In previous installment of this "series" I have dealt with the terms "mansplaining", "gaslighting" and "dogwhistling". This time the term of the day is "white supremacy".
"White supremacy" is in itself an existing term that has a rather clear definition: It's an ideology. This ideology posits that the white race is inherently superior to other races, all the other races being inferior. A milder form of the ideology doesn't necessarily claim that this difference is caused by biology, but simply because of the history, culture, knowledge and technical know-how of white people, as opposed to other demographics. The full form of this ideology believes that it's an actual biological thing: White people are actually biologically superior to other races. More intelligent, more capable, higher in the "evolutionary ladder" ie. more evolved (if they believe in evolution, which isn't always the case), more "pure". Moreover, quite often this ideology (especially the latter form of it) posits that due to this inherent superiority white people should have more rights than other people, should be more protected, have a higher status in society. Not much different from the social and legal status of humans vs. animals (ie. while animals may be given some rights and protections, humans nevertheless justifiedly have more rights and more protections, especially when it comes to either-or situations.)
Like with so many other extremist terms, social justice warriors have become enamored with this one as well, and throw it around at everybody they don't like, with complete disregard to its actual meaning. Like with so many other terms, they don't care what it actually means. They only care with the connotation it has, and the effect it has on people. They couldn't give a flying fuck about whether they are using the term accurately. They only want to use it as a weapon. It's just another form of ammunition in their rhetorical arsenal, which they will freely shoot at people whenever possible and convenient.
However, if you start paying attention to the actual situations where the term is being thrown around as an accusation, you'll notice a generic pattern. A pattern that indicates an implicit change in meaning of the term (which, once again, is so common with so many of these loaded terms used as verbal ammunition).
No longer does "white supremacy" mean an ideology (that thinks that white people are superior to other races). Instead, it's being most often used to mean that white people are the majority in something, especially if the people in power are majority white. In other words, rather than the term describing an ideology, a set of ideas, it's being used to describe a situation, a state of being. It's almost a synonym for "majority white" (and not always even in terms of numerical majority at that).
Of course that's when it's not just used as a completely blanket generic term to insult those who hold non-extremist-leftist opinions about something. Do you think that countries (all countries) should have the right to self-governance and to determine who can enter the country? White supremacist. Do you think that there exist only two sexes? White supremacist. Do you think that marriage should be between a man and a woman? White supremacist. Do you oppose abortion? White supremacist. Do you have typical American conservative values? White supremacist. It doesn't matter whether that term fits the situation at all, you are still a "white supremacist".
The term has lost all meaning.
"White supremacy" is in itself an existing term that has a rather clear definition: It's an ideology. This ideology posits that the white race is inherently superior to other races, all the other races being inferior. A milder form of the ideology doesn't necessarily claim that this difference is caused by biology, but simply because of the history, culture, knowledge and technical know-how of white people, as opposed to other demographics. The full form of this ideology believes that it's an actual biological thing: White people are actually biologically superior to other races. More intelligent, more capable, higher in the "evolutionary ladder" ie. more evolved (if they believe in evolution, which isn't always the case), more "pure". Moreover, quite often this ideology (especially the latter form of it) posits that due to this inherent superiority white people should have more rights than other people, should be more protected, have a higher status in society. Not much different from the social and legal status of humans vs. animals (ie. while animals may be given some rights and protections, humans nevertheless justifiedly have more rights and more protections, especially when it comes to either-or situations.)
Like with so many other extremist terms, social justice warriors have become enamored with this one as well, and throw it around at everybody they don't like, with complete disregard to its actual meaning. Like with so many other terms, they don't care what it actually means. They only care with the connotation it has, and the effect it has on people. They couldn't give a flying fuck about whether they are using the term accurately. They only want to use it as a weapon. It's just another form of ammunition in their rhetorical arsenal, which they will freely shoot at people whenever possible and convenient.
However, if you start paying attention to the actual situations where the term is being thrown around as an accusation, you'll notice a generic pattern. A pattern that indicates an implicit change in meaning of the term (which, once again, is so common with so many of these loaded terms used as verbal ammunition).
No longer does "white supremacy" mean an ideology (that thinks that white people are superior to other races). Instead, it's being most often used to mean that white people are the majority in something, especially if the people in power are majority white. In other words, rather than the term describing an ideology, a set of ideas, it's being used to describe a situation, a state of being. It's almost a synonym for "majority white" (and not always even in terms of numerical majority at that).
Of course that's when it's not just used as a completely blanket generic term to insult those who hold non-extremist-leftist opinions about something. Do you think that countries (all countries) should have the right to self-governance and to determine who can enter the country? White supremacist. Do you think that there exist only two sexes? White supremacist. Do you think that marriage should be between a man and a woman? White supremacist. Do you oppose abortion? White supremacist. Do you have typical American conservative values? White supremacist. It doesn't matter whether that term fits the situation at all, you are still a "white supremacist".
The term has lost all meaning.
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