What do you think of the term "ricer", and do you think it's racist

"71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors" (adamprotter)
11/05/2015 at 15:39 • Filed to: None

Some JDM for your time

DISCUSSION (39)

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:42

Thrown around way too much and too easily by people who look at anything japanese with a new exhaust set up and don’t like it. I don’t think it’s racist

crowmolly > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:44

The term comes from rice burner, which plays on the fact that Asian people eat a lot of rice. I want to say it was started by the Harley guys.

In my opinion, still racist, but for whatever reason tolerated.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:44

It depends on how it’s used, really.

Unless said person is an ignorant, despicable asshole.

Ash78, voting early and often > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:45

I heard the term for several years before I ever heard anyone mention racism in the same breath. I always believed it was just gentle slander for “rice burners” or “rice cookers,” aka modified Asian cars. Nothing to do with people. Most Asian car tuners around here are white or Hispanic, anyway.

If I heard it directed at a person, that would absolutely be racist.

supra-squirrel > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:45

The origins for the term definitely are. I prefer the term Race Inspired Car Enthusiast.

Oh shit. Nvm...

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Ash78, voting early and often
11/05/2015 at 15:49

The word “tuner” being used very loosely. I think the words you’re looking for are “autozone shopper”

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:50

It’s hard to say if it’s racist since I’m not asian and don’t really know the origins of it. If it does upset people of asian descent then it could probably be classed as racist.

Ash78, voting early and often > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
11/05/2015 at 15:51

Tuner = anyone who affixes adhesive pieces to their vehicle and/or replaces existing parts with the intent of making said vehicle louder.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Ash78, voting early and often
11/05/2015 at 15:51

Louder/more obnoxious. Fair enough

djmt1 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:52

Depends how you use it. Racing Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements is what it means to me.

So:

Fake performance badges.

Inappropriate wings.

Lowering it way too low to be useable on the road.

Plus not exclusive to Asian cars so therefore not racist.

Kinja'd!!!

yitznewton > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:52

I don’t know; it invokes a stereotype, not sure if racist?

If there were a trend of ricing foolishly modifying Israeli cars, and people called it “matzahed out,” would I find it offensive? I don’t really think so.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:55

In an automotive context, a ricer, or rice burner is a colloquialism for cars made in japan, or the whole far-east pacific rim region, a geographic region usually associated with agricultural rice. In a negative connotation, it is usually used for modified cars that are seen as obnoxious. It isn’t much different than calling italian sports cars pasta rockets, or the way horses used to be called hay-burners in the american west.

It is usually not in reference to people, because the drivers may be of any of various nationalities, or ethnicities.

It is not really applicable to be racist when referring to an inanimate object of a categorized geographic origin.

Yes, people can be crass, and use colloqialisms as insults... but that is as old as language and human nature itself, and is a propriety issue for people to deal with. Banning one word, usually brings up at least two, or many in it’s place with the people who are of that mindset.

Frankly, the PC Police have been out in far too much force, and political correctness and censorship are far worse and more pervasive a societal problem than racism or derogatory language has been in some time.

If something is inappropriate, call it what it is, disapprove, or even condemn it if it is serious, and move on.

If something is appropriate, descriptive, or at least *not inappropriate*, then don’t worry so much. If people get offended about that, it is their problem for being too tightly wound.

Otherwise, there are far more pressing problems to deal with... and sometimes people need to get out of their own head, and get some distraction from from all the pressing problems, and just chill the heck out.

NJAnon > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:56

The race card, eh? thats kind of far fetched don’t you think MGB?

BigBlock440 > Ash78, voting early and often
11/05/2015 at 15:58

Why would it be racist if it were directed at a person?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 15:59

It’s as racist as calling a German car a krautwagen.

Richtofen, Baron von Pickup > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:02

Are we looking for something else to be offended by today?

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:03

I think as with many questionable phrases, it has everything to with context and intent of the person using the word.

Being used plainly to describe a car, probably not racist. Pointed with vengeance at a person - yes, racist.

Similar to the whole “N-word” stupidity by people claiming double standards that black people can call each other that, but when a white person does it it’s racist....well, yes, because 99 times out of 100 a white person actually really vehemently wanting to use that word it is meant to be in a hateful way.

Ash78, voting early and often > BigBlock440
11/05/2015 at 16:12

Any sort of condescension directed towards someone of another race using a cultural stereotype is dangerous ground. Hard to defend.

I wonder if modded Hindustans or Tatas are Basmati Ricers, though...

wiffleballtony > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:14

Racist or wacist?

B Reynolds > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:15

If a lot of people, Asian or otherwise find it offensive, it’s probably racist..... yeah its racist. George Carlin would have a field day with ricer. how can a word so fun be racist?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:22

It’s not any more racist than calling a German car a Kraut.

uofime-2 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
11/05/2015 at 16:26

If the outlet of said exhaust system resembles a coffee can, I generally agree with the pejorative

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > Richtofen, Baron von Pickup
11/05/2015 at 16:28

Nope, writing an essay for my Linguistics class about the term “ricer” and wanted the input of the automotive community

RallyWrench > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:31

I don’t know. I’m not Asian so I can’t really make a valid statement, but it seems pretty harmless. Every car scene is called something derogatory, and this is the one for tuned Japanese cars. Some in the scene even embrace it, so it’s hard to call it racist.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:31

I think it's a stupid term, but I'm not offended by it.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > NJAnon
11/05/2015 at 16:35

I’m writing an for my linguistics class and I have to find something to bullshit. One of the readings we were assigned thought the use of “Hasta la vista, baby” from terminator 2 was super racist “because it indexes latinos as treacherous”. I’m genuinely not trying to stir up any shit, I just wanted to see what other people in the automotive community thought.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:36

I’ve never thought of it as racist. Derogatory, yes, but not racist.

MonkeePuzzle > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:40

derogatory yes, racist no. but suuuuuper close.

Sam > BigBlock440
11/05/2015 at 16:47

For the same reason that calling them slant-eyes would be racist?

Shoop > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 16:55

its racist...and i dont care

jkm7680 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 17:21

Only PC people and SJWs go that far into it.

If I call a Dodge Neon a “ricer”, am I calling it a derogatory term for a Japanese person?

BigBlock440 > Sam
11/05/2015 at 17:30

Why would you call them slant eyes? Most of the ricers in my area are white. It’s the same as calling someone a bro.

BigBlock440 > Ash78, voting early and often
11/05/2015 at 17:31

What if they’re the same race as you? Is it still racist if they’re white, black, or hispanic?

NJAnon > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 17:32

Yeah I see where you’re coming from. Although I think there are more genuine ones you can use in the future for your class:

(Bioshock-Andrew Ryan Rapture debate) Ayn Rand

or if you want to get fancy:

(Bayonetta - female character leads/design debate) Mari Shimazaki is the female artist of the character

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > NJAnon
11/05/2015 at 17:36

Thanks for the help, those would have been way better, but my paper is due tomorrow and I’m already 3/5ths done. I fully realize that I’m kind of pulling at straws, but I think this will work. I have to cite people like this http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa… so I’ll be fine.

whatisthatsound > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 17:54

I think the term is outdated and doesn’t even get to the core problem. People with bad taste. When I hear a car lover say ricer I lose some respect for them because they are many other ways to describe terrible mods.

miadaman? yes please > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/05/2015 at 18:05

I always thought “Rice” your car is like Rice in your dinner, it takes up tons of space and doesn’t really help out where it matters.

Disclaimer: I’m making fried rice tonight and it will be delicious.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > jkm7680
11/05/2015 at 18:57

According to certain liberal scholars like this one , yes . According to actual normal humans who go outside, hell no

Kanaric > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
11/06/2015 at 02:07

antiquated term imo. I never hear anyone use it anymore aside the internet.