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Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

theguardian.com

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Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#21

Post by no_one_ever »

the_af wrote: post #13
Angostura wrote: post #8

These comments, particularly those about toilet habits don't really look too different from the comments I was reading 5 years about about the behaviour of Chinese tourists, so I'm not sure what to think about this. If you took a contemporary Chinese sophisticate and transported him or her back to 1920s China, what would his or her comments be like?

Shock at different toilet habits is actually the least racist and more understandable reaction. But some of his assertions are indefensible: > “I noticed how little difference there is between men and women; I don’t understand what kind of fatal attraction Chinese women possess which enthrals the corresponding men to such an extent that they are incapable of defending themselves against the formidable blessing of off…

> "It would be a pity if these Chinese supplant all other races. For the likes of us the mere thought is unspeakably dreary."

What if he is just implying that the loss of global racial diversity would be dismal, given that Chinese dwarf all other races in the world by a large margin? FWIW I know this is unlikely given the context of this post.

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#22

Post by YouAreGreat »

zimzim wrote: post #16
stanfordkid wrote: post #11

I don't see what the big deal is ... everyone thinks stuff like this in their head, and it's a personal diary. Only recently do we live in a globalized & diverse economy which makes it less polite to say stuff like this. It is a big stretch to equate lack of politeness with racism .

not everyone

... is an Einstein

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#23

Post by Sjenk »

SZJX wrote: post #5
Sjenk wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it so "shocking"? Discussing racial differences was more common in his time... Thats why they put it between quotes I guess, and I guess for the extra clicks. I hope this story will help people realize that we should not ban the work of people who have said problematic things. Also this. That is the reason I shared this article.

That is a way of looking at it. Another perspective is that any attempt to deify a real human being is bound to be nonsensical, and we should always be wary of the complex human nature behind a carefully constructed "public figure". At least hopefully nobody will somehow look at this as an excuse for their own racist agenda (i.e. look, such a greatly respected person has also been so racist, why can't I?). The simpli…

At least hopefully nobody will somehow look at this as an excuse for their own racist agenda (i.e. look, such a greatly respected person has also been so racist, why can't I?)

Lets hope it, although I am afraid, there will be persons who use it as an excuse or even some sort of scientific evidence or proof. I.e: "See even one of the smartest person walked on this earth finds Chinese gross this must proof something about the Chinese right?!"

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#24

Post by classicsnoot »

Without taking any sides in this particular case, i highly recommend everyone read Intellectuals and Race[1] by Thomas Sowell. It is a concise, well researched, and largely damning look at how the same intellectual class that is leading the charge of globalized western morality (particularly in regards to enforced diversity, ethnic erasure, race based policies, and identity/victimhood politics) is cut from the very same cloth of their predecessors in the early 20th century (the Progressives) who championed Social Darwinism, racial segregation, and eugenics. He draws many parallels between the two groups, including but not limited to the perceived unanimity of thought amongst the "greatest, leading minds," the utter incomprehensibility by the status quo to even consider dissenting ideas, the ostensible moral superiority, and the faith based reliance upon unproven assertions. It is a brief and powerful read. Regardless of one's politics, Sowell forces the reader to honestly confront preconceived notions not with emotional exhortation, but rather hard facts and verifiable data.

[1]https://www.amazon.com/Intellectuals-Race-Thomas-Sowell/dp/0...

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#25

Post by the_af »

mooseburger wrote: post #18
the_af wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shock at different toilet habits is actually the least racist and more understandable reaction. But some of his assertions are indefensible: > “I noticed how little difference there is between men and women; I don’t understand what kind of fatal attraction Chinese women possess which enthrals the corresponding men to such an extent that they are incapable of defending themselves against the formidable blessing of off…

Those statements boil down to "I think Chinese people are ugly". Do men have a moral obligation to find women of all races beautiful?

I can say "I don't find most Chinese women attractive". Or I can say "Chinese women are so ugly, I cannot understand how people manage to reproduce in China". Do you see the difference? One statement is not racist and the other is.

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#27

Post by coldtea »

liveoneggs wrote: post #9

After your death all of your life's browser history, every facebook/youtube/reddit/HN/myspace/etc comment and submission you ever wrote, every photo you ever took, every off-hand remark you ever made in the presence of a smartphone with facebook installed .. will be published for all of the world to read and judge. Better get that road rage under wraps!

>Better get that road rage under wraps!

After my death I could not care less...

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#29

Post by ilitirit »

stanfordkid wrote: post #11

I don't see what the big deal is ... everyone thinks stuff like this in their head, and it's a personal diary. Only recently do we live in a globalized & diverse economy which makes it less polite to say stuff like this. It is a big stretch to equate lack of politeness with racism .

> “It would be a pity if these Chinese supplant all other races. For the likes of us the mere thought is unspeakably dreary.”

That's pretty much xenophobia in a nutshell.

Re: Einstein's travel diaries reveal attitudes towards people he met in Asia

#30

Post by galuggus »

stanfordkid wrote: post #11

I don't see what the big deal is ... everyone thinks stuff like this in their head, and it's a personal diary. Only recently do we live in a globalized & diverse economy which makes it less polite to say stuff like this. It is a big stretch to equate lack of politeness with racism .

"Chinese don’t sit on benches while eating but squat like Europeans do when they relieve themselves out in the leafy woods. All this occurs quietly and demurely"

This is still true in the countryside. It's a cultural not racial difference.

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