5 ms·

Can we call it the chinese variant then? Because we do that with the new mutations: the brazilian variant, british variant, south african variant

chc 5y ago
I don't have a position on what to call it myself, but I don't see any reason why someone would be insistent on finding some way to call it "Chinese" unless they were attempting to cast blame in a way that "Brazilian variant," "British variant," etc. do not. If most authorities are not already calling it the "Chinese variant," I don't see why you'd call it that. If they are, then obviously you can call it that.
spurgu 5y ago
In that context "the original Chinese variant" certainly makes sense.
nemothekid 5y ago
>Can we call it the chinese variant then? Ok sure. What did you win? Have you now advanced science and solved all unknown problems in virology? Was the progress of mankind so impeded by the inability to call COVID-19 the Chinese variant? Seriously ask yourself why you are so hung up on being able to call it the China virus. Are doctors around the world completely unable to sequence this virus because they can’t say the word “China virus”, or does it just make you feel better to be able to prescribe blame to a group of people? I think we can agree there’s open mystery about the origin of the virus without getting caught up in culture war trite. British people aren’t being murdered because of some loose connection to a virus, the very least you could do is show some tact and try not to insert your bias at every opportunity.
- thereisnospork 5y ago
  It is important to be able to call it the 'China virus' for all the reasons China doesn't want it to be called that - names have power and squelching one to avoid offending a country is at best a slippery slope.
  - standardUser 5y ago
    You can call it the China virus if you want. You can't be cited or sued for doing so. But most people prefer to avoid terms that can reasonably be linked to harassment and violence against minorities. Your argument also assumes that there is some need to inform people of the origin of COVID-19. There is not. We all know it originated in China and most people now even know the name of China's 9th largest city.
    - thereisnospork 5y ago
      Why are you conflating 'china virus' with violence and racism? China is a country. >We all know it originated in China and most people now even know the name of China's 9th largest city. And history should continue to reflect this fact by naming the virus after it's origin instead of this Orwellian tip-toeing around refusing to call a spade a spade.
      - standardUser 5y ago
        You're being pedantic and disingenuous. Or just really, really dense.
  - nemothekid 5y ago
    The “power” you are exerting is the one killing innocent American citizens. The CCP doesn’t give a flying fuck that you are calling it China virus. That you would put American lives at risk for some superficial insult at the CCP says you care more about your perceived superiority than actually solving problems pertaining to the virus. Again it is Americans who are dying, not the Chinese.
    - brankoB 5y ago
      I can't imagine a situation in which someone dies because I used the term China virus. Also the CCP definitely cares. Negative PR for a country which is a major exporter is a bad thing for the country.
standardUser 5y ago
No, because there are a lot of people of Chinese descent in the US and they have historically been targeted and oppressed by the government and the public. If South Africans in the US started getting attacked (I've met two or three over the years) then we would all want to stop using that phrase as well. Maybe if the US didn't have a very large number of people who are willing to harass people of visibly different races we wouldn't have to have these discussions and worry so much about our language. But we do, and we have a track record of specific races being attacked when nations that have a majority of that race become embroiled in international issues.

chc 5y ago

I don't have a position on what to call it myself, but I don't see any reason why someone would be insistent on finding some way to call it "Chinese" unless they were attempting to cast blame in a way that "Brazilian variant," "British variant," etc. do not. If most authorities are not already calling it the "Chinese variant," I don't see why you'd call it that. If they are, then obviously you can call it that.

spurgu 5y ago

In that context "the original Chinese variant" certainly makes sense.

nemothekid 5y ago

>Can we call it the chinese variant then? Ok sure. What did you win? Have you now advanced science and solved all unknown problems in virology? Was the progress of mankind so impeded by the inability to call COVID-19 the Chinese variant? Seriously ask yourself why you are so hung up on being able to call it the China virus. Are doctors around the world completely unable to sequence this virus because they can’t say the word “China virus”, or does it just make you feel better to be able to prescribe blame to a group of people? I think we can agree there’s open mystery about the origin of the virus without getting caught up in culture war trite. British people aren’t being murdered because of some loose connection to a virus, the very least you could do is show some tact and try not to insert your bias at every opportunity.

thereisnospork 5y ago
It is important to be able to call it the 'China virus' for all the reasons China doesn't want it to be called that - names have power and squelching one to avoid offending a country is at best a slippery slope.
- standardUser 5y ago
  You can call it the China virus if you want. You can't be cited or sued for doing so. But most people prefer to avoid terms that can reasonably be linked to harassment and violence against minorities. Your argument also assumes that there is some need to inform people of the origin of COVID-19. There is not. We all know it originated in China and most people now even know the name of China's 9th largest city.
  - thereisnospork 5y ago
    Why are you conflating 'china virus' with violence and racism? China is a country. >We all know it originated in China and most people now even know the name of China's 9th largest city. And history should continue to reflect this fact by naming the virus after it's origin instead of this Orwellian tip-toeing around refusing to call a spade a spade.
    - standardUser 5y ago
      You're being pedantic and disingenuous. Or just really, really dense.
- nemothekid 5y ago
  The “power” you are exerting is the one killing innocent American citizens. The CCP doesn’t give a flying fuck that you are calling it China virus. That you would put American lives at risk for some superficial insult at the CCP says you care more about your perceived superiority than actually solving problems pertaining to the virus. Again it is Americans who are dying, not the Chinese.
  - brankoB 5y ago
    I can't imagine a situation in which someone dies because I used the term China virus. Also the CCP definitely cares. Negative PR for a country which is a major exporter is a bad thing for the country.

standardUser 5y ago

No, because there are a lot of people of Chinese descent in the US and they have historically been targeted and oppressed by the government and the public. If South Africans in the US started getting attacked (I've met two or three over the years) then we would all want to stop using that phrase as well. Maybe if the US didn't have a very large number of people who are willing to harass people of visibly different races we wouldn't have to have these discussions and worry so much about our language. But we do, and we have a track record of specific races being attacked when nations that have a majority of that race become embroiled in international issues.