I can see strategic reasons for that belief—make a behavior low-status in order to discourage it—but there’s a problem that it’s false. There have been intelligent racists and high status racists, and I think the belief that racist is especially the province of the poor, stupid, and ill-educated has led to ‘racist’ being a much more explosive insult than it needs to be.
I absolutely agree. In any case I should have said “racism” anyway, as I’m comparing the ideas, with one being seen generally as “held by many but ill informed” and the other being seen almost with incredulity.
I can see strategic reasons for that belief—make a behavior low-status in order to discourage it—but there’s a problem that it’s false. There have been intelligent racists and high status racists, and I think the belief that racist is especially the province of the poor, stupid, and ill-educated has led to ‘racist’ being a much more explosive insult than it needs to be.
I absolutely agree. In any case I should have said “racism” anyway, as I’m comparing the ideas, with one being seen generally as “held by many but ill informed” and the other being seen almost with incredulity.