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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Human race -- is it still widely used
Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently so. I searched and turned up a whole bunch of references from today, and even here in a.u.e cybercypher and Raymond Wise seem to have used it.
Yet it has been some time, perhaps 20 years, since I've heard the term deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media. My mother used to talk of "the human race" and even more stupidly in context "the Australian race" but that was a very long time ago now.
At one level it seems an odd term. There is of course an energetic debate over exactly what "race" is in this context and I certainly don't propose to start one of those here.
We have a term species to cover all humanity and I wonder why anyone would use race when it has such a problematic and contentious history. For the most part, it seems to refer to some sub-group within the species.
I wonder how most of us think of this term.
Fran
Yet it has been some time, perhaps 20 years, since I've heard the term deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media. My mother used to talk of "the human race" and even more stupidly in context "the Australian race" but that was a very long time ago now.
At one level it seems an odd term. There is of course an energetic debate over exactly what "race" is in this context and I certainly don't propose to start one of those here.
We have a term species to cover all humanity and I wonder why anyone would use race when it has such a problematic and contentious history. For the most part, it seems to refer to some sub-group within the species.
I wonder how most of us think of this term.
Fran
Top answer
[nq:1]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently so. I searched and turned up a whole bunch of ... [/nq] You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.
- [nq:1]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently so.
- I searched and turned up a whole bunch of ...
- [/nq] You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.
- [nq:1]My mother used to talk of "the human race" and even more stupidly in context "the Australian race" but that ...
- it seems an odd term.
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117 Answers
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[nq:1]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently so. I searched and turned up a whole bunch of ... some time, perhaps 20 years, since I've heard the term deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media.[/nq]
You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass
You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass
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[nq:2]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently ... deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media.[/nq]
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value,[/nq]
Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.
[nq:1]and you seem to pay much too much attention
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value,[/nq]
Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.
[nq:1]and you seem to pay much too much attention
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[nq:2]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently ... deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media.[/nq]
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value,[/nq]
Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.
[nq:1]and you seem to pay much too much attention
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value,[/nq]
Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.
[nq:1]and you seem to pay much too much attention
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[nq:2]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value,[/nq]
[nq:1]Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.[/nq]
Aha! Just as I thought: a relative youngster.
[nq:2]and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.[/nq]
[nq:1]Pard
[nq:1]Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.[/nq]
Aha! Just as I thought: a relative youngster.
[nq:2]and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.[/nq]
[nq:1]Pard
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[nq:2]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently ... deployed either by an acquaintance or in the mass media.[/nq]
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.[/nq]
Perhaps, Franke, but you've gotta admit she's a good writer.
Charles Rigg
[nq:1]You must hang out with people who are far too young to know anything of value, and you seem to pay much too much attention to the wheezings and screechings of the mass media.[/nq]
Perhaps, Franke, but you've gotta admit she's a good writer.
Charles Rigg
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[nq:1]Well if usenet or the web is any indication, apparently so. I searched and turned up a whole bunch of references from today, and even here in a.u.e cybercypher and Raymond Wise seem to have used it.[/nq]
Well, when Ray's right, he's right.
Charles Riggs
Well, when Ray's right, he's right.
Charles Riggs
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Speak for yourself, old boy. Has anyone ever met a person with a sloped forehead who wasn't a borderline halfwit, or less smart? I know I haven't.
Not phrenology, but men with hairy backs, too. Would you expect one to carry on a coherent discussion of special relativity, Franke? Yes, one might be able to, but a less hairy man would be more likely to. Hair on the face is OK, of course, along wi
Not phrenology, but men with hairy backs, too. Would you expect one to carry on a coherent discussion of special relativity, Franke? Yes, one might be able to, but a less hairy man would be more likely to. Hair on the face is OK, of course, along wi
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[nq:2]Well I am somewhat in the top half of the age band at my workplace. Most of my acquaintances are younger I'm nearly 47.[/nq]
[nq:1]Aha! Just as I thought: a relative youngster.[/nq]
Thanks ... I assume.
[nq:2]Pardon??? How so?[/nq]
[nq:1]You say you haven't heard the phrase "the human race" in the mass media for the past 20 years. I say "Who cares?".[/nq]
Many people, evi
[nq:1]Aha! Just as I thought: a relative youngster.[/nq]
Thanks ... I assume.
[nq:2]Pardon??? How so?[/nq]
[nq:1]You say you haven't heard the phrase "the human race" in the mass media for the past 20 years. I say "Who cares?".[/nq]
Many people, evi
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[nq:2]Aha! Just as I thought: a relative youngster.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thanks ... I assume.[/nq]
I've got 15 years on you. I'd be happy to be 47 in body again.
[nq:2]You say you haven't heard the phrase "the human race" in the mass media for the past 20 years. I say "Who cares?".[/nq]
[nq:1]Many people, evidently, whether they should or not.[/nq]
A major source of discomfort and even p
[nq:1]Thanks ... I assume.[/nq]
I've got 15 years on you. I'd be happy to be 47 in body again.
[nq:2]You say you haven't heard the phrase "the human race" in the mass media for the past 20 years. I say "Who cares?".[/nq]
[nq:1]Many people, evidently, whether they should or not.[/nq]
A major source of discomfort and even p
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[nq:2]Thanks ... I assume.[/nq]
[nq:1]I've got 15 years on you. I'd be happy to be 47 in body again.[/nq]
And I wouldn't mind a rewind to 17 again. Gosh wouldn't I raise a ruckus and do some things differently?! Well perhaps I'd just get a shot at different mistakes.
[nq:2]Many people, evidently, whether they should or not.[/nq]
[nq:1]A major source of discomfort and even pain in t
[nq:1]I've got 15 years on you. I'd be happy to be 47 in body again.[/nq]
And I wouldn't mind a rewind to 17 again. Gosh wouldn't I raise a ruckus and do some things differently?! Well perhaps I'd just get a shot at different mistakes.
[nq:2]Many people, evidently, whether they should or not.[/nq]
[nq:1]A major source of discomfort and even pain in t
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