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Help[Facts] Re: more on same article topic (?) - edited
in reply to a message by Miss Claire
Oh. Hm. I'm disappointed that I'm not really all that surprised, after all.
Well, I can't argue with the fact that 'black' names give a certain impression, to many people. That'd be politically correct, in the bad sense -- it'd be a denial of reality! There's no question that such names are strongly associated with the traits that are, by and large, found in most bearers, including low income, segregation, & low education; which also happen to be looked down on by other segments of society.
My issue is with insecure people who feel they have to shout a judgment when they see such names.. they express horror, shock, disgust! They're disturbed, and say things like the namers should be ashamed of themselves for perpetrating a crime against an innocent child, and make such drama-queen claims that basically say: "I'm the cream, after all .. good taste is a matter of objective truth, and I should know! You and I have nothing to be ashamed of, the way those people do! Do we? Do we?"
Clearly -- well, to me it's clear -- the namers have something else in mind when they use these names. They're people, they can't be all that different.. they choose names they like for some reason. It's particularly interesting to me because they're ordinary folks living in the same country I am, but I'm a total ignoramus or alien to what the appeal of their names is. It's like a black culture secret, or something.. almost as though designed that way, to evoke the reaction it does. Well, maybe not. I really have no clue. But it's interesting.
Not "cute" or "full of local color and imagination" - that's not what I meant at all.
- chazda
Well, I can't argue with the fact that 'black' names give a certain impression, to many people. That'd be politically correct, in the bad sense -- it'd be a denial of reality! There's no question that such names are strongly associated with the traits that are, by and large, found in most bearers, including low income, segregation, & low education; which also happen to be looked down on by other segments of society.
My issue is with insecure people who feel they have to shout a judgment when they see such names.. they express horror, shock, disgust! They're disturbed, and say things like the namers should be ashamed of themselves for perpetrating a crime against an innocent child, and make such drama-queen claims that basically say: "I'm the cream, after all .. good taste is a matter of objective truth, and I should know! You and I have nothing to be ashamed of, the way those people do! Do we? Do we?"
Clearly -- well, to me it's clear -- the namers have something else in mind when they use these names. They're people, they can't be all that different.. they choose names they like for some reason. It's particularly interesting to me because they're ordinary folks living in the same country I am, but I'm a total ignoramus or alien to what the appeal of their names is. It's like a black culture secret, or something.. almost as though designed that way, to evoke the reaction it does. Well, maybe not. I really have no clue. But it's interesting.
Not "cute" or "full of local color and imagination" - that's not what I meant at all.
- chazda
This message was edited 10/19/2004, 4:41 PM
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