Re:Why We Banned the Word “Ethnic” (2019)
by notahacker on Sunday March 13, 2022 @12:34PM
(#30662874)
Yep, that's the counter argument right there. Sometimes it's better to be vaguely accurate than precisely missing much of the point.
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Vaguely accurate is just another way of saying wrong.
Re:Why We Banned the Word “Ethnic” (2019)
by notahacker on Sunday March 13, 2022 @01:36PM
(#30663657)
No, "vaguely accurate" is a way of avoiding labels which are more precise and wrong. It's better to describe a disputed large quantity with the vague but accurate label of "millions" than choose a random scholar of unknown quality's estimate to 3 s.f as the correct figure.
It's better to summarise the Troubles in Northern Ireland vaguely accurately as "ethnic tensions" than precisely wrongly as a religious war between two schools of Christianity.
Saying gas is about 4$ right now is vaguely accurate, of course it’s also wrong. Consider the phrase “not even vaguely accurate” means it’s not just wrong it’s very wrong.
Being vaguely accurate on a history test may give partial credit, but the news should to be held to a higher standard.