The things we can't say, or can't say without a fight, are a pretty good guide to the things that have been removed from the domain of rational discourse. Other examples include abortion, feminism (though this was never in that domain), regulation, trade policy, taxes.
Commentator Joseph Goodfriend points out that "race" belongs in that list, though, like feminism, it is one of the subjects that was never part of rational discussion.
[2015.02.05] And economist Jared Bernstein points out that the distribution of income is another.
Any more to add to the list?
3 comments:
Here's one: we're no longer allowed to discuss disparities in America by by race. For example, if I mention that police are far more likely to stop black persons than white persons, I get a lecture from some folks about not "trying to divide people by race" and "why don't I become colorblind."
Race, yes, that's a good one.
If only because ...
"race" doesn't exist in humans, not really.
"Inbred" (i.e.throroughly propagandised & impresses-at-an-early-age cultural conditoning is much stronger in humans, given the complexity of human societies, than minor genetic variations.
As for abortion, well, it is possible to have a rational debate about it, provided one keeps religious believers (who by definition are irrational, since they believe in BigSkyFairy) out of the discussion.
Um
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