[conspire] I with I have $5000 for everyone who died of Wuhan-19

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Ruben Safir (ruben at mrbrklyn.com):

> I use any words I want and Oriental is a very nice word, in English

Yes, the word does just mean eastern, and the onus against it is a
basically symbolic one based on attributed associations, that are in
turn based on some truly wretched world history, but using it in 2020
will unavoidably result in most people associating you with bad company.
Decide for yourself whether that's metaphorically the hill you wish to
die on, sir.

In a similar sense, as I've mentioned on the telephone, I avoid the term
'atheist' in relation for myself, preferring 'non-theist' or 'apathist'
(as in, I really don't care about the issue) or 'agnostic', or
'Frisbeetarian'[1], primarily so I won't be lumped in with a bunch of
notorious buttheads who long ago grabbed onto the former term.

Some very nice words become problematic solely because of associations
they have gained.  You can call that unfair and waste time and energy
fighting against it, but it's the hand we're dealt.


[1] Explained by /usr/games/fortune as the doctrine that, when you die,
your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.