is the term " third world" racist

[Anonymous]

I thought rogue was the new "third"...meaning they try to have you believe that this is where terrorists come from...LMAO!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used that term once and some lady in a class got all upset saying her country was just like ours, I asked then why are you here at our university, she said her country didn't have them.............

I said oh I see how much they are alike........ sorry lady your 3rd world get over it

wow
that was rude of you. Why did you do it?

Reminds me of my conservative Rush Limbaugh listening cousin. We were sitting around having a couple of drinks, and talking about politics (I know, bad idea). Somehow the topic of England came up. After a few minutes, and a couple of requests for clarification, I came to the following realization: he honestly did not understand that the US was not considered the only "first world" country.

There are just some fairly cossetted, pig-ignorant folks out there.

I have met many Americans of various political persuasions who believe this. I am Brisitish. It's an ongoing joke with DH and me. He's always saying, "This is a micro-wave. Let me explain what it does since you had to grow up without such conveniences."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. When I think of 3rd world flying I think of a scary flight I had in Eastern Europe, with smoking passengers, lots of booze flowing, and lax flight laws.

PP, see 15:23 for historical explanation. These are Cold War terms. What you describe above would be "second world.".

I've been on a flight like that. I've also been on flights in the "third world;" the third world flights were scarier!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used that term once and some lady in a class got all upset saying her country was just like ours, I asked then why are you here at our university, she said her country didn't have them.............

I said oh I see how much they are alike........ sorry lady your 3rd world get over it

wow
that was rude of you. Why did you do it?

Reminds me of my conservative Rush Limbaugh listening cousin. We were sitting around having a couple of drinks, and talking about politics (I know, bad idea). Somehow the topic of England came up. After a few minutes, and a couple of requests for clarification, I came to the following realization: he honestly did not understand that the US was not considered the only "first world" country.

There are just some fairly cossetted, pig-ignorant folks out there.

I have met many Americans of various political persuasions who believe this. I am Brisitish. It's an ongoing joke with DH and me. He's always saying, "This is a micro-wave. Let me explain what it does since you had to grow up without such conveniences."

Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems.

[Anonymous]

The term Third World was originally coined in times of the Cold War to distinguish those nations that are neither aligned with the West (NATO) nor with the East, the Communist bloc. Today the term is often used to describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania.
Many poorer nations adopted the term to describe themselves.


What makes a nation third world?
Despite everevolving definitions, the concept of the third world serves to identify countries that suffer from high infant mortality, low economic development, high levels of poverty, low utilization of natural resources, and heavy dependence on industrialized nations. These are the developing and technologically less advanced nations of Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. Third world nations tend to have economies dependent on the developed countries and are generally characterized as poor with unstable governments and having high rates of population growth, illiteracy, and disease. A key factor is the lack of a middle class—with impoverished millions in a vast lower economic class and a very small elite upper class controlling the country’s wealth and resources. Most third world nations also have a very large foreign debt.


Here is a listing of the Third World Countries:

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/third_world.htm

[Anonymous]

"Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems. "

I guess you don't have much interest in "facilitating conversation" with any of the 2 billion-plus people in what you call the Third World. Good to know that you are "past" caring about being a jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems. "

I guess you don't have much interest in "facilitating conversation" with any of the 2 billion-plus people in what you call the Third World. Good to know that you are "past" caring about being a jerk.

It's not necessarily a pejorative--did you see the PP about yours?

[Anonymous]

It is not the preferred term but not racist.

Of course, if someone says that the CVS in Dupont reminds them of the Third World, they are probably being racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems. "

I guess you don't have much interest in "facilitating conversation" with any of the 2 billion-plus people in what you call the Third World. Good to know that you are "past" caring about being a jerk.

Well, I married a man from the Third World. Third World is a nicer term than what he uses, which generally "shit hole." Yes, I no longer care what crunchy oversensitive liberals think of me.

[Anonymous]

Is there a second world?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems. "

Thank you for letting us know you are past this, anonymous poster. Indeed, probably most of these posters had the same grad school debates. And yet people are still capable at taking offense at the these terms, shockingly enough. Imagine that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used that term once and some lady in a class got all upset saying her country was just like ours, I asked then why are you here at our university, she said her country didn't have them.............

I said oh I see how much they are alike........ sorry lady your 3rd world get over it

wow
that was rude of you. Why did you do it?

Reminds me of my conservative Rush Limbaugh listening cousin. We were sitting around having a couple of drinks, and talking about politics (I know, bad idea). Somehow the topic of England came up. After a few minutes, and a couple of requests for clarification, I came to the following realization: he honestly did not understand that the US was not considered the only "first world" country.

There are just some fairly cossetted, pig-ignorant folks out there.

I have met many Americans of various political persuasions who believe this. I am Brisitish. It's an ongoing joke with DH and me. He's always saying, "This is a micro-wave. Let me explain what it does since you had to grow up without such conveniences."

Wow someone was more condescending than a Brit, not sure I believe this!

I had these tedious debates in grad school about terms. I am past this. Third World, while not the preferred term by those who live in those countries, is generally understood by most people and facilitates conversation. Developing economies isn't correct either because it implies a forward moving economy, which really doesn't account for the endemic corruption and horrible social problems.

Hey British PP: I do get the fact that your DH is making a joke, not being condescending. He sounds kinda charming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. When I think of 3rd world flying I think of a scary flight I had in Eastern Europe, with smoking passengers, lots of booze flowing, and lax flight laws. A lot of those people had blonde hair. Wonder if that's racist. THing is DCUM is the paragon of PC, you have to watch every word here.

Ironically, of course, Eastern Europe is not 3rd world. Before the term became outdated, Eastern Europe was the heart of the "2nd world".

Now I feel old, must go clean those dentures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does no one here remember what it means? During the cold war: US and allies: first world, USSR and allies: second world, everybody else: third world. Pp was right, it's just outdated, not racist.

Agree. It's just not applicable today.

[Anonymous]

17:42, I guess you have a hall pass, then. Carry on per usual, then.