Ethics: Are we misusing the terms "master-slave". Do we even have a community / forum in which we can discuss this?

As someone who has been subjected to recent generational trauma, I don't understand this point of view in the slightest.

In some ways I think therein lies the answer. It would help stop irritating me whilst I work on products that use this sort of language.

Well put. 

As was commented further up this thread, to those coming from a white western perspective it's easy to see these as just words describing a fact of life. If you haven't been on the receiving end of the issue then it's hard to appreciate that the words describing that issue are emotive. (And if you have been on the receiving end, it's hard to appreciate that for others those words aren't emotive.)

An interesting exercise would be to propose the words bully/victim in place of master/slave. I suspect that some (although not all) who were happy with master/slave would suddenly feel uncomfortable with bully/victim - it's closer to home. 

I wouldn't normally respond to an old post, but since I know Alex is still around, and since it's very rare that we disagree on matters (I always enjoy Alex's posts), I will say for once I do disagree on this point. For me it's absolutely not a question of banning the words or sweeping them under the carpet - by raising this issue it's quite the opposite: it's (should we choose to do so) making people think about what those words actually mean, and then considering whether we are using them in an appropriate context. And further (and perhaps most concerningly) whether using them in this way normalises the idea of a master/slave relationship. It may, it may not (although I suspect it does), but it's worth discussing. Which was the point of this thread at the start.

It's not straightforward, language does evolve, and sometimes words take on new meanings in different contexts, so I can see an argument that the technical use of Master/Slave is now a separate use of language from the human use. But I suspect we're not at that point, my feeling is that the terms simply haven't been around enough for the link to be broken. Interesting article here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236752849_Broken_Metaphor_The_Master-Slave_Analogy_in_Technical_Literature/link/5469f9170cf2397f78300c7f/download

(I found it while trying to find out how long the term had been in use.)

Thanks,

Andy

I am an Old (very), White and Male. I am offended when people group me under the collective acronym OWM (“Old White Men” – a group of Baby Boomers who choose to act like they are the only ones who matter and are known for their bias on racial, financial or government matters) as it does not describe my views, actions, beliefs nor my physical or mental capabilities and I had no control over my ethnicity, colour , religion or nationality at birth.

Being old and white I have no idea what it is like to grow up in a society prejudiced against me, apart from both my parents  being Irish and me growing up in an age where "No coloureds, no dogs and no Irish" was a common sign on boarding houses.

During my working life I have worked with people of all races, colours, sexes and sexuality in many countries without, I hope, ever offending any of them. Although I did have one female manager who appeared to be offended by my existence, although I had a couple of colleagues in the same boat.  

I think the UK is now going mad and banning words used for a perfectly good reason that in my view can only cause offence to those who want to be offended is a step to far and the action of a group who want to take us to the world of truthspeak as per 1984 and free speech is not allowed.

On a different forum there recently was a post from a respected member who was accused of racism because he asked an assistant in a DIY shed "where the spade connectors are". He ended up showing a manager the items called spade connectors on the companies web site and on the Screwfix web site. He also asked the manager if they sold spades but was told that was different.

100% back you on this KFH. As a fellow Irishman and therefore from a 'efnk mynoritee' my experiences echo your own, yet I didn't go running around shouting woe is me, I just got on with the job.

The trouble with this do-gooders is that their views only apply to everyone else and not themselves. If it doesn't fit their narrative then they change the rules. No point in arguing with idiots, they'll only bring you down to their level.