this sentiment never led to any public curiosity about those who are not cancerously white

[Ostap]

Hello, teachers. What does the phrase "this sentiment never led to any public curiosity about those who are not cancerously white" in the excerpt below mean and what is it about?

source

 

[probus]

It helps to read it with one of the preceding sentences: "The white race is the cancer of human history." I think it means that the fact that Sontag and others thought so and said so did not lead to critical thinking about the historical role of white people except for those who were so evil they could be called cancerous: for instance Hitler and Stalin.

 

[jutfrank]

It suggests that she was somewhat hypocritical, as she herself didn't seem to be very interested in people who were not white.

 

[Ostap]

Is the reading below then correct?

this sentiment (the white race is the cancer of human history) never led (her) to any public curiosity about those who are not cancerously white (about those who are non-white)

 

[jutfrank]

Right.

 

[probus]

Is the reading below then correct.

It's not wrong but it's incomplete because it fails to explain the word cancerously. That is a very strong word and its omission greatly changes the meaning.

 

[Ostap]

It's not wrong but it's incomplete because it fails to explain the word cancerously. That is a very strong word and its omission greatly changes the meaning.

I thought it doesn't add much meaning because it might be used sarcastically (by Eliot Weinberger). He could as well have put the part cancerously white in quotes (because "cancer" is her word not his, and he might not share her opinion on the white race).

 

[Tarheel]

I thought it doesn't add much meaning because it might be used sarcastically (by Eliot Weinberger). He could as well have put the part cancerously white in quotes (because "cancer" is her word not his, and he might not share her opinion on the white race).

I'm sure it is meant sarcastically. (He was probably mocking her.) That's why I would keep it. You could put it in quotes yourself however.

 

[Ostap]

I'm sure it is meant sarcastically. (He was probably mocking her.) That's why I would keep it. You could put it in quotes yourself however.

The reason why I didn't do that was because "those who are not cancerously white" sounds ambiguous. It could mean either all non-whites, or those white but not "cancerously" so. I just wanted to make sure it was the latter.

 

[probus]

The reason why I didn't do that was because "those who are not cancerously white" sounds ambiguous. It could mean either all non-whites, or those white but not "cancerously"I just wanted to make sure it was the latter.

It was.

 

[Ostap]

It was.

Opps, sorry, I meant the former. I thought we have all agreed that it was about all non-whites, haven't we?

 

[probus]

I certainly have not agreed with that, and I never will. Furthermore, I'd bet my boots there was nothing sarcastic about it.

Ostap, you are flirting with banishment. You've had two warnings in the past and my patience with you is wearing very thin indeed.

 

[Ostap]

Ostap, you are flirting with banishment. You've had two warnings in the past and my patience with you is wearing very thin indeed.

Have I? I didn't know that. At least there was nothing in the PMs or posts with the word "warning".

I checked the rules and I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Considering all that, banishment is indeed very possible.

 

[jutfrank]

I thought we have all agreed that it was about all non-whites, haven't we?

Yes, it definitely is about all non-whites and yes, it is meant to be sarcastic as it's directly referring to her silly metaphor that the white race is a cancer.

 

[Glizdka]

Have I? I didn't know that. At least there was nothing in the PMs or posts with the word "warning".

I checked the rules and I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Considering all that, banishment is indeed very possible.

This forum likes to stay away from easily irritating topics like religion and politics as much as possible. It's difficult to distinguish between linguistic analysis and opinion in threads like this. Just try to focus on the language part in your threads and you'll be A-OK.

 

[SoothingDave]

I see no point to discussing the views of people that are racist. Certainly not on a forum meant for language learners.