I find it frustrating that the phrase "third world" has just become a stand-in for the word "poor" in modern usage. Since the original definition of "third world" was nations not aligned with either the USA or the Soviet Union. That makes this double racist and xenophobic because at least if he made it a Soviet foot that would track with their fear of communism. Instead, it's a brown foot labeled with a definition that implies that the rest of the (poor) world, not aligned with any specific ideology is taking over the USA. That makes no sense. Basically, they're just afraid of poor, brown people. Not very surprising.
I mean, what you're describing isn't subtext, it's text. "If we let in too many poor immigrant the country will turn to shit, not because they're bad people with bad ideology, but because there's only so many poors we can integrate." I remember a South Park episode that exemplifies this kind "compassionate anti-immigration" sentiment. I think it was called Goobacks or something.
third world can also be very affirmative. in vijay prashad's history, the third world is the noble and dignified revolutionaries that both resisted colonialism and rejected capitalist imperialism, and rejected the militancy and authoritarianism of the eastern block. the ones that learned from both and were to build a new world system based on bilateral cameraderie and pluralism. i use that definition, but am always overrun with people with this kneejerk hatred of the term
and rejected the militancy and authoritarianism of the eastern block
I mean, the Eastern Bloc was far from ideal but this sounds like a reductive holdover from liberal readings on the Cold War. One side was actively "imperializing" while the other was giving weapons and aid to people resisting that.
I find it frustrating that the phrase "third world" has just become a stand-in for the word "poor" in modern usage. Since the original definition of "third world" was nations not aligned with either the USA or the Soviet Union. That makes this double racist and xenophobic because at least if he made it a Soviet foot that would track with their fear of communism. Instead, it's a brown foot labeled with a definition that implies that the rest of the (poor) world, not aligned with any specific ideology is taking over the USA. That makes no sense. Basically, they're just afraid of poor, brown people. Not very surprising.
it hasn't become a stand-in for "poor," it's become a stand-in for "nonwhite and also poor"
Or just “nonwhite”. I doubt these guys would be happy about all the Asians and Indians in Silicon Valley.
Steve Bannon wasn't, and thinks that half the CEOs are from those demographics lmao
The third world, through the NAM, definitely sought to assert itself as an independent force. But I don't think that's what Ben's getting at here
I mean, what you're describing isn't subtext, it's text. "If we let in too many poor immigrant the country will turn to shit, not because they're bad people with bad ideology, but because there's only so many poors we can integrate." I remember a South Park episode that exemplifies this kind "compassionate anti-immigration" sentiment. I think it was called Goobacks or something.
third world can also be very affirmative. in vijay prashad's history, the third world is the noble and dignified revolutionaries that both resisted colonialism and rejected capitalist imperialism, and rejected the militancy and authoritarianism of the eastern block. the ones that learned from both and were to build a new world system based on bilateral cameraderie and pluralism. i use that definition, but am always overrun with people with this kneejerk hatred of the term
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Right after I posted this I was listening to the most recent episode of Death is Just Around the Corner and the host said basically the same thing.
I mean, the Eastern Bloc was far from ideal but this sounds like a reductive holdover from liberal readings on the Cold War. One side was actively "imperializing" while the other was giving weapons and aid to people resisting that.
thats how the third world theorists viewed them