What's so bad about calling people oriental?

Question

it's better than G00K.

COME ON! That part of Asia was called the Orient for years, and the people who lived there were called Oriental, until about 5 to 10 years ago. Why? What's the big deal?

Answer 1

I have a number of Asian friends and some of them refer to themselves as oriental. The word oriental means- eastern.
occidental means western. huh

Answer 2

ORIENTAL is referring to the description of ITEMS. The last time i checked, PEOPLE weren't items and weren't anybody's PROPERTY. And just because it's better than the g-word doesn't mean it doesn't categorize it as a racist term when used in the wrong way. Plus it's still insulting.

Answer 3

I am half Korean, and what I am about to say will probably shock and outrage some...

My white daddy has called me ****, Rice-burner, chop-stick user, chink, and Jap. He has, in my opinion, done it affectionately. I was a teenager before I knew that it was not "politically correct". I now have boys who are of a different race and I call them all kinds of "politically incorrect names," I do it affectionately, and they understand it, but they, like me, understand that the world, and especially USA, look at us in shock and dismay and actually would just as soon take my children and call me an unfit mother who is spreading racial dissension. I personally think it is all absurd, I am a rice-eater, I love the stuff. I even find myself, squatting and eating it as fast as I can, with my chopsticks. ****, is not a cut-down to me, it is another name for my race. Yes, some people can use words, labels, and names hatefully and racially, but thats the person and their hearts, not everyone who uses known labels and names mean it racially, some of us are just like CAN WE EVER GET OVER OURSELVES, and quit acting like children, running around tattling, "he won't quit calling me names".

Answer 4

Being an American, I don't know the physical difference between a Japanese person, Chinese person, Korean person etc (I hope this does not come off as racist-I am not racist) so I usually try to go by what language they are speaking (I don't understand Japanese but I know how it sounds-if this makes sense)

To be sure I don't offend anyone I will just refer to them as Asian.
Does the term 'Asian' also apply to people from India, Pakistan, etc.?

Answer 5

I JUST BROKE IT OFF WITH AN "ASIAN" LADY ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.SHE USED TO GET REALLY HOT WHEN I USED THE WORD ORIENTAL.I THOUGHT I WAS BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT IN USING IT.APPARENTLY NOT! SHE TOLD ME THIS AND I'M SHARING IT TO ALL OF YOU,THE WORD ORIENTAL DESCRIBES MATERIAL THINGS (I.E. RUGS,DISHES,CRAFTS) THE WORD ASIAN DESCRIBES THE PEOPLE (I.E. CHINESE,JAPANESE,THAI, AND SO FORTH) IN COMPARISON THAT WORD TO THEM IS HATED AS MUCH TO THEM AS THE "N" WORD TO AFRICAN AMERICANS.ALTHOUGH I EXPLAINED IT TO ANOTHER ASIAN FRIEND OF MINE AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT IT.MAYBE IT ONLY APPLIES TO THOSE NOT BORN IN THE STATES.NEXT TIME YOU SEE AN ASIAN PERSON,STOP THEM AND ASK THEM.

Answer 6

Because Oriental is for rugs, pottery, art, these are all things. People aren't things.

Answer 7

I don't see a problem with it. Its not bad compared to some things you can call people.

Answer 8

I don't know. I am italian and being called a guinea just makes me chuckle. We cry wolf way too much..

Answer 9

everyone has their opinions on what is good or bad. What's acceptable, what's not.
Now the other word is not acceptable because that is a racial slurr.

Answer 10

It's the wrong word.

Using it isn't racist. It's just improper grammar.

Oriental refers specifically to THINGS, not people.

The people are "Asian" or whatever their nationality is.