Thread: Discrimination

It's all in the definitions. To me discrimination is simply distinguishing between two different things.

To many people the word discrimination carries a negative meaning, having something to do with biased discrimination against people within a "protected class". Discrimination such as that is wrong, but that does not mean that all discrimination is wrong.

It's just an example of another word that has lost it's meaning.

I can't see that making rules about swimming ability is in any way racist. Certainly height could be slightly more controversial. I've swum in lots of pools in several countries and have never seen a height restriction.
Are we talking about a pure swimming pool or some kind of leisure attraction with a slide or chute?
If the rules are quite clearly posted in an area where a customer can see them before they part with their cash, then I would politely tell them that if they have any issues then they should complain to the management.
In the UK we've got to a point where political correctness is starting to adversely affect those it is intended to protect.

You are 100% correct, Greg, and people do have a negative view of discrimination. Often people will discriminate on the basis of race or gender, but discriminating for health and safety is only sensible. People have the same kind of misunderstanding of 'chauvinism'. That word is often thrown around with the assumption that it refers to men, but when employed correctly it most frequently refers to nationalism.

I thought I was right.

Interestingly enough my boss gave me a definition of discrimination, which was more like a definition of prejudice. I think the two words are confused these days.

And, for the record, it's basically a whirlpool. It has a fairly strong current (I've never seen any one successfully swim or walk against it) and a downward pull. Basically the water is 1.2m deep and the height restriction is 1.4m, so standing they have a head and shoulders above the water.

Perhaps you should use the word 'distinguish' in stead which tends to have a positive connotation.

That sounds like an unfortunate and avoidable confrontation due to language... It is certainly true that our society has turned the word 'discrimination' into one with lots of negative connotations, you are better off just saying 'discerning' to avoid having people jump to the negative stigma of the other word. Good luck.

Originally Posted by gregs656

Today, a woman got quite angry about this saying that it was racist and discrimination blah blah blah

so the woman was saying it was racist discrimination

I think that is the definition the listeners of your story chose to use because that was the definition the woman was using

if you want to use the word in another capacity (not racist discrimination but rather size discrimination), you need to clarify that in this situation

Originally Posted by gregs656

... it's basically a whirlpool. It has a fairly strong current (I've never seen any one successfully swim or walk against it) and a downward pull. Basically the water is 1.2m deep and the height restriction is 1.4m, so standing they have a head and shoulders above the water.

And if anyone goes under and can't get their head above the surface, the water won't discriminate as to whom it drowns.

But anyway, to avoid misunderstanding, I guess it's probably prudent to speak of distinguishing between swimmers and non-swimmers (for example) and save "discriminate" for food, music, and other things besides human beings.

~Rich

Originally Posted by khaos

Discrimination is a good thing most times- it lets me choose chocolate ice cream over vanilla etc. Its just bad when it becomes hate crimes. Like my "type" is brunette white women. Am I a bigot for not dating blondes or other races? No.

Yes, if you turn down an extremely hot blonde and youa re not dating anyone, you are a bigot and you will regret it. I like brunettes too, but am dating a blonde, so am I a bigot for not being choosy? NO

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

so the woman was saying it was racist discrimination

No, she wasn't. She called one of my colleges racist, and she said the rule was discrimination.

I never spoke to this woman. The point I was trying to make was that I agree with her, I think the rule does discriminate, I don't think it's a bad thing that it does though.

I guess my point is people are corrupting the meanings of words in order to give them negative connotations, when in fact it's not the action that is wrong, it's the intent or the reason for the act that defines whether or not it is good or bad. Does that make sense?