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Einstein's travel diaries reveal 'shocking' xenophobia
The Guardian ^ | Tue 12 Jun 2018 | Alison Flood

Posted on 06/13/2018 4:19:06 PM PDT by RedMonqey

The publication of Albert Einstein’s private diaries detailing his tour of Asia in the 1920s reveals the theoretical physicist and humanitarian icon’s racist attitudes to the people he met on his travels, particularly the Chinese. Written between October 1922 and March 1923, the diaries see the scientist musing on his travels, science, philosophy and art. In China, the man who famously once described racism as “a disease of white people” describes the “industrious, filthy, obtuse people” he observes. He notes how the “Chinese don’t sit on benches while eating but squat like Europeans do when they relieve themselves out in the leafy woods. All this occurs quietly and demurely. Even the children are spiritless and look obtuse.” After earlier writing of the “abundance of offspring” and the “fecundity” of the Chinese, he goes on to say: “It would be a pity if these Chinese supplant all other races. For the likes of us the mere thought is unspeakably dreary.” Ze’ev Rosenkranz, senior editor and assistant director of the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology, said: “I think a lot of comments strike us as pretty unpleasant – what he says about the Chinese in particular. “They’re kind of in contrast to the public image of the great humanitarian icon. I think it’s quite a shock to read those and contrast them with his more public statements. They’re more off guard, he didn’t intend them for publication.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; History; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: einstein
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To: RedMonqey

The sheer childishness of judging people from the past by today’s cultural standards is breathtaking. Note that by 2018’s SJW standards, Barack Obama was homophobic in 2008 because he didn’t support gay marriage then.


21 posted on 06/13/2018 4:50:57 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: RedMonqey

I don’t read anything remotely racist in the comments contained in the article. It would seem to be simply the honest observations and concerns of someone during that time period with regards to a socially isolated and repressed people.


22 posted on 06/13/2018 4:53:24 PM PDT by semaj (U\)
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To: RedMonqey

This is just another Chinese fire drill.


23 posted on 06/13/2018 4:53:27 PM PDT by kaehurowing
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To: ealgeone

Does the theory of relativity mean that his relatives are guilty of racism too, or it is OK to buy coffee or a bagel from his brothers’ bagel shop?


24 posted on 06/13/2018 4:54:09 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: RedMonqey

Another case of the error of historical anachronism, judging past figures by the values of the present. Einstein’s views were widespread in the West before WWII. From experience, Churchill had a low view of Muslims, although they have done a pretty poor job of trying to change that image, in contrast to the Chinese and other East Asians.


25 posted on 06/13/2018 4:54:30 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: RedMonqey

In the not too distant future, every significant White historical figure will be judged “racist” and need to be purged from the history books and public square.

Eventually, every street will be named “MLK” street.


26 posted on 06/13/2018 4:54:38 PM PDT by rbg81 (Truth is stranger than fiction)
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To: UCANSEE2

“The most important human endeavor is the striving
for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and
even our very existence depend on it. Only Morality
in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.”
- Albert Einstein -


27 posted on 06/13/2018 4:55:07 PM PDT by donna (The California Sanctuary State is the latest method for trapping and trading slaves.)
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To: ealgeone

Time to ban the Theory of Relativity. Scientist’s can no longer be allowed to use it.


28 posted on 06/13/2018 4:57:02 PM PDT by Revel
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To: RedMonqey
Got news for this author—if you read ANYONES’ writings from that time frame or before you will run into lots of material that is now considered insensitive and offensive when it comes to other races and/or classes. Read Lincoln, read Jefferson, read Franklin, read Rudyard Kipling, Mark Twain, etc., etc., etc. I highly recommend their writings, especially Kipling's travels in the US and the Orient.
29 posted on 06/13/2018 5:01:19 PM PDT by binreadin
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To: donna
“I noticed how little difference there is
between men and women;
I don’t understand what kind of
fatal attraction Chinese women possess
which enthrals the corresponding men
to such an extent that they are incapable
of defending themselves against the
formidable blessing of offspring”.

- Albert Einstein -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relativity is easier to comprehend that than ANY woman!

HA HA

30 posted on 06/13/2018 5:02:00 PM PDT by Delta 21 (Build The Wall !! Jail The Cankle !!)
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To: Revel

Now it can be revealed that like Aristotle, Einstein didn’t invent nuttin’. He traveled to Egypt and stole the theory of relativity from the Library at Alexandria.


31 posted on 06/13/2018 5:02:59 PM PDT by laconic
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To: rbg81

> Eventually, every street will be named “MLK” street. <

Martin Luther King thought homosexuality was a mental disorder. And in an advice column, King told a homosexual that he should go see a psychiatrist.

So eventually the Gay Mafia will demand that those MLK street signs come down.


32 posted on 06/13/2018 5:10:02 PM PDT by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

As I recall Ayn Rand made disparaging comments about Asians. I couldn’t care less.


33 posted on 06/13/2018 5:16:23 PM PDT by matt1234 (Jan. 20, 2017: the national nightmare ended.)
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To: iowamark

“It is not shocking at all that a 1920’s European would say some negative things about the Chinese in private letters.”

Yeh, you would think he was describing San Francisco....


34 posted on 06/13/2018 5:16:24 PM PDT by snoringbear (W,E.oGovernment is the Pimp,)
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To: RedMonqey

Guess what?

People have prejudices.

Some are racial; some are religious; some are political.

As Americans, we must try to rise above such things, and see people as individual human beings.

Except, of course, Democrats.


35 posted on 06/13/2018 5:18:42 PM PDT by karnage
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To: RedMonqey

Einstein owned slaves and was an anti-Semite ... said the left-wing UC professor.


36 posted on 06/13/2018 5:19:18 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici
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To: laconic
Yes! Afrocentric physics!
37 posted on 06/13/2018 5:24:35 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: RedMonqey

Modern physics must be banned now!


38 posted on 06/13/2018 5:29:35 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: RedMonqey
“It would be a pity if these Chinese supplant all other races. For the likes of us the mere thought is unspeakably dreary.”

He was right. And in many places in the U.S. that is happening today. Dreary because of the robotic nature of so many Chinese, and particularly when in groups, such as in public schools.

39 posted on 06/13/2018 5:32:40 PM PDT by montag813
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To: RedMonqey

“... adds, in Rosenkranz’s words, “a healthy dose of extreme misogyny” to his xenophobia with the observation: “I noticed how little difference there is between men and women.”

Liberals are so confusing. This fellows says, “noticed how little difference there is between men and women” is misogynist.

But I thought it was the height of progressive liberal dogma “how little difference there is between men and women”.


40 posted on 06/13/2018 5:34:48 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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