• Thorny_Thicket
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      1 year ago

      I’m fairly certain the term “blacklist” came before traffic lights

    • Hello Hotel@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Words often work like unique signifiers “symbols”, often by using them you learn them and dont question it. Thats a neutral phenomenon. It has advantages and disadvantages. Mainly, redlist is as disconnected from meaning as much as blacklist is. Requiring the understanding of what a “car” is, and why they cant “wheel their way” thru a cross shaped road becuse of a colored light being there. (Mabe even “across” may make no sense anymore in the future) It sounds really stupid when put like that, but accessability is important.

    • SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      They came from voting in ancient Athens were people had a white ball and a black ball. You put one or the other into a jar, a black was a no vote, white was yes. It has never had anything to do with race. If it bothers you change the words for skin color instead then.

      “whitelist-blacklist are names where you need to learn the meaning of them”

      You could say this about every word. All language is based on past usage.