Oxford University sorry for eye contact racism claim

[Noradin]

So they finally noticed that different cultures have different norms for non-verbal communication (yes, different cultures have different norms for how long an eye-contact has to last so it is deemed polite), promptly called it "racism", and then backpadled when someone else pointed out to them that there are people who struggle with communication?
Maybe they should have asked someone who knows about those kinds of things before making statements like this?
The were in an university, were they not?

[Every Pwny]

Could you prove someone was not making eye contact, or is it just one persons word against another? Do you get punished for such a thing? It seems they are trying to please everyone creating tons of rules to follow where students would be spending more time trying to learn them all rather than spending time studying for their classes, but it's impossible to please everyone because rules like this conflict with each other and they aren't taking into account all cultures, because in some culture eye contact with strangers is seen as improper.

[Dispraise]

Micro-aggressions, lol. This is why I just opt for macro-aggressions, lobbed indiscriminately.

it's comical.

And tremendously sad, which just makes it hilarious.

[Noradin]

People who move to another country will almost always feel uncomfortable with the length (or shortness) eye contact takes in the new country, because the span of time that is the norm for politeness differs, but because most people do not consciously realize this part of communication they misjudge the intentions and reasons behind these differences and feel shunned or stared at.

I used to notice it whenever I came to different (European) countries: While eye contact generally has the same meaning in these western cultures the length that is the norm differs quite a bit: Whenever I came to Germany I felt stared at, but if I came to the UK after a few weeks everyone seemed came across as shifty, avoiding to look at you as if you had something on your face.
In truth, Germans look at you a lot and for a long time and that is simply normal. They make eye contact to acknowledge you, then continue to look somewhere (which might include you). It isn't meant to be impolite.
People in the UK however tend to expect you to avoid looking at them as a form of acknowledgement, which Germans would take as slight or expression of shame, I think.

[breadisfunny]

The whole expansion offends me, and as such, you mentioning it is racism towards me!

OMG a draenei. i'm very offended. draenei aggression!

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Micro-aggressions, lol. This is why I just opt for macro-aggressions, lobbed indiscriminately.



And tremendously sad, which just makes it hilarious.

i opt for succubus aggression. it's very hot and sexy.

[Nitro Fun]

I did have a chuckle at this. Never mind autistic people, some people are just shy and have difficulty making and maintaining eye contact. At least they didn't double down.

Some people also come from a cultural background where it's impolite to make eye contact or where it can easily cause conflict if done wrong.

[Deleted]

In my experience, people who avoid eye contact do so trying to not offend. "Look but don't stare" attitude.
Codifying offense into a search for non-offensiveness seems like a perfect recipe for disaster. It's the kind of thing I wouldn't expect from a high institution of learning. Especially if they see any value to diversity whatsoever, since these attitudes vary greatly from culture to culture.

[prwraith]

Meh i avoid eye contact with people because I don't like people.

[Spectral]

Well, I guess we know who wins the oppression Olympics between autistic people and black people at Oxford.

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Meh i avoid eye contact with people because I don't like people.

I like people just fine for the most part and I still avoid eye contact a lot of the time, especially in large groups of people I don't know. I'm inherently introverted while I love interpersonal interaction with my friends or with interesting people, it's pretty mentally draining to engage with everyone all the time.

[Direpenguin]

Was it a black dog?

Since we have Godwin's Law to account for instances where Hitler is brought into a conversion, should we have the same type of thing when someone invokes Led Zepplin?

[Mormolyce]

I'm mostly offended SJW haven't all just jumped off a tall bridge already or go do something more useful with their time?

I can't imagine the horror you'll experience when one day you look in a mirror and realise you're one of them.

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I'm not offended (even though I have a form of Autism myself and am one of the worst offenders of poor eye contact), I just think it's fucking hilarious that a university of their level would actually think something so comically stupid.

The only thing really wrong with it is that it doesn't specifically say that it means avoiding eye contact only for particular races. Which is obvious from context.

So IMO this is just the internet enjoying more outrage masturbation.

[Cerilis]

So that leaves Britain with one university?

What university would that be?

[NED funded]

What university would that be?

If memory serves me right the other one would be Cambridge.

[Powerogue]

Just so it's clear if you keep eye contact it's sexual harrasment. So no matter what just don't go outside or you might end up harassing someone.

There's only one solution: never leave the house.

[I Push Buttons]

You obviously read it wrong if that's what you took away from it. How is that even a question? The article plainly states that Oxford apologized for not presenting an appropriately nuanced view.

This was merely one thing on a list of several "racial micro-aggressions" meant to point out "everyday racism"...

For people who aren't autistic, do you agree that avoiding eye contact with someone means you are racist against them?

[Endus]

For people who aren't autistic, do you agree that avoiding eye contact with someone means you are racist against them?

The key word is "avoiding".

Legitimately not paying attention to someone isn't automatically racist, because you haven't really noticed them; the lack of eye contact isn't representative of anything. Nor is it racism if you know they're behind you but don't spin around and lock eyes like a madman. It's racist if you avoid looking at, say, black people in the eye, when if they were white you would have. It's that difference in how you behave that is the issue.

It's not about normal eye contact. It's about when you avoid normal eye contact because certain ethnicities make you uncomfortable or you think they're beneath your regard or whatever. If you're treating them the same as you'd treat anyone else, in terms of eye contact, then obviously there's no discrimination going on.

[I Push Buttons]

That's a stupid question.

Apparently not.

The key word is "avoiding".

Legitimately not paying attention to someone isn't automatically racist, because you haven't really noticed them; the lack of eye contact isn't representative of anything. Nor is it racism if you know they're behind you but don't spin around and lock eyes like a madman. It's racist if you avoid looking at, say, black people in the eye, when if they were white you would have. It's that difference in how you behave that is the issue.

It's not about normal eye contact. It's about when you avoid normal eye contact because certain ethnicities make you uncomfortable or you think they're beneath your regard or whatever. If you're treating them the same as you'd treat anyone else, in terms of eye contact, then obviously there's no discrimination going on.

[Endus]

Apparently not.

Perhaps you missed that my entire response was basically an explanation as to why it was a stupid question.

[I Push Buttons]

Perhaps you missed that my entire response was basically an explanation as to why it was a stupid question.

Oh so his "stupid question" insult was an affirmation...

"Obviously its racist!"

My mistake, I thought he was acknowledging the absurdity of the assertion, but I guess not.