear a statement like “Look at that gorgeous ricer!!” So, in response to the question, is it derogatory, the answer is that the term ricer is most definitely derogatory.
The question then becomes, is it racist? The term “ricer” was coined to denote the cars that were made in Japan or Korea that were subsequently modded and are obnoxious to the observer. You can ask 100 people what car brand comes to mind when you say “ricer” and 100 of them will come up with an Asian brand. Ask those same 100 people what country or race comes to mind, and 100 will say some Asian country. We can safely say that “ricer” would indicate the Asian culture where rice is the staple food. We can define a term racist if the term pertaining to a race or a race’s cultural character is considered derogatory. Therefore, the term ricer is most definitely racist.
If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a “******”? The term “ricer” most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.
My mother is from the USA, my father is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Filipino. I am not a “halfer”, nor “mestizo”, nor anything other than a Filipino national who chose to reside in the US as an American citizen.*
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what
Some people believe that labelling certain words as dirty because they have prejudicial or offensive connotations in a completely unrelated context is effective activism, passing judgement to feel like they’re doing something.
One such word is “ricing”. It comes from “rice burner”, which is a pejorative term referring to East Asian cars and motorcycles. The modern usage has nothing to do with cars or ethnicity.
On a related note, the word “queer” has a similar history.
I’d also like to point out that Queer has been reclaimed by Queer people. Whereas a bunch of, mostly white, Linux users have “reclaimed” it. But, in the context with my friend today, it was the car modification usage ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The modern usage has a direct connection to it’s historical usage.
I’d like you to read this from a guy who’s father is from the Philippines. His mother is American. Then have a good think about it. Actually think about it for a day or so.
Palting: (reenlist forums)
*When you call a car a “ricer”, you are saying that it is not a nice car, possibly even an atrocious car. I don’t believe you will ever hear a statement like “Look at that gorgeous ricer!!” So, in response to the question, is it derogatory, the answer is that the term ricer is most definitely derogatory.
The question then becomes, is it racist? The term “ricer” was coined to denote the cars that were made in Japan or Korea that were subsequently modded and are obnoxious to the observer. You can ask 100 people what car brand comes to mind when you say “ricer” and 100 of them will come up with an Asian brand. Ask those same 100 people what country or race comes to mind, and 100 will say some Asian country. We can safely say that “ricer” would indicate the Asian culture where rice is the staple food. We can define a term racist if the term pertaining to a race or a race’s cultural character is considered derogatory. Therefore, the term ricer is most definitely racist.
If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a “******”? The term “ricer” most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.
My mother is from the USA, my father is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Filipino. I am not a “halfer”, nor “mestizo”, nor anything other than a Filipino national who chose to reside in the US as an American citizen.*
Not that I disagree about using “rice” in this context, but I just want to paraphrase something I think a comedian said but I forget the source now. But basically, no, it’s not as bad as “the n-word” and I know that because you censored “the n-word” but didnt censor the word rice.
I still think it’s rude and not a particularly good term.
If you look at the source, the person who wrote that is filipino, so the n-word isn’t one he gets to use, would be my explanation for that.
what?
Could have used that reply to clarify
Clarify what though?
Thank you. I’m Asian and it is honestly a bit maddening when I get white-splained as to why the term isn’t racist towards Asians.
I may be white, but I’m trans and get awful stuff said at/around me too, so I get it. Gotta have solidarity with other minorities and lift each other up! 💪
I agree with the overall message here; there’s definitely better words for customisation of a Window Manager/Desktop Environment.
I can’t agree that everyone using that term is racist though. I doubt that everyone who uses it is doing so to discriminate or abuse another race. As proven by this thread, the history of that word isn’t exactly common knowledge in the spaces people are using it.
“bigot” might be a better term to describe people that know the history of the word and actively refuse to change their ways. It feels like throwing “racist” on here where it doesn’t exactly apply sort of dampens the impact of the word. But that’s just me.
The people that now know the meaning, but are trying to argue that it doesn’t matter, are no longer ignorant, and therefore don’t have an excuse.
Another example of this is that I grew up with the term “gyped” meaning to have been taken advantage of when making a deal. When I learnt that it was a racist term that denigrates Romani/Traveller peoples, I stopped using it. If I’d continued too, then that would have made me racist :)
The people that now know the meaning, but are trying to argue that it doesn’t matter, are no longer ignorant, and therefore don’t have an excuse.
I agree, but you’re meme implies that using the term at all makes you racist
The equivalent of this meme would be someone calling you a racist the very first time you ever used the term “gyped”. You yourself stated you didn’t know that term had racist history, so how could you have been racist?
It’s a different situation when someone has knowledge of history and then goes on to use the term. That’s textbook bigotry and I would agree that’s also racsim, but you’re casting a much wider net with this meme encompassing everyone who uses the term knowledgable or not
You can be part of systemic racism and not know it. It still affects the other person even if you didn’t intend it to.
We live in a society. It’s not a personal failing if you were racist and didn’t know it. But I think it is a responsibility to try and change for the better, just like in all aspects of life.
My friend, it is a meme. The format doesn’t lend well to longform explanation. Why are you choosing to come after me for that, when there are people in this very thread saying that they’ll use it regardless?
Why are you choosing to come after me for that, when there are people in this very thread saying that they’ll use it regardless?
I tried to answer this with my first comment
It feels like throwing “racist” on here where it doesn’t exactly apply sort of dampens the impact of the word. But that’s just me.
I hope I’m not coming off agressive or nothing. I’m not saying what you’re doing is entirely wrong or anything because it benefits everyone to spread knowledge especially for something like this. I really dislike that it’s made normal in Linux circles. But this meme is calling everyone that uses a fairly common term racist while you drop good history lessons on individual comments of people that don’t know better. Maybe there’s a more effective way to get your point across?
I hope I’m not coming off agressive or nothing. I’m not saying what you’re doing is entirely wrong or anything because it benefits everyone to spread knowledge especially for something like this. I really dislike that it’s made normal in Linux circles. But this meme is calling everyone that uses a fairly common term racist while you drop good history lessons on individual comments of people that don’t know better. Maybe there’s a more effective way to get your point across?
That’s fair, I’m sorry if I came across standoffish. This is a meme community though, and a simplified meme wasn’t going to be able to convey that full meaning, which is why I brought it up in the comments. Maybe I shoulda dropped it in the text section but I was just frustrated with my friend and wanted to vent a bit of steam. I can go add some stuff to the post.
there’s definitely better words for customisation of a Window Manager/Desktop Environment.
Any recommendations?
Oh, I had only ever heard this term in the context of Linux desktop customization. Like in the context of superfluous over the top additions that look pretty but ultimately do not add anything to a system and may to some extent degrade performance.
I dont know why I never connected it with the car scene or with racist attitudes. I’m ashamed to say I think I’ve used the term myself once or twice. Thanks for sharing an explanation of the history of this evidently very racist term, I imagine there are others like myself who have failed to make that connection.
Idk why its so hard to just say “setup”. I’m not sure that a use case this particular warrants its own terminology.
I’m ashamed to say I think I’ve used the term myself once or twice.
It’s okay, you didn’t know then, so didn’t use it intentionally to cause harm.
Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements. That’s what rice has always meant to me, and as far as I know everyone around me. You can rice an American car and you can rice a German car just as much as you can rice a Japanese car.
I think this kind of linguistic prescriptivism is one of many things wrong with modern anti-racism movements. It’s such a non-issue.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
That is a backronym that was invented to try and coverup the racist origins of the term. Like I’ve said in other comments, why don’t you start using the n-word to mean the colour black and see how many friends that makes you 😊
“Rice” as a food or plant, that’s fine. “Rice” as a word for a group of people, not really
Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate.
FYI That’s not the recommended treatment for injuries anymore, mostly the i, and a bit the r.
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/rice-protocol-for-injuries
True, I would say that usage is completely innocent. The backronym “Racing Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements” is a red herring though. Folks try to use it to explain how the term doesn’t carry racial connotations.
It’s moreso its use to discuss cosmetic modifications that I’m calling out, either on cars/motorbikes, but also it’s newer use for customising your Linux DE. Rice as in the food/plant is obviously fine.
Ok, that is something i didn’t know. What is the connection between rice and racism here?
Thank you (and the two others also explaining it)
No worries, thanks for being willing to listen, appreciate it :)
Gonna add these screenshots because they more clearly answer your actual question I think:
Calling the term “rice” in connection to focusing on aesthetics over preformance racist just seems insane to me. There are objectly racist uses of the word rice to harm Asians. However when 99% of the community never even correlated this useage of the word to anything derogatory twords asians, and even use it positivly when someone genuinely likes JDM or overbuilt cars, the word stops being racist
You cant claim racist undertones to a word when people don’t corelate that word whatsoever to anything derogatory twords Asians. The modern use of the word spoke about a car that looked like a racecar but didn’t have the preformance of one, making it “ugly”, and then branched to become a positive term when talking about putting lots of efforts into the aesthetic of something
The evolution of the word is not a moral failing but a redirection from a derogatory borderline slur to a word that captures the idea of “looks over preformance”
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
Reading through your responses it seems you really dont give a fuck about actually having discussion. Your view is right and everyone else is wrong, because of the simple fact “racism bad”
Theres no reason to ever redirect a racist phrase into something positive and completely seperated from its racist past, dispite the community at large already doing that. Words cannot change or evolve, and any word with even an inkling of negativity should be banned from ever being spoken (/s). I specifically called out that rice can be used in a racist and as a borderline slur, but that the modern useage of the word is painfully obviously removed from that connotation: considering the massive amount of people under this post also claiming they have never used, or even knew, the word could at all relate to degrading asians.
Oh and since you’ve responded often rejecting opinions just because “its a white person claiming its not racist” let me ask you, how many Japanese people (since the old meaning of the word was specifically targeted at the japanese) do you know take genuine offence to the word? Because funnily enough my Japanese friends in the car scene love calling things riced out
BTW, have you actually asked any of your friends about the term? Because plenty of minorities will just play along with slurs because calling it out is hard and results in *gestures broadly* this sort of response. Just like trans people often won’t call out when they’re deadnamed or misgendered. Or autistic people not calling out when the r-slur is used. It’s kind of pretty common.
Well with how often they use the word freely themselves, I’d assume they like the word. But I did ask and yes they like the word, and were very confused why I needed to ask LMAO
Fair enough. Still doesn’t change that there’s someone in this thread who’d prefer it wasn’t used. Dunno what to tell you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mean thats the thing with any word. If someone tells you their uncomfortable with the useage of it ill either stop using that word around them or remove myself from the conversarion. However I don’t think its right to ban a word completely that has evolved into a simple meaning of “looks over or at the cost of preformance”
Why would I ask them without any prompting or context? They don’t interact with any communities that use it or know how it’s origin. Seems like a leading question with no constructive purpose other than to remind them that they should feel sad/angry about who they are as a person.
I’m sorry, I must’ve been mistaken, was I talking to you lovely?
Ah so no actual response; no discussion to be had on when and where support is necessary and what we can do to meet that need. Very constructive, thank you. Glad to know your position is so hollow and self serving.
There is literally a person in this thread who says they’re uncomfortable about the usage?
I appreciate the history lesson. I was always really confused by the term, but just accepted it as a silly random easy to remember word.
I’d prefer if it wasn’t hidden in the comments tho. Presenting it this way is very much inviting conflict, considering most people have no clue.
I didn’t mean to hide it, I thought most would know the usage I was referencing. It seems like, even despite the explanations, people are wanting to argue it’s not racist anymore anyway.
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What’s your preferred term? “Linux desktop customization” is a bit of a mouthful.
Turn it into an acronym, LUSC (Linux UI and System Customization)
As far as I’m aware, blinged out is perfectly acceptables :3Edit: Someone pointed out that this is theft of AAVE, which is a point I hadn’t considered.
As far as I’m aware, blinged out is perfectly acceptables :3
really? Let’s substitute the term we’re sensitive about because it might offend asian people for one that might offend black people?
Blinged out doesn’t have a history that includes racist usage. I did some searching and it didn’t surface anything problematic, but if you know something I don’t then I’ll happily stop using it :)Edit: Someone pointed out that this is theft of AAVE, which is a point I hadn’t considered.
That sounds like decorating something with gems and precious metals. Doesn’t make a lot of sense for desktop customization, considering that most linux destop customizers go for a very minimalist look.
Do you have any other ideas? That’s the best I could come up with on the spot.
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That’s a fair point, you’re right. Have you got other ideas for what would suit the Linux customising usage? Someone mentioned ‘sleeper’ and I think that’s a pretty good option.
It’s a racist term, but a lot of people simply don’t know that. How I react depends on their general attitude.
My ex was Korean and she used the term rice rocket when I mentioned I wanted a Mitsubishi Lancer because it’s a cool fast Japanese car. Asians aren’t a monolith that all think one term or another should be verboten. Assuming all Asians think the term “rice” is a slur is just arrogance.
Same energy as “this one black person said I can say the n word”.
Same energy as “I’m trying to get credit for declaring a random adjective to be a no-no word.”
Nah, not really, but you do you, alright mate? 😊
Thank you! You too, buddy!
That’s our word
everyone will feel offended at anything you say.
nice example of a philippino person being offended by it.
if i told my philippino friend abt it he’d dismiss these concerns.
different strokes for different folks.
bottom line: playing word police is problematic in itself.
just don’t be a dick and you’re good.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.
*Taps the sign.*
a lot of everyday words or even slang can be described as offensive or racist if the listener deems them this way - or because the history of certain words is rooted in racism.
you wanna tell the whole linux community that “ricing” is an offensive term?
you wanna tell marxists that quote “it’s either socialism or barbarism” that the term “barbarian” is a racist term used by romans?
you wanna tell polish boomers that they shouldn’t say “a jew hung himself” to refer to windy weather?
a miniscule amount of people think about the racial or xenophobic implications because certain things are too ingrained in society.
keep the spirit up, you go guys, but these things won’t go away for the next few generations.
stuff like this just fuels infighting with no real goal. - fighting actual racism and systemic racism. getting hung up on unimportant details will just alienate people who’d be sympathetic to the cause.
we also likely live in different societies so we have different approaches to how racism is perceived. this discourse reeks of being american.
we also likely live in different societies so we have different approaches to how racism is perceived. this discourse reeks of being american.
jfc not everyone on the internet is american.
hewwoo, so uhm what is a more apropriate thing to call my vewy pwetty laptop ui setup?
As far as I’m aware, blinged out is perfectly acceptables :3Edit: Someone pointed out that this is theft of AAVE, which is a point I hadn’t considered.
this is blatantly incorrect? Rice is an acronym for “Racing inspired cosmetic enhancements”?
That’s a backronym that was created to try and coverup its racist origin.
