[OT] master/slave debate in Python

[Schachner, Joseph]

This really is an amazing discussion.  I actually do understand why "master" and "slave" might make people uncomfortable, although the meaning is quite clear.  Perhaps we need a currently used alternative:
1) Captain and Private
2) Manager and employee
3) CEO and Peon
4) Controller and Controlled
5) Commander and executer

You might not like any of these. That's OK, my goal was just to show that the relationship can be expressed without using outdated terms that some find objectionable.
These all have pretty much the same relationship (first one says what to do, second one does it) but I think any one of them feels more "comfortable" now-a-days than Master and Slave.

--- Joe S.

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Moore <p.f.moore at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 11:41 AM
To: Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly at gmail.com>
Cc: Python <python-list at python.org>
Subject: Re: [OT] master/slave debate in Python

On Wed, 26 Sep 2018 at 16:30, Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly at gmail.com> wrote:

> Also: a human slave is not "a person being treated like a computer"
> and I find it highly disrespectful that you would move to trivialize 
> slavery like that.

I have no idea what it must feel like to be a slave (other than the trite and obvious idea that "it must be awful"). Unfortunately, debates like this do nothing to help me understand or empathise with the people suffering in that way, or people dealing with the aftermath of historical cases.

I'm more than happy to ensure that we are not causing pain or being disrespectful of the suffering of others, but rather than simply making the whole issue feel like a censorship debate, I'd rather we were helping people to understand and empathise, so that they would *of their own accord* act in an appropriate way. Self-censorship based on understanding and empathy is far more reasonable than any sort of externally-imposed rules.

But discussing what it means to be a slave, or the implications of slavery on our culture(s) is way off-topic for this list, so I'd prefer not to debate it further here. I'm sure anyone interested in understanding more can easily find more appropriate forums to participate in.

Paul