No Stupid Questions

942 readers

1 users here now

There are no stupid questions.

Follow site rules.

Don't be a fascist.

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

penloy@lemmy.ml

Why are all white people considered "caucasian?" Shouldn't "Caucasian" mean people from a very specific geographic location known as the Caucusus? (en.m.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.ml

6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The Caucasus or Caucasia is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia, situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

Why are all white people called "Caucasians?" I don't even need to do any research to confidently say that the majority of white people on the planet have no affiliation or heritage links with that place whatsoever.

Granted there is an alternate definition for the word "caucus" which is a political word originating in the United states in the 1700s by white men in political gathering discussion groups, so perhaps that's how it got started. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucus

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Got me. Why was orient and oriental used regularly but almost know one knows occident and occidental?

[–] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Probably intentional.

[–] Stillwater@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

Cuz at the time the terms came into use, there was "here" and "east". Nothing was "west" but ocean.