There’s so much to dive into here, but I really like the fact that you called out higher class dialects. I think that’s a big problem in our world (even in radical scenes). I grew up rurally in a town of 1500 and am currently living rurally again. Not to sound like a classist but if you speak about racism, gender, etc in words that people don’t understand they aren’t going to follow what you’re saying. I’m an educated trades person who studies alone and I don’t even understand half of it! Anyway great article as always.
And continuing on your point, I think it's not at all about intelligence, they really just function as different dialects. Just that upper class people aren't judged for not being able to speak lower class dialects because one is turned into a symbol of intelligence and the other into a symbol of ignorance. And the only reason that happens is to uphold the mythology of upper class superiority and merit (which, as with all things class-related, also maps onto whiteness and racialization).
On the other hand, there is nothing worse than people who change their dialects to sound more proletarian or whatever. I would still think that more important than the dialect they happen to speak, which can be an acquired one, in the way our universities function, is their attitude behind it.
Thanks for this Peter. So often you are able to put into words, or tease out frameworks to contextualize, thoughts that so far had floated around in me in vagueness and/or confusion up to that point. This is very helpful, yet again.
Thanks, I really appreciate your kindness. And as always, feel free to let me know when something doesn't come across well, or if you think I'm mistaken about something.
Thanks, Peter. You are speaking to how I make a living, albeit what I do is not reproducible, which organisations find very irksome. It is very time consuming to build relationships, hear from others, spend time reflecting in affinity groups, and then downright dangerous (to them) to move into how this connects to asylum seekers and the genocide of Palestinians. All the way showing how how white supremacy sucks for everyone. I suspect not many people will hire me to do this but I’m grateful for the couple that do give me that freedom to connect dots and go into deeply uncomfortable places for the white managers.
There’s so much to dive into here, but I really like the fact that you called out higher class dialects. I think that’s a big problem in our world (even in radical scenes). I grew up rurally in a town of 1500 and am currently living rurally again. Not to sound like a classist but if you speak about racism, gender, etc in words that people don’t understand they aren’t going to follow what you’re saying. I’m an educated trades person who studies alone and I don’t even understand half of it! Anyway great article as always.
Thanks so much!
And continuing on your point, I think it's not at all about intelligence, they really just function as different dialects. Just that upper class people aren't judged for not being able to speak lower class dialects because one is turned into a symbol of intelligence and the other into a symbol of ignorance. And the only reason that happens is to uphold the mythology of upper class superiority and merit (which, as with all things class-related, also maps onto whiteness and racialization).
On the other hand, there is nothing worse than people who change their dialects to sound more proletarian or whatever. I would still think that more important than the dialect they happen to speak, which can be an acquired one, in the way our universities function, is their attitude behind it.
Thanks for this Peter. So often you are able to put into words, or tease out frameworks to contextualize, thoughts that so far had floated around in me in vagueness and/or confusion up to that point. This is very helpful, yet again.
Thanks, I really appreciate your kindness. And as always, feel free to let me know when something doesn't come across well, or if you think I'm mistaken about something.
Great writing, when I get a job I'll pay for more :)
That McDonalds sign setting off my Ai alarms
Thanks, Peter. You are speaking to how I make a living, albeit what I do is not reproducible, which organisations find very irksome. It is very time consuming to build relationships, hear from others, spend time reflecting in affinity groups, and then downright dangerous (to them) to move into how this connects to asylum seekers and the genocide of Palestinians. All the way showing how how white supremacy sucks for everyone. I suspect not many people will hire me to do this but I’m grateful for the couple that do give me that freedom to connect dots and go into deeply uncomfortable places for the white managers.