Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat • Hacker News Board

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#101

Post by bjl » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:20 PM UTC

kelukelugames wrote: post #49

bjl wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing on FB is private, which these kids just learned the hard way. Can't say I feel too bad for them given the content of their posts.

Kind of scary that nothing on facebook is ever private. High school or parents should start teaching kids about online privacy...and financial literacy. FB issue aside, I think people should be allowed to joke about whatever they want in private. However some people bring jokes from 4chan and b/ into the workplace. High school and college students probably have a harder time drawing the line between facebook and the…

>FB issue aside, I think people should be allowed to joke about whatever they want in private.

They were allowed to post it, nothing stopped them. Its just that after they did Harvard made the (IMO reasonable) decision to revoke their acceptance.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#102

Post by pyre » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:20 PM UTC

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #71

2_listerine_pls wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many do it for fun while not being racist. 4chan is an example.

I saw this firsthand with a former flatmate of mine. He passionately studied Semitic languages and Persian at uni, spent a lot of time traveling or studying abroad in Israel, Arab countries, and Iran. His social circle in Europe was heavy with immigrants from those countries and with them he seemed to be the best of friends. And yet he loved to visit 4chan and collect anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim memes to repost else…

But making that shit turn up everywhere just normalizes it. People start seeing those things and agreeing with them, no matter how "ironically" he intending them to be taken.

Ideas like "let's get Donald Trump elected for the lulz" have real-world effects. "It was just for laughs, mate" isn't really a good excuse. At a certain point, it approaches "watching the world burn" territory.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#103

Post by ziggysak » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:21 PM UTC

Houshalter wrote: post #98

ziggysak wrote: post #79

I think an article such as this one is a clear example of the generational differences between older and younger people. I'm fairly close to these kids' age and I've browsed memes from /r/dankmemes and enjoyed them. The thing is, is that these memes are supposed to be self-aware of how offensive they are. That's the joke. They're meant to be so offensive and ridiculous that reactions can be drawn from outside spectat…

It's not a new thing. Dead baby jokes have been around forever, and popular comedians often use similar black humor. The article mentions the card game cards against humanity. Which is pretty popular and based on the same premise. I used to really like black humor. I frequently told dead baby jokes and similar stuff. Thank god that wasn't recorded. I'm alarmed to see many of the comments here outraged over the stuff…

I agree, but what is new is that suddenly kids are having their college acceptances revoked for dead baby jokes that the administrators probably also joked about 30 years ago, when they were 18.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#104

Post by weberc2 » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:21 PM UTC

fao_ wrote: post #65

nxsynonym wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

because free speech is universal. You can't cherry pick what topics/views/opinions are protected based on your world view.

People protecting the right of racists to spread racism, support racism. It cannot be any other way. You cannot claim that you dislike racism, and and also want to preserve it. Also, "Free speech" refers to the fact that the government cannot bust in to your house with a SWAT team and arrest you for speaking something that they don't like. Private companies can enforce whatever speech rules they like, and that doesn'…

There is lots of speech I dislike and don't support, but I don't oppress speakers or advocate for their oppression because I don't want people oppressing me when the tide turns. Supporting free speech is not the same as supporting the content of the speech.

Also worth pointing out that Harvard receives a lot of public dollars, so it's not the canonical private institution. Remember when everyone freaked out that the salvation army wouldn't employ openly gay preachers (but would employ homosexually in any other role) because though they were a private entity, they received NYC tax dollars, and then everyone freaked out when the SA announced that they would decline those tax dollars and reduce the scope of their work in the city accordingly?

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#105

Post by kodt » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

std_throwaway wrote: post #45

Ntrails wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most online forums involve the cunning use of pseudonyms so when I say "FYAD bitch" it doesn't come up on my college applications...

Not yet. The data is there to link it to you.

And by what legal means would a private university access that data to connect it?

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#106

Post by throwanem » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

ziggysak wrote: post #79

I think an article such as this one is a clear example of the generational differences between older and younger people. I'm fairly close to these kids' age and I've browsed memes from /r/dankmemes and enjoyed them. The thing is, is that these memes are supposed to be self-aware of how offensive they are. That's the joke. They're meant to be so offensive and ridiculous that reactions can be drawn from outside spectat…

Justine Sacco went out the same way.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#107

Post by mlrtime » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

ziggysak wrote: post #79

I think an article such as this one is a clear example of the generational differences between older and younger people. I'm fairly close to these kids' age and I've browsed memes from /r/dankmemes and enjoyed them. The thing is, is that these memes are supposed to be self-aware of how offensive they are. That's the joke. They're meant to be so offensive and ridiculous that reactions can be drawn from outside spectat…

poe's law?

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#108

Post by chatmasta » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:23 PM UTC

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #71

2_listerine_pls wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many do it for fun while not being racist. 4chan is an example.

I saw this firsthand with a former flatmate of mine. He passionately studied Semitic languages and Persian at uni, spent a lot of time traveling or studying abroad in Israel, Arab countries, and Iran. His social circle in Europe was heavy with immigrants from those countries and with them he seemed to be the best of friends. And yet he loved to visit 4chan and collect anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim memes to repost else…

Why do we need to decide if someone is "really racist" in the first place? To make ourselves feel good about being morally superior? To feel offended on behalf of people who we may not even understand?

Political correctness really has gotten out of hand, and the sooner people realize this, the sooner they'll begin to understand how we ended up with Trump as president.

The pendulum swings both ways. Be careful how hard you push it.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#109

Post by bjl » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:23 PM UTC

ziggysak wrote: post #79

I think an article such as this one is a clear example of the generational differences between older and younger people. I'm fairly close to these kids' age and I've browsed memes from /r/dankmemes and enjoyed them. The thing is, is that these memes are supposed to be self-aware of how offensive they are. That's the joke. They're meant to be so offensive and ridiculous that reactions can be drawn from outside spectat…

'Ironic' racism is still racism.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#110

Post by std_throwaway » Mon, Jun 05, 2017, 4:23 PM UTC

throwaway91111 wrote: post #90

std_throwaway wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...that privacy probably doesn't exist and free speech shouldn't be used.

No, that there are times, places, and contexts on how to use free speech. If you knowingly and publically associate your name with something offensive, there could be private consequences. Facebook is a public forum that happens to be visible to harvard staff. Students should know this.

...so we should hide before saying things that could offend someone?