The Audacious Epigone looks closely at the opinions regarding the banning of unpopular speech which I posted on earlier. I limited the sample to whites, because after all, who cares what coloreds think? No seriously, I was trying to get population substructure out of the way (this is why Barack Hussein Obama won the most religious in the South, and the least religious outside of the South). In any case, it seems that whites are the most robust supporters of free speech. If you think about it closely this makes sense, as speech and power are intimately connected, and whites have a long history of wielding verbal violence. Expression is a double edged sword and the white male power structure has used the rusty ragged edge against people of color for generations. Why bar themselves from the utilization of this "liberty"? These findings should perhaps force us to reconsider the culturally biased and normative presuppositions which lay behind American idolatry of the concept of conscience.
I think this is simplistic. That is, there is an element of truth to it but it's far from the whole truth. Consider, for example, that Jews are enthusiastic supporters of free speech, despite the fact that we are frequently the target of it. I'd argue that this is partly based on the calculation that if speech were less free, sooner or later it would become illegal to voice opinions that run contrary to the majority religion.
If you think about it closely this makes sense, as speech and power are intimately connected, and whites have a long history of wielding verbal violence. Expression is a double edged sword and the white male power structure has used the rusty ragged edge against people of color for generations. Why bar themselves from the utilization of this "liberty"?
You've got this joke refined down well in the last 12 years. Did you memorize it or do you have it saved so you can cut and paste? I was going to say that it's getting old but some people still think you're serious.
I don't remember seeing this happen in the main body of a post before. Wait, does this mean...there is no Razib, only Zuul?
Then why is there also strong support for free speech among Asians--as much or more than whites in most of those charts?
Also, why would minority groups be more likely to want to suppress the speech of commies and atheists? Does having the "ragged edge" of free speech used against you make you more closed-minded?
You've gone from trolling the comments on other blogs to trolling in your blog's posts? For shame.
I don't remember seeing this happen in the main body of a post before.
I heard it before, but I've known Razib from year 5 PBE (Pre blog Era)
I was going to say something similar to L's remark above.
On a more serious note, whites and asians are the two racial groups (whatever that means) who show the strongest support for free speech in the GSS. In fact, they generally have a higher level of education than either blacks of Hispanics. They also have higher average WORDSUM scores. Both education and WORDSUM are correlated with free speech support.
Also, whites are in general less likely to be the targets of racist speech so at least for that question they are probably less likely to want to censor racists since they aren't often the targets. Thus, their can be an actual racial issue at play here.
And now, to see how many more commentators think that Razib's remarks above are serious...
19 days too early....
The joke probably gets old for people in the sciences before it does for those of us in the liberal arts. You're not subjected to this crap and expected to oooooh and aaaaah over it like we are.
It sounds like you really enjoy reading the "stuff white people like" list. Language is the key issue here. English originated and evolved around... white people. Therefore discussions of free speech in English are inevitably tied back to the unfortunate coincidence of the scientific Renaissance and with the spread of the British empire.
While you bring it up, talking about genetic differences in a completely free environment entails being able to point out these differences without fear of sounding racist.
But this is not how it is. people don't always like to be reminded of their own genetic constitution. Asians do not like to be told that they have lower tolerance for alcohol because of difference in their ADH gene.
It is ironic that your blog is titled "gene expression" while you are in essence making the claim that championing free expression is relegated to a white power structure. I am sorry you have to live in a world of paranoia where every white person is out to get you but this is a world of your own creation.
I have always been impressed with free speech in Caucasian Soviet Russia.
You're trolling your *own* blog, now? Good grief.
Kris: I would like to tell you what's going on, but being obscure is more fun.
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
This looks like a nerd Friday the 13th party. Wish I would have been invited.
"The joke probably gets old for people in the sciences before it does for those of us in the liberal arts. You're not subjected to this crap and expected to oooooh and aaaaah over it like we are."
Ha! But hey, aren't humanities folks supposed to be better at the reading between the lines and catching subtle nuanced speech, with their superior theory of mind/emotional intelligence than stereotypically aspergerish science nerds, who are supposed to take things at face value?
This stopped being funny like, seven months ago.
If it doesn't go against prevailing thought, it ain't free speech.
I'd fight for free speech.
just a quick note
1) i've done this for a long time on this weblog. close readers know this. those who aren't, don't.
2) obviously i don't give a shit about what you find funny (cue comment about all the subscription money i'm getting). i've mellowed in terms of ripping commenters and telling you people how little most of your opinions are of interest, but perhaps i should ramp that up again ;-) though now i'll have to mod this shit, so probably not.