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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   34426 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of March 13, 2023

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How could it be the bedrock of moral progress if we don’t even think about them? That’s my point we’ve been doing our own thing and their existence is an after thought. It’s as ridiculous to think the moral universe revolves around black Americans as it is to think the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Its a historical claim. About what, historically, has been the source of moral progress. Just as one might argue that physicists have been the source of material progress, even though most people don't think about them either. Whether it is true is, of course, a different question.

And, you know who else whose existence is an afterthought? Quakers. Yet, it is perfectly possible to argue that, they, historically have been a source of moral progress. And, no one thinks about the Irish much, but it is perfectly possible to argue that they were the source of progress during one historical period.

Blacks were the recipients of moral progress in the West not the drivers. Physicists and engineers actually drove material progress. That's the difference.

Your point about the Irish isn't exactly wrong, the Irish monks certainly maintained classical works through laborious reproduction, but I find people lionizing their ethnicity as somehow world historically special a sad genre. People needing to look back at their 'ancestors' (these monks didn't leave any descendants) to feel good about themselves is kind of pathetic. Especially when the whole reason they are doing it is that their ancestors in the recent past were so pathetic.

Your point about the Irish isn't exactly wrong

I haven't made a point about the Irish. Nor a point about African Americans. I have simply tried to clarify the nature of the claim made by the OP.

But, in the substantive point, I took the OP to be referring to things like the Civil Rights Movement, where I think it is fair to say that blacks were the drivers of moral progress.

And all of us who either immigrated after the Civil Rights Movement ended or lived in places with few or no Blacks?

I don’t understand your question.

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