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by Born1973 on October 20th, 2006

Born1973

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A couple of years ago I was told that most Asian people are offended when they're referred to as being "Oriental" and that the term "Oriental" should refer to only things like food, furniture, etc. Why?

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  • by neokantian on October 20th, 2006

    neokantian

    This could probably be understood in several ways. There are many people who don't like to be lumped into a group, since this implies that "they are all the same." When it comes to inanimate objects, as in the subject of food and furniture, the label gets "unloaded" of its human element, and is less likelly to be seen as an unappropriate generalization. This sort of general reference is more commonly used by those who have had no close personal encounters with individuals from within any group. In short, we are all unique, and should be treated that way. It is up to each individual to realize that this sort of individual has probably made such a reference through ignorance, and a bit of education may change their approach to generalizations. Cheer up!

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